My sister Sara and I reflect on Muslim girl influencer culture, all the good and bad! Social media has expanded our ability to showcase who we are as Muslim women, but it has also caused a “brain rot”, causing us to lose parts of our individuality and uniqueness as Muslim women. We reflect on some personal examples of this “Muslim girl brain rot” and how we can actively try not to fall for the over-glamorization of clean girl vibes and the soft girl aesthetic, and embrace our own tastes and interests without feeling pressure to conform.

In addition to social media, we should be enriching our lives and hearts with hobbies and in person sisterhood. Constantly scrolling on a perfect looking feed and comparing ourselves to others can be harmful for our mental health and our spirituality!

Sara and I also chat about the recent TikTok ban, the romanticization of marriage on Muslim social media, preparing for Ramadan, and how to actively not compare ourselves to others while we are on social media.

This is a very relevant chat, and Sara and I call ourselves out many times for being chronically online :)

Dr. Rahman and I talk about the importance of being proactive about our mental health as Muslim women and how to tackle all of the cultural hurdles and stigmas we face in our community. We also discuss family relationships between spouses, parents and children, and community relationships, and how these impact the way we view ourselves and our self esteem. Lastly, we talk about the anxiety and depression epidemic within the Muslim community and how we can prevent ourselves from being prone to anxious thoughts and depressive feelings.

TW: Contains mention of mental health issues and suicide.

Disclaimer: This episode is not medical advice. If you need help, please contact a crisis line or reach out to your therapist or psychiatrist.

The political scene in America has been disturbing, distressing, and disheartening, and a lot of us don’t even feel the energy to vote. Mehak Jamil, a local activist and attorney from my hometown, talks about how important it is to vote in the upcoming election despite how hopeless it feels. She also talks about her efforts to found a political organization to advocate for Muslims, and how vital it is for Muslim communities to mobilize politically in the next few years so that our voices are heard in future elections.

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Follow Mehak’s local organization on Instagram! @albanymac