The Othered Woman: How White Feminism Harms Muslim Women by Shahed Ezaydi

We are delighted to welcome Shahed Ezaydi to Chapters for an evening exploring her book, The Othered Woman: How White Feminism Harms Muslim Women, a sharp and necessary challenge to the myths that shape how Muslim women are seen, and by whom. We are especially glad to be hosting this one with our friends at the incredible and inspiring Feminist Fiction Berlin, whose work building space for intersectional feminist conversation makes them the perfect partners for this evening.

Growing up, Shahed was often asked how she could call herself a feminist and still practise her faith, a question that points to a much deeper problem: Muslim women being ignored in feminist spaces entirely, or cast as passive victims in need of rescue. The Othered Woman is the book Shahed wishes her younger self could have turned to. It dismantles the narrow white feminism that fuels gendered Islamophobia and centres the voices of intersectional feminists fighting for liberation on their own terms. Accessible, compelling, and urgent, this is essential reading for anyone who considers themselves a feminist.

Shahed will be in conversation with Sofio Rukhadze for the evening.

About Shahed: Shahed Ezaydi is a writer and editor specialising in features and reporting on culture, social issues and feminism. She was formerly an editor at Bustle and a staff writer at Stylist Magazine, and now freelances for a range of publications including Glamour, Dazed and Service95. The Othered Woman is her debut book.

About Sofio: Sofio Rukhadze is a Georgian communications specialist and aspiring writer. By day, she is head of social media for one of the world's leading architecture platforms, connecting millions of readers with ideas and stories from global architecture. By night, she volunteers as social media manager for Feminist Fiction Berlin, where she curates book recommendations and helps foster conversation around intersectional feminist literature. She also organises FLINTA open mic events, creating space for emerging writers and performers to share their work in an inclusive and supportive environment. As a writer, Sofio explores identity, belonging and womanhood through short stories and reflective essays, several of which have been published in online magazines.