First issue of Muslim Girl Magazine out in the U.S.

A new magazine called Muslim Girl has been launched this month, giving over 400,000 teen-aged Muslim girls in the United States the chance for the first time to be a cover girl.

"The girls are eager to have their stories told," said Ausma Khan, editor of Muslim Girl Magazine, in an interview on Friday.

"There is information for every group," said Khan. "Our community is definitely underserved."

The Magazine has issued 25,000-copies and expects its circulation to be four times that in two years.

Wardah Chaudhary, a 16-year old Muslim girl from Tulsa, Oklahoma, was the magazine’s first cover girl.

Those interested to become the cover girl of the magazine’s upcoming issues can log on to the magazine’s website http://www.muslimgirlmagazine.com.

"One thing I know for sure is that I am not behind in anything just because I wear Hijab," Chaudhary, who appeared on the magazine's cover wearing a red and white head covering, with tiny red, white and blue stars on her right cheeks, said in her essay referring to her style of Hijab. "To all the girls that are reading this, I want them to know to be proud of who you are."

The magazine’s initial copies were mainly distributed in areas known to have large Muslim populations, including New York; Jersey City, New Jersey; Dearborn, Michigan; Chicago, Los Angeles and areas of Texas.

But ExecuGo Media in Toronto, the publisher, plans to also distribute the magazine in Ontario and Toronto, said Khan, who is a lawyer and writer.

A survey done for the magazine found out that Muslim girls like to watch television, read teen magazines, surf the Internet, like YouTube.com, and enjoy video games.

Girls also like to shop and hang out a lot, the survey found.

The Magazine’s Press Release:

American teen Muslim girls are much like teen girls everywhere – so says a recent nationwide study of Muslim girls aged 14-18 years. The study was conducted on behalf of Muslim Girl Magazine, a new bi-monthly glossy magazine launched this month to give 400,000 American Muslim teen girls a lively and uniquely relevant perspective on contemporary living.

"Our study showed that these girls go to public school, watch a little too much television, read teen magazines, surf the Internet, use Google, enjoy YouTube, play video games, shop a lot, talk on the telephone and spend time just hanging out," says Faye Kennedy, VP at execuGo Media, the publisher that commissioned the study. "In short, they are pretty much like most other American teenagers." The study also highlighted some likely differences: for example, they socialize at IslamiCity and count among their top hobbies, Qur'an study.

The research confirmed Kennedy's hunch: teen Muslim girls in America would love a lifestyle magazine that does what no other teen girl magazine has done for them – give them a means of enjoying contemporary life within the values they love. Over 90% of the panel, when shown the initial concept, indicated that they liked it, thought it was what they need, would read it and would recommend it to their friends.

Ausma Khan, PhD, writer, human rights lawyer and activist, liked the concept so much that she left a teaching position at Northwestern University to become Editor in Chief. "Most representations of Muslims in the media are negative," she says. "Muslim Girl Magazine challenges those perceptions by telling the stories of Muslim teens who are proud to be American and who contribute to American society in so many positive ways. This is a chance for their voices to be heard. Our editorial mandate is to 'enlighten, celebrate and inspire' them."

Challenging stereotypes about Muslim girls in America, Muslim Girl Magazine re-defines the face of Muslim youth in America. Its innovative content showcases teen girls who are equally proud of their identity as Americans and Muslims, while not shying away from the conflict inherent in being both. It also shakes up the complacency of Muslims themselves by emphasizing the diversity of practice within American Muslim communities, typically a no-go area.

The premiere issue of the magazine features girls who have joined the Peace Corps and volunteered in Indonesia. Advice columns tackle everything from boyfriends to divorced parents to anti-Muslim discrimination. Regular departments range from Qur'an Notes to Hot List reviews of TV shows like The CW Television Network's 'Gilmore Girls.' And a special feature on the hit show '24' directly confronts the biggest elephant in the room—the association of Muslims with terrorism.

Khan says, "We're showing hijab-wearing basketball players alongside contemporary fashion designers and artists. We want to dispel the notion that Muslim teens conform to one particular model. Veiled or unveiled, Muslim girls participate fearlessly in sports, the arts, international travel and their local mosques."

Muslim Girl Magazine launched with a planned circulation of 50,000 copies per issue in the first year and expects to grow to 100,000 within two years. Dianna Hightower, Publisher and Director of Business Development and Advertising, expects advertising to grow quickly. "Today the Muslim market is where the Hispanic market was five years ago — on the verge of a major breakout. Households of Muslim girls comprise a valuable commercial profile with higher than average scores on income, education, occupation and size. Having Fox Broadcasting and Oxford University Press advertise in our first issue is evidence that prestigious and smart advertisers see strong potential."

Muslim Girl Magazine is published by award-winning execuGo Media of Toronto, Canada and distributed worldwide by RCS of Los Angeles, California. The cover price is $4.95 US ($5.95 CDN). The annual subscription rate is $19.99 at www.muslimgirlmagazine.com.

-- AJP and Agencies