And now people are comparing Malala Yousafzai to Mia Khalifa

Only a week into her first semester and Malala Yousafzai has already been wrongfully criticised. Earlier this week, an alleged new photo of the 20 year-old activist, wearing a bomber jacket, jeans, boots and a scarf, surfaced the Internet, causing uproar among many.

Malala Yousafzai, is a women’s education activist, who as a child narrowly escaped death after being shot by the Taliban in 2012, in response to her brave and outspoken campaigns for women’s right to an education. Despite her critical condition and the long road to recovery ahead of her, she did not abandon her efforts in the fight for equality in education.

Source: metro.co.uk

After completing her studies in Birmingham, she went on to accept a place studying at Oxford University and has recently started her degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. Though most students will be sporting this attire as they begin the next year of their education, many were baffled at how Malala could be so daring to wear jeans, dubbing her “shameless” and a “disgrace”.

Whilst it is yet to be confirmed that this picture is actually Malala Yousafzai, people have not held back their accusations and have proceeded to dismiss the activist in the most degrading ways. Because, sadly, isn’t that just the natural way to respond to any woman who refuses to conform in today’s world?

Here are a few comments made towards the photo:

For a second, let’s just assume that it is Malala in the picture and she’s wearing a pair of skinny jeans. Who cares? Have you never chosen to wear something a little more modern over a traditional outfit? Do you think Pakistani or Indian women in school only ever wear sarees? Are men restricted to their traditional clothes every day?

BBC presenter Anita Anand came to Malala’s defence, telling the Daily Mail:

“Malala can wear whatever she likes as far as I am concerned.

“The baying criticism is coming from the most regressive quarters, and I doubt she could do anything to please them.

“I sincerely hope she never tries. She is a heroine and a role model.”

Once again, I ask why it is that we choose to focus on the meaningless appearance of someone, rather than what they stand for. Malala Yousafzai has kick started an incredible movement, inspiring young girls to fight for what they believe in and provoking the conversations that really do need to be had. This is the first time she has been pictured not wearing her traditional clothes. So bloody what? She’s still fighting for her cause, and is continuing to succeed.

It must also be noted that the majority of comments shaming Malala have been made by men. This just goes to show that the fight for true equality of the sexes is still ongoing. Women are still, by some, thought of as inferior to men and as theirs to dictate, in what they say, how they act and, now, what they wear.

Malala may not realise this, but she has sparked conversation this week and has carried us a step further towards respect and equality. 

Thank you for reading!

Aman

Why hating Melania Trump could make you a hypocrite

Source: thecut.com

Since Donald Trump launched his Presidential Campaign back in 2016, Melania Trump has been kept in her husband’s shadow for majority of the time. Except for when she is so viciously shamed. Yes, her choice in husband is not the best to say the least. Yes, she has often dismissed her husband’s sexism as merely “boy talk”. But does hurling shameful comments and threats towards her make you any better?

Now she is seen as the woman perched on Donald Trump’s shoulder, but before all of this, Melania was a model. This came at a price, however. In attempts to dig at President Trump, Melania’s nude modelling photos, taken in her 20s, have frequently been plastered across newspapers worldwide. In effect saying, “How could any First Lady of ours have behaved like that?” People have used these photos to dismiss her as some type of trophy wife at her husband’s disposal. She has become a “thing”, an “accessory” to Donald, rather than her own person.

Another significant event, in which people have attacked/ridiculed Melania, was Gigi Hadid’s impression of the First Lady during the 2016 American Music Awards.

“I love my husband, President Barack Obama and our children Sasha and Malia,” Hadid said through an exaggerated pout and Eastern European accent. She added that had been working hard all week to “get her face right.”

Source: metro.co.uk

Her impression was met with laughter and applause in the crowd but viewers at home responded with shock, many saying that this was completely inappropriate, especially as both of Hadid’s parents are also immigrants.

Perhaps it’s time to stop using Melania Trump as a way of attacking President Trump, despite how much we may despise and disagree with everything that comes out of his mouth, and start treating her as her own person, accountable for her own actions. Look at their Twitter accounts for example. Melania Trump has tweeted four times this week to encourage her followers to continue to donate to victims of recent hurricanes and has addressed her appreciation of Humanitarian Aid worldwide. President Trump, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to know when or what to tweet, rather using it like a bored teenager and posting multiple times a day. Just 15 hours ago, he criticised Hilary Clinton on the money she spent as part of her Presidential Campaign but has failed to encourage hurricane donations like his wife.

Melania seems to know how and when to use her platform positively, so let’s talk about that. Let’s talk about how often she has talked about tackling online bullying, despite her husband being one of the biggest bullies online. Let’s talk about the fact that she can speak six languages despite being an ‘immigrant’. Why are we so adamant on ignoring the actions she takes independently? Why is it that her appearance, accent and former career are being used as a way to attack her husband? Surely Trump's politics, blatant sexism and obvious racism should be enough for one to criticise him.

Sure, you may argue that she shouldn’t have married Trump and that she knew what she was getting into, and yes, who we choose to associate ourselves with can speak volumes about our own character but equally, it is wrong to judge Melania Trump by her accent, her money, her body and her questionable taste in life partner. She deserves to be judged on her own accord, by her own actions and not as an extension of her husband.

The majority of us hate the way Trump degrades women to objects, but slut shaming his wife is, in effect, doing the same thing. Defending Melania Trump from being wrongfully ridiculed does not mean you are defending Donald Trump and you can certainly be anti-Trump without shaming the First Lady.

Thank you for reading!
Aman