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Published and distributed monthly by ITP Media Group by permission of Hearst Communications Inc, New York, United States of America EDITOR IN CHIEF Milli Midwood GROUP ART DIRECTOR Cate Warde DIGITAL EDITOR Sara AlHumiri CONTENT PRODUCER Twinkle Stanly BEAUTY EDITOR Lauren O’Connell CONTENT WRITER - ITP RIYADH Lama Aleidan COLUMNISTS & CONTRIBUTORS Rouhana El Hage Blanche Dmello JUNIOR ASSISTANTS Mercedes Fleming Bhargi Desai Aarathy Krishna Kumar Aleya Rangoonwala ITP MEDIA GROUP CEO Ali Akawi CFO Toby Jay Spencer-Davies Managing Director Marne Schwartz ADVERTISING Brand Director Farrah Taylor +971 4 444 3523 farrah.taylor@itp.com Advertising Director Nadia Musa +971 4 444 3171 nadia.musa@itp.com Brand Manager Molly Slevin +971 4 444 3517 molly.slevin@itp.com MARKETING & CIRCULATION Distribution Coordinator Avinash Pereira Circulation Executive Rajesh Pillai DIGITAL General Manager ITP Live Ahmad Bashour PHOTOGRAPHY Senior Photographer Efraim Evidor PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION Production Manager Denny Kollannoor Production Coordinator Balasubramanian P Image Editor Jemima Joy ITP MEDIA GROUP PO BOX 500024, DUBAI, UAE. TEL: +971 4 444 3000. ITP.COM HEARST MAGAZINES INTERNATIONAL President/Hearst Magazines International Jonathan Wright SVP/Global Editorial & Brand Director Kim St. Clair Bodden Global Editorial & Brand Director, Young Women’s Group, Wellness Group, Enthusiast Group, Lifestyle Group Chloe O’Brien Editor-in-Chief, Cosmopolitan (1965-1997): Helen Gurley Brown international editions Bulgaria China Czech Republic France Germany Hong Kong Hungary India Indonesia Italy Japan Korea Mexico Middle East The Netherlands Philippines Slovenia Spain Taiwan Ukraine United Kingdom United States ON THE COVER NikkieTutorials shot by Amer Mohamad Nikkie wears makeup by NimyaLET’S TALK ABOUT LOVE Self-love, enduring love, passionate love, Love Actually – Valentine’s Day may be in February, but really there is no month that revolves around love love quite like December. Why does the winter always feel so lled with romance? You only have to ick through lists of seasonal movies at this time of year to be offered up a virtual selection box of couple-themed rom-coms. But for those experiencing the absence of love, turns out, it’s not always the most wonderful time of year… I’ve just come out of a very long relationship. It lasted almost 12 years, and all this focus on ‘togetherness’ around the holidays can be a triggering one. December often elicits a groan from single women; as much as its all festive-fun, it’s also a Hallmark celebration of coupledom and a stark reminder that for many, one is still very much the loneliest number. Around me, the shorter days and cooler nights seem to be making people jump into some kind of quasi- relationship. Or, perhaps, the most obvious desire to couple up is because of societal pressures. The pressures that come from family, from friends, from being 31 and not having a partner to accompany you to one of the many, many Christmas functions in the diary. You may also know this time of year as “cuf ng season,” the colloquial phrase that was shortlisted for Word of the Year by Collins Dictionary in 2017. It categorises the people who may be inclined to start a relationship at the start of winter — and stay in it at least until spring. And while a months-long relationship with a denite expiration date doesn’t sound the least bit inviting to me, I also kind of… get it. But a generation of women who have made it through their turbulent 20s and into the steadfastness of their 30s are choosing a different path: being content with being single. Singleness is commonly conated with loneliness, but what I really think this is, is solitude: the state of feeling content when you’re alone. In fact, I’d like solitude to receive the respect it deserves. It gives you the time to discover – or in some cases, rediscover - who you are, who you want to spend time with, which friendships are energising and reciprocal, and what your hobbies are. “Self-love” is one of those things, like empowerment and body positivity, that women are told they must achieve or obtain in order to nd happiness or success. Self-love – by which I mean the relationship you have with yourself – is, like all relationships, unpredictable and sneaky. It’s impacted by everything from how other people see you to whether you made it to the gym this morning. But I’m certain that being happy with yourself – alone or otherwise - is the key to eventually being happy with someone else. So as Sam from Love Actaully would say, “Let’s get the sh*t kicked out of us by love!” Milli Midwood Editor-in-Chief 12 Ed’s LetterGRAPHICS B Y S ARA SHAKEEL Sara Shakeel Cosmo Pakistani artist and The Queen of Crystals created the sparkliest Burj Khalifa we ever did see in celebration of UAE National Day and we’re still not over it. Rip this page out, take it to your nearest framers (we recommend Drawdeck), and say hi to the prettiest new addition of wall art. 14The rst memory I have of being in a space dominated by other young girls