Formation of alternative femininities through Islam: Feminist approaches among Muslim converts in Sweden

Islamic feminism might sound like an oxymoron for some. However, for an increasing number of Muslim women, Islam provides a salient framework within which they struggle for gender equality. Islamic feminism is an emerging global movement, a feminist discourse grounded in the sacred text of the Qur'an. Drawing on the life stories of two Swedish female converts to Islam, the article discusses their feminist approaches to Islam. I argue that it is through their feminist understanding that they integrate seemingly irreconcilable gender discourses. Through the conversion they explore an alternative femininity, triggering a critical commentary of both Western and Islamic discourses. Thus, a religious identity as “Muslim” lies not necessarily in the realm of patriarchy, as assumed by many feminists, perpetuating traditional gender roles, but rather constitutes a space in which resistance against patriarchal ideas can take form.