Critiquing Islam

GAMBIER, Ohio (April 2, 2004) Muslim feminist Irshad Manji, who has been called "Osama bin Laden's worst nightmare" for her calls to reform Islam, will speak in Rosse Hall on Wednesday, April 7 at 7:00 p.m.

A Canadian resident since fleeing Uganda with her family in 1972, Manji has received a good deal of attention for her recent book, The Trouble with Islam. She currently serves as president of VERB, a television channel that is dedicated to increasing awareness of diversity among young people. She hosts a weekly show in Ontario aimed at college students, and she recently served as writer-in-residence at the University of Toronto. An open lesbian, Manji has also served as host and senior producer of Queer Television, an Internet-based program.

In The Trouble With Islam, Manji criticizes some contemporary Muslims for misogyny and anti-Semitism. The book, she has written, "is an open letter from me, a Muslim voice of reform, to concerned citizens worldwide." She continues, "It's about why my faith community needs to come to terms with the diversity of ideas, beliefs, and people in our universe, and why non-Muslims have a pivotal role in helping us get there."

The book has been controversial both within the Islamic world and among scholars.

Manji's appearance is sponsored by student lectureships.

One of the nation's leading liberal arts and sciences colleges and home to the Kenyon Review, Kenyon College offers 1,594 students a challenging educational experience enriched by a culture of friendship. Graduates of the College have included actor and philanthropist Paul Newman and author E. L. Doctorow.