OBERLIN GLOBAL FEMINIST COLLECTIVE
“Do not confuse liberation with uniformity. Freedom means the right to choose differently.”
Profile: Amira (alias), 22, Paris. Muslim student, feminist collective member.
Q: How does the veil shape your feminist journey in France? A: “For many, my veil is a symbol of oppression. For me, it is faith, identity, choice. The hardest part is not wearing the veil, but being told by others what it must mean.”
Q: What challenges do Muslim women face in French feminism? A: “We are silenced. Debates about us rarely include us. Mainstream feminists claim to fight for our liberation but rarely ask us what freedom looks like for us.”
Q: What keeps you hopeful? A: “The solidarity I’ve found with other women — veiled or not — who believe feminism must mean listening, not prescribing. We are slowly reclaiming space, one voice at a time.”