In this powerful episode, Fizza Abbas, a Pakistani journalist, shares her shocking experience when she was harassed in Karachi for wearing a dupatta with Arabic calligraphy. While riding on a motorbike with her husband, the couple was stopped by a group of men who accused Fizza of insulting the Quran, as the calligraphy on her outfit resembled Quranic verses.

This isn't an isolated incident—such harassment happens all too often to women in Pakistan. Fizza opens up about the trauma of being falsely accused and the threats to her safety, particularly when she chose to speak out and write about her experience.

In this conversation, we dive deep into why this kind of harassment occurs, how Fizza navigated the dangers of speaking up, and the broader implications of this issue in Pakistan. Tune in to hear Fizza’s courageous story and her reflections on the challenges women face in a society where religious extremism and misogyny are often intertwined.

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📸 Podcast Instagram - /burqahandbikini

📸 Host Instagram - /ithebrownwoman

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In this powerful episode, British-Nigerian actress Zainab Balogun shares her remarkable 19-year journey to an endometriosis diagnosis — a journey filled with intense pain, dismissal from the medical community, and a profound sense of isolation. For nearly two decades, Zainab’s pain was ignored, often overlooked because of her race and gender. But instead of succumbing to the struggle, she turned her experience into a story of resilience and empowerment. Zainab has become a voice for thousands of women affected by endometriosis, a disease that remains one of the most under-researched conditions of female anatomy. Through her openness and courage, she has built an online community of support, offering hope and solidarity to women around the world who are fighting the same battle. In this episode, Zainab takes us through the emotional and physical toll of endo on her social and professional life, the impact it had on her mental health, and how she took control of her fertility by choosing to freeze her eggs after treatment.

Now, Zainab is channeling her struggle into purpose. She’s bringing the reality of living with endometriosis to the big screen in Blood, a psychological thriller that delves into the psychological and physical struggles of the disease. Zainab’s journey is a testament to survival, resilience, and the power of transforming personal pain into a platform for change.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating chronic illness, seeking hope, or looking to better understand the struggles that women with endometriosis face. Zainab's story isn’t one of victimhood; it’s one of triumph, strength, and the courage to speak out when no one else will listen.

KEEP IN TOUCH:

🎙️ Youtube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts

📸 Podcast Instagram - /burqahandbikini

📸 Host Instagram - /ithebrownwoman

♪ Podcast Tiktok - /burqahandbikini

In this episode, I speak with Urooba Jamal, a Canadian journalist of Pakistani heritage and Muslim background. Growing up in a religious family, Urooba followed her parents’ path and began wearing the hijab as a teenager in Canada. But years later, she made the decision to remove it—a choice that came with personal and family challenges, particularly with her father. Taking off the hijab was not just an external shift, but a deeper transformation. It opened the door to new experiences, like dating and exploring different styles of clothing.

Though she removed her hijab, Urooba remains vocal about rejecting the notion that Muslim women or women of color should be boxed into one narrative. Her journey is one of resilience, nuance, and self-exploration. In our conversation, we discuss how the West often reduces women’s freedom to a simple binary: wearing the hijab = oppressed, taking it off = liberated. We unpack why this perspective is problematic and how the freedom of women of color, especially those from Muslim backgrounds, is far more complex than just a piece of clothing.

It’s been 10 years since Urooba removed her headscarf, and she says her journey has come full circle,

In this episode, I sit down with Yusra Amjad, a Pakistani poet and outspoken woman, known for sharing her dating experiences and insights on life in Pakistani society. We discuss what it’s like to date as a Pakistani woman, the qualities of reliable men, navigating online dating, and the red and green flags to watch for. We also explore dating in highly patriarchal societies, including western countries, and question whether white men are really as different as they're often made out to be. Are they truly the more "civilized" ones?

We touch on how many men slut-shame women who openly talk about dating, as if it’s something only men should control. Plus, we talk about how male projections shape perceptions of men, and how outspoken women—especially those who don’t tolerate misogyny—are often seen as easy to love but hard to handle.

Please note, some of the experiences shared may be triggering. Take care of yourselves, and know that you're not alone.

Soul Bitches is a leading women's Facebook group in Pakistan. Rabeeya started it 8 years ago, built a powerhouse community of 33,000 Pakistani women, both within the country and abroad. This platform fostered vital discussions around sexual health, women's rights, bodies and other taboo topics, and empowered women in a highly patriarchal society. Unfortunately, the group was unexpectedly taken down a few months ago, and the community has been fighting tirelessly to restore it.

In this podcast episode, Rabeeya talks about how she built the group, what it took to expand the community, how she navigated trolling and hate as a woman on the internet, and finally, her efforts on bringing the group back.

In this episode, award-winning advertising professional Huma Mobin shares her journey of navigating conversations about intimacy with her partner. She discusses how she built the foundation of an intimate relationship, pacing it in alignment with her body's comfort and boundaries. Huma also reflects on her experience with first-time sex on her wedding night, and how she overcame the challenges surrounding it. As a passionate advocate for women's liberation in all aspects of life, Huma embodies the balance of a successful career woman, mother, and wife. Her story offers inspiration for women looking to learn from her experiences.

This podcast offers a critical and constructive discussion on women's rights and pleasures across different societies. We do not speak against any religion, race, ethnicity, or gender; rather, we focus on culture and its impact on women. Our inclusive narratives highlight the rights and perspectives of all individuals, including those from the LGBTQIA+ community. We invite you to listen with an open mind.

TRIGGER WARNING: Female Genital Mutilation

I spoke to Zahra, who bravely opened up and shared vivid details of the day she went through FGM as a child in Karachi, Pakistan.

Stay tuned for the full episode!

TRIGGER WARNING: This episodes deals with accounts of sexual abuse. Largely, an introduction to my life, journey and healing from sexual trauma, and how these experiences encouraged me to start my own podcast and tackle taboo topics.

TRIGGER WARNING: Child sexual abuse. A snippet from my soon-to-release monologue on how I overcame trauma from child sexual abuse and the body work it required.

In South Asia and various Muslim majority societies, newly married couples are often confronted with the pressures of ‘consummating’ their marriages. Women, especially, find themselves in a position where they are expected to have first-time sex with their husbands before they can even have dinner together. IT’S OKAY TO NOT WANT TO FALL IN THIS TRAP.