Twitter user @SophiaAhmed1 sends a message to Femen The “International Topless Jihad Day” staged in European capitals yesterday has sparked a counter-campaign by a group of young Muslim women, who criticise their protests as \"Islamaphobic\" .The Ukrainian-based movement of anti-Muslim prejudice rallied bare-breasted in front of mosques and Tunisian embassies in Kiev, Berlin and Paris on Thursday, protesting against what they call an Islamist crackdown on Arab women’s rights.
But their antics have left many proud Muslim women angry, who accuse Femen’s actions of being counter-productive.
In response, student activists in Birmingham have launched the Facebook group Muslim Women Against Femen (MWAF) and have called on Muslim women to protest against the feminist’s group topless agenda as part of a Muslim Pride Day.
MWAF Facebook page is flooded with photographs of women and girls wearing niqab and hijab, holding posters mimicking Femen’s tactic, but displaying a very different message. Some read: “Femen stole my voice” and “You can’t liberate the free hijab.”
The group wrote on their page: \"We as Muslim women and those who stand with us, need to show FEMEN and their supporters, that their actions are counterproductive and we as Muslim women oppose it.\"
MWAF are urging Muslim women to assert themselves and speak out about their diverse identities.
“Muslimah pride is about connecting with your Muslim identity and reclaiming our collective voice. Most importantly it is about diversity and showing that Muslim women are not just one homogenous group. We come in all shapes and sizes, all races and cultural backgrounds. Whether we choose to wear hijabs or not is nobody’s business but ours,” a group member wrote.
The group asserts their opposition against Femen and what they feel is their use of Muslim women to reinforce western Imperialism.