Muslim women are no strangers to the world of the halal police, aka a group of misogynistic men who believe they have the right to patrol women's bodies and actions.
These men assume the role of dictating the lives of women, be it their partner, sister or cousin.
The halal police believe in something called 'halal harassment' - a new term coined for men who subtly harass women by lowering their voices, rather than their gaze, and using religious words like mashallah and subhanallah ... in a false attempt to make their cat-calling less obvious.
In the world of the so-called halal police, women are shamed for exploring their sexuality, whereas men are not only praised but encouraged to do so.
The halal police are not as virtuous as their name would have you assume. But living in a world where partriarchy rules means that their haram tally is more often than not overlooked as blame is shifted on women, particularly when it comes to their choice of attire.
In a world filled with halal police, a short skirt or tight top have the power to turn predators (sex offenders) into victims.
The patriarchy thrives in the world of the halal police ... and if you need a bit more proof, here are some examples:
Exhibit 1: When this guy shamed a Twitter user for using a hijab-free bitmoji
In September, a guy shamed hijabi Twitter user @makloubae for using a hijab-free bitmoji (aka cartoon avatar) on Snapchat.
"Why does your bitmoji show your hair?" the guy asked her before proceeding to call her a "kuffar," which is Arabic for "infidel."
The Palestinian woman then posted screenshots of the conversation to her Twitter, ultimately going viral. Naturally, people couldn't contemplate how such men exist.
"How will you sleep at night now that we all know your hair TEXTURE," another Twitter user wrote, mocking the self-righteous commenter.
Exhibit 2: When this guy lectured a hijabi for posting a photo of "extra virgin olive oil"
Twitter user @albifalasteen shared a photo of "extra virgin olive oil" on Snapchat ... but little did she know that a self-proclaimed Snapchat "sheikh" would come after her.
The Twitter user, whose first name is Sondos, posted a screenshot of the conversation with a Snapchat user, in a tweet that went viral in October.
The conversation started with a friendly "Salaam sis" ... which soon escalated into a language lesson of the sorts.
"You shouldn't send pictures like that because it contains words like 'virgin' and that makes a man think of actions that you may have committed," he wrote.
He then clarified that this is only a "naseehah," which is Arabic for "advice."
However, this was before he went on to warn her "not to repeat this sin". But, since when is using the word "virgin" a sin?
Exhibit 3: When this guy told a woman she shouldn't share pictures of cake with frosting
In October, a Snapchat user decided to lecture Twitter user @stressedmuslim over a photo she had posted of a cake with frosting.
In it, he claims that posting such images could provoke men into imagining "you eating and having frosting on your face leading to haram thoughts," he wrote to her.
So, it's a crime to post photos of cake with frosting ... and a bigger crime to eat it?
Oh, no.
Exhibit 4: When a hijabi got trolled for showing less than a centimeter of her ankle
In October, Lebanese Twitter user and hijabi Salsa Ald posted a photo of herself donning loose grey pants with a black cardigan and heels ... and unexpectedly got bullied because of it.
Why?
Contrary to what you may think, it wasn't her fashion choices that grabbed one man's attention. It was the less-than-a-centimeter ankle exposure that did.
"Trousers below the ankle sis," he writes in a tweet before going into a tirade.
Exhibit 5: *I don't want to live on this planet anymore*
