MsYiY - Yasmin Choudhury

This is my story of British domestic honour based violence now gone international.  I am Yasmin Choudhury.   I am a social entrepreneur.  I live in London and am British.  I am  the founder of Lovedesh ( social business/enterprise) and  Amcariza Foundation ,  a British charity. The former is launching the #LTTTW campaign    which will showcase my heritage nation of Bangladesh and other nations in August 2015 at a top prestigious venue in London.  Both are designed to make the rest of the world fall in love with 'Third World' nations and to buy from the artisans out there - so that more pennies can be put into the pockets of local people. 

WHY I HAVE LAUNCHED THE AMC PETITION. Please, please to sign The AMC Petition CLICK HERE. “When I am not working on Lovedesh the social enterprise, or Amcariza Foundation which I set up to help folks in developing world, I am also passionate about supporting abused and underprivileged Muslim women.   "I am a British woman. Of Bangladeshi heritage.  Help me stop abuse, financial control? Instead let us all work to get Muslim women financially independent.    "The closed community I grew up in within UK and later visited in Bangladesh, kept me ignorant of all the good stuff Holy Qu'ran and Islam does for women. Like the way a woman can earn, create and then have her private wealth protected.  I had no idea.  THE AMC Petition - showing income/allowances/alms for women in the Qu'ran

Today is World Hijab Day (WHD).  Sigh.   And I whole-heartedly and unreservedly disagree with the idea, the concept, its message and strategy.   Like the WJD founder I am Muslim.  I too am of Bangladeshi heritage.  That is where the difference ends.   But I am British. Was born in London.  And I have never worn hijab unless the occasion merits it.  Many of the women in my British community and especially women in the Sylhet region of Bangladesh do. Yet growing up I recall how hardly anyone covered their hair.  I find it interesting.  Because I am not sure the reason is in always about empowerment.  Today, in 2015 nearly all the Muslim women in my community both in UK and Bangladesh wear the hijab with a black overcoat or the niqab.  And it is starting to really worry me. Sigh. Not the wearing of course - which I utterly support.   It is the why, the how, the when and the who. And how by wearing it - perhaps other ...

I love Islam.  Sadly its community  - 'Ummah'  - is a double edged coin for many Muslim women like me.  I find some British Muslim men utterly clueless.  Or are guilty of acting careless when they try to speak for all us UK Muslims. It is dangerous. And a repeated gesture that soon becomes a consensus.  Non-Muslims start to think they represent all of us.  When in fact - Muslims have no formal,  elected  representative. Yes - that includes the Muslim Council of Britain - male led for Muslim men - by Muslim men - all about Muslim men. 

Happy New Year to all my connections. From my old to the new connections. Who showed me love, support, mentored me and told me never to give up. For all the bad times? Am also grateful. Here is a glass to those few businessmen who were awful, horrible, sexist pigs. Who refused to listen or empathise - so hysterical were you to pursue the path of money, money, money. 

Originally published in Linked In - I forgot to add it here.  Duh. A post I wrote about my British Muslim Xmas in December 2014. Read it here  on Pulse - for LinkedIn. Or if you prefer.  See below. Season's greetings. I wanted to share one of my secrets. Today I am proud to be a Muslim (something I always struggled with having spent so much time as a lapsed member). But come this time of year, I am immediately giddy with excitement. I love Xmas. So there.

Some advice for people who run Linked In Groups - be nice; you never know you might be offending sincere professionals who can add value to your business and brand - if not now well in the future. I attempted to join a Linked In Group to find an admin bod but the Founder & President of The Effective Admin (TEA) and of the Virtual Association for Administrative Professionals (VAAP) declined me as she thinks I am not suitable for one of many reasons.  Goodness me - sign of poor admin in itself here.  Cringe.... (!!) Do not think this founder and 'President" (can you have titles that grand as a solo entity...?) realises that I do work as a ad-hoc Exec assistant. And also occasionally do hire admin for my businesses. Even though she did not read my bio thoroughly, I can forgive her - as long as she goes away and does some admin training! :) Titles mean nothing if you are not good at the job you are meant to be an expert on.  Nor of welcoming people into your 'tri...