As a Muslim woman I’m often asked: “how can you write what you write?” My answer is usually: “how can I not?" I write erotica, much of which is based on personal experience. It always makes me wonder why many people believe that being a Muslim supercedes being human. Does my physiology change because of my faith? More importantly, should it?
Desire. Does it disappear the moment you recite the Shahada? Is there some invisible chain that binds physical arousal the moment you declare yourself a Muslim? Based on my own experiences and struggles with sensuality, I’d have to say no. Faith, heritage, culture, and tradition are part and parcel of existing in the world, but that doesn’t mean that being true to them requires one to be chaste, or unresponsive to one’s physical self, or suppressing that which makes us human. And I’m not the only one; there are a handful more that support my stance. Many women, Muslim and non-Muslim, are taught that it is shameful and un-womanly to talk about these things. Fortunately, a few have chosen to believe otherwise because they understand the danger in keeping their mouths and minds shut.
We live in a hyper-sexualized world, but even so, we are afraid to speak candidly about anything related to sex and sexuality. It is this vow of silence that allows for sex to become a tool of exploitation and shame. Would the prevalence of sex crimes continue to climb if people were willing to speak openly and create honest dialogues regarding the nitty and the gritty? It is this blogger’s belief that it is because of the closed door policy on sex that is still prevalent in many parts of the world, Muslim or otherwise, that create avenues for those who would take advantage of the weak and vulnerable, while we as a society look away because it is still considered taboo to be aware of anything and everything sexual.
It is not my intent to judge the sexual practices or religious beliefs of others, nor is it my intention to begin a sexual revolution of the Muslim world; my work is an open book in order to create a dialogue where people of all walks of life can participate and connect to an experience, without feeling as if they’ve done something “dirty.” I write about passion, with passion, because it is my belief that no matter how you are raised or what your beliefs are, there is always a small part of every individual that wants to react to a sensual experience, that craves the need to connect with their own desires, that we all desire a safe space to let down our walls and take a walk on the wild side.
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© Briar Rose
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