Mehreen Baig
A teacher turned blogger turned television presenter. I write about being an Asian woman, a Muslim woman and sometimes just a woman in general.
Latest Posts
Everything from finding the right lipstick to the right husband.
ALL VIEWS ARE MY OWN.
Hajj 2019 – We Did It
So... here it is. Probably the best photo I will ever upload onto my social media. When I was 22 and got my first job, I opened up a separate account to save money to take my parents on hajj... so this has been a long time in the making. This year, that dream finally...
Lost Boys: A Quick Response
"The story of British Pakistani men, told by a native informant" In the simplest terms, people are allowed to have different perspectives on a range of issues. My opinion will not and does not have to be the same as every other Asian or Muslim person living in the UK....
Survivors’ Runway
Beauty pageants are often deemed anti-feminist – for years, many have argued that the process is exploitative and regressive, serving to judge and rate women according to the male gaze; yet they can also be seen as empowering, as women are able to walk down a catwalk...
Divorce: the end of the road or a new beginning?
I like to think I’m strong. There are decisions I have made about how I live my life that I know people in my culture and society would frown upon: the way I very openly voice my opinions, my inability to tolerate injustice silently or calmly, my refusal to sit and...
The Power of Education
When I was asked to speak here today, I couldn’t believe it. On paper, I’m not someone you would expect to be standing here in front of you all –in front of all these successful, intelligent and powerful people – to share my opinion on the power of education. My story...
Is Love Colour-Blind?
Imagine this: You meet a man. He’s humble; he’s honest; he’s hard working… he’s wonderful. Swearing and fornicating is something he abstains from, partying and drinking doesn’t even cross his mind. He lives his life “by the book”. His book: the Bible. He is a...
Letter to The Man on the Victoria Line
To The Man on the Victoria Line, Today, you sat opposite me on the train, as we travelled in similar directions to work. It was a typical rush hour commute in London: the train was packed with sweaty, impatient people and as I applied my makeup, you jabbed aimlessly...
Not In My Name
Yesterday, I was frightened. Today, I am angry. It was yesterday when I woke up and heard the news about France: a scene so tragic that no amount of news coverage or edited Facebook pictures can do it justice. I saw photos of the exact place I had been standing a mere...
InstaFake
I went to Waitrose the other day with my mother. It was to buy bread. I was wearing my big fur coat on top of my pyjamas, which I had tucked inconspicuously into my UGG boots. It was not my best moment. Coming up to the bread aisle, we came across the flowers section....
26 Shades of Grey
I’m getting old. Yes, that is how I’m going to start my new blog. No funny one-liners