was at my local mosque in Toronto, Canada. It was a random weekday after school. There was a special one-off question-and-answer session with a visiting Islamic scholar from the United States. I remember the room being lled with young women passionately asking questions about their daily lives and issues, looking for answers not only from the visiting scholar, but in the whispers they shared with their friends sitting next to them. There was a genuine sense of belonging and togetherness felt in that room. It felt like a space that was our own. Eventually the energy and enthusiasm I felt in that room translated into my local mosque supporting the creation of a weekend program called ‘Her Story’. It was ran by young women of Somali descent in Toronto who wished to engage in learning, discussing and growing with their belief in Islam alongside other girls just like them. As the girls in my community aged into young women, the program rebranded into ‘Together Sisters’ and today is one Meet the Digital Sisterhood How this community of Muslim women is uniting and empowering people of colour across the world WO R D S BY SA F I A M O H A M E D 16 Playof the longest running local faith-based youth program for young Muslim women in Toronto. It was in this environment that the inspiration for The Digital Sisterhood platform was born. It was also the place where I met Cadar Mohamud, the Founder and CEO of The Digital Sisterhood, who would eventually recruit me into becoming a founding member of the platform. The Digital Sisterhood is a start-up that aims to unite Muslim women globally by highlighting the importance of cultivating their own spaces, creating their own content and being the author of their own stories. Our goal is to counter the pre- existing narrative on what it means to be a Muslim woman in the world today. Through digital storytelling, we hope to empower a generation of women to unapologetically be themselves, as well as inspire them to foster a strong and unwavering relationship with Islam. Two seasons into our self-titled podcast, and we’ve topped the podcast charts. As of November 2022, we’ve surpassed more than 6 million listens in over 147+ countries worldwide. Through our podcast and in-person events we have not only been able to create connections that matter, but also prove a universal truth about ourselves and the world: that telling a good story can be an inuential tool for social change. In the nearly two years since our podcast rst launched, we’ve learned a lot about the needs of Muslim women through our community of listeners. A common sentiment shared with us by Muslim women around the world is that The Digital Sisterhood became a key space for connecting them to faith, but that they also struggle to nd a space of belonging in real life. Our community shares feelings of mosques being unable to fully support their needs, the dif culty of building a sense of community and sisterhood in real life, and the need for more educational supports to deepen their understanding of Islam. In June 2022, Muslim Census, a UK focused research organisation whose purpose is to empower the UK Muslim population with data, launched a community study focusing on Muslim women and their faith experiences. They teamed up with another online platform, My Mosque Story, and released a survey where 1,200 Muslim women shared their experiences within their religious community, including access to mosque facilities, Islamic guidance, and other factors that affect overall connectedness to Islam. The ndings revealed that although an overwhelming majority of women felt connected to Islam, they expressed disconnect to the community. What’s more, 2 in 5 women did not feel that their experience was representative of teachings and values of Islam. Crucially, less than 10% of women sought support from their local mosque, instead seeking advice and or knowledge from their family and friends as opposed to a trusted scholar, teacher, or community centre. Perhaps it’s unsurprising then that the data further revealed that 1 in 5 Muslim women have been denied entry to a mosque. It was clear that Muslim women wanted more community support and expressed they wanted mosques to provide more access to female scholars. Muslim Census will be publishing a report to showcase ndings early 2023 with the aim to share insights around the topic to help inuence change within the community with a call to action for digitally and in real life. But inspiration is only one half of the equation, service has to follow from it. This summer we were able to bridge the digital-to-real-life divide when we visited Edmonton, Canada. We hosted a one- day conference with over 400 people to share our personal experiences in building community, through both Together Sisters and The Digital Sisterhood. We were fortunate enough to leave a lasting impact, supporting the creation of Unbreakable Sisterhood, which today runs faith-based programming similar to what we grew up with in Toronto. As I re ect on our work, I echo what many Muslim women have shared with us consistently. We have to care to build spaces that uplifts