Most relevant to my reading of this chapter of Inside the Gender Jihad was the relevance of representation. The term symbolic legitimacy was the term used in the book, but seemed to suggest that there is power in a Muslim woman in a hijab speaking in front of audiences about Islam. To be seen publicly as not only an advocate but as an educated and capable woman inspires people. It shows people that people like them can become successful. However, despite the broad reach that being a public figure provides, there also seemed to be an element of tokenization. Being a Muslim woman there is the expectation you speak on your struggles as a Muslim woman. The feelings of isolation that can inhabit for being valued for one aspect of your identity is not small feat which leads to the quote written on page 171. ” Whether consciously or unconsciously, randomly intended me directly to confront racism, gender hegemony, and patriarchy sometimes by being who i am externally, and sometimes by symbolically erasing myself.”
