Muslim Girls Fence
‘Muslim Girls Fence’ is a project collaboration between Maslaha and British Fencing which aims to facilitate spaces at a grassroot level for Muslim girls and women to challenge assumptions and narratives relating to their gender, racial, religious and other identities through both physical and creative methods.
The girls are coached to learn the traditionally elite and white, male-dominated sport of fencing. Through this, they physically confront the stereotypes of fencers, but also the expectations our society has of them: that Muslim women and girls are weak, subordinated and lacking agency.
Alongside this, they engage in a range of discussions and creative exercises such as collaging, drawing, photography and poetry to reflect on their identities, the ways they are represented, and the limited narratives about their experiences that are usually given a mainstream platform in society.
We are currently running projects in schools and in communities.
Go to Project website >
www.muslimgirlsfence.org
“we believe that breaking down harmful misconceptions of what it is to be a Muslim is relevant to people of all backgrounds”
“Fencing is a sport that builds confidence, resilience and self-worth”
A trailer film documenting the journey of participants of Maslaha’s Muslim Girls Fence project, in collaboration with British Fencing.
Schools
Every school that works with the initiative receives ten weeks of weekly fencing sessions alongside immersive and creative Maslaha workshops, exploring identity, self-expression and challenging stereotypes.
The project involves collaborating with exciting artists, from film makers to theatre practitioners, to work with participants to find new and creative ways of expressing themselves and documenting their journey. Participants have the opportunity to gain leadership qualifications accredited by British Fencing and start their own community or school-based fencing clubs.
Maslaha also supports participants through the Ambassador Scheme, where girls can act as advocates for the project at events and in the media, and build and nurture skills they are interested in — for example, public-speaking, media work, advocacy, mentoring and volunteering.
Communities
Muslim Girls Fence runs projects across communities in London, Doncaster, Birmingham and Bradford. These include sessions, open to both Muslim and non-muslim women, based around simple physical exercise through fencing, and in some locations, the chance to combine this with creative workshops, exploring issues such as stereotyping, identity, and community.