Muslim women and provides them with critical social, emotional and faith-based support. We recognize the importance of women being given a space to lead through stewardship of faith-based spaces, be it in the mosque or in the wider community. We know that empowering women to care for other women is a common sense solution. It’s these kinds of spaces grounded in expertise, knowledge and genuine goodwill for each other that allows for a holistic conception of faith and identity for Muslim women to ourish. If there’s one thing the experience of building The Digital Sisterhood has deeply reinforced in me, it’s that we are strengthened by our connections to one another, being able to conde in each other, nd support during the dif culties of life, sharing knowledge and advice - even just telling a good story. Those things matter. Beyond individual relationships, developing genuine community is how any collective advances. And in building up The Digital Sisterhood platform, I am grateful to have found a space that uplifts me and shows me that I belong. thedigitalsisterhood.com “Sharing our stories has changed our lives and has deeply impacted our listeners. The longer we do this work, the greater we recognise the importance of Muslim women accessing safe faith-based spaces, both digital and in real life.” IMA GE S : SUPPLIED organisations, mosques and charities to focus efforts on improving faith support available to Muslim women. For us working on The Digital Sisterhood, doing the work of providing space and creating a platform for Muslim women is our full-time mission. Sharing stories has changed our lives and has deeply impacted our listeners. The longer we do this work, the greater we recognise the importance of Muslim women accessing safe faith-based spaces, both Cadar Mohamud (middle) and The Digital Sisterhood listeners in Minneapolis, Minnesota 17 PlayWaiting on season 2 of Netflix’s Al Rawabi School for Girls? Same. Main character energy on-screen and IRL, Andria Tayeh stunned everyone with her performance in the viral Arab show’s first season in 2021, and since then we haven’t got enough of her. The 21-year-old even won Cosmo ME’s entertainment accolade at our very own Arab Woman Awards in early 2022 (!!) HOW TO DO ANDRIA TAYEH LIKE ANDRIA TAYEH DOES ANDRIA TAYEH WHEN IT COMES TO WORKOUTS, I’M ALL ABOUT… Cardio. I have asthma, which was one of the reasons I quit playing basketball. Now I do plenty of cardio to stay fit and work on my breathing. PHO TOGRAPHY B Y EFRAIM EVIDOR, INTERVIEW B Y S ARA ALHUMIRI 18 PlayTHE LAST THING I SPLURGED ON THAT WAS ACTUALLY WORTH IT Christmas presents for friends, family and people in need. Seeing the smile on the faces of people I love and people that need help is priceless to me. THE BOOK I RECOMMEND TO ALL MY FRIENDS: Brief Answers to the Big Questions by Stephen Hawking, Dhs65 at Virgin Megastore. This book provides answers to many unanswered mysteries about the ~universe~, and shows us how Hawking’s brain works. I’D FEEL TOTALLY LOST (LIKE, LITERALLY) IF I LEFT MY HOUSE WITHOUT… My AirPods Max, Dhs2,099. Listening to music is a key part of my day. I love to listen to music anytime I get the chance, that’s why I have my headphones on standby. It’s my escape and my safe space. THIS ALBUM IS HANDS DOWN MY FAVOURITE RIGHT NOW Map of The Soul: 7 By BTS. I have been the biggest BTS fan for the longest time and having a BTS album as my favourite is not a huge surprise. Listening to this album always puts me in a good mood, from the uplifting beats to the lyrics. It dropped during COVID and gave me hope for the future at the time, it made me feel like everything was going to pass and I was going to be alright. MY GO-TO SNACKING FOOD IS… Salt and vinegar chips. Even though sour foods are not my cup of tea, this combination always gets me! THE TIKTOK AUDIO I CAN’T GET OUT OF MY HEAD RTFN… “Yes to Heaven” by Lana Del Rey. Her voice is so soothing. The TikTok videos that use this sound are naturistic and beach-side edits, which fits the mood perfectly. I START EVERY MORNING WITH THIS ONE PRODUCT Sephora Collection’s Clean Skin Gel, Dhs50. It’s very important to cleanse your face daily as it removes all dirt, impurities and makeup, ensuring your face is deeply cleaned. I cleanse twice a day, morning and night, which helps me keep my skin fresh, healthy and clear. EVEN ON MY LAZIEST DAYS I STILL FIND THE TIME TO USE The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% High Strength Vitamin and Mineral Blemish Formula, Dhs41 at Lookfantastic. ae. At any age, taking care of your skin is crucial. Maintaining a consistent skincare routine genuinely makes me look and *feel* better. THE ONE FASHION ITEM EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A comfy pair of sneakers like the Valentino Garavani SHEGOES sneakers, Dhs2,365 at MyTheresa. They always come in handy, especially when I’m running around finishing off errands. After a day of fittings and wearing heels, slipping into these shoes feels heavenly for your feet. They also go great with cajj outfits paired with varsity or leather jackets! THE ONE FASHION ITEM 19 PlayNext >