Javaria Akbar
A Girl's Guide to Being a Great Friend
A good friend is always there for you, whether that picks putting your heart back together or cleaning you up after you puke.
How I Learned That Cancer Can Be Heartbreakingly Funny
My dad forgot how to dress when my mom had lymphoma, and would turn up to things dressed in XL T-shirts with Al Pacino and guns all over them.
Internet Commenters: This Is Why Other Muslims and I Won't Apologize for the 'Charlie Hebdo' Attacks
Apologizing for the actions of extremist gunmen makes little sense to me when I have absolutely nothing in common with them and zero understanding of their grotesque interpretation of Islam.
Why I'm Raising My British-Born Child to Speak Urdu
Nigel Farage has strong ideas about immigrants speaking perfect English, but, as part of a Pakistani immigrant family, I'm living proof of how having English as a first language doesn't count for everything.
A Muslim's Guide to Anal Hygiene
Allow me to clear a few things up about the use of the lota, the pot filled with water that Muslims traditionally use to keep themselves clean.
I Had an Arranged Marriage — But I'm Still a Feminist
It's hard for people to reconcile that a woman like me can still call herself a feminist. But I am, unequivocally. I have a vagina and I refuse to let that make me any less powerful, ambitious, or successful than someone without one. It's that simple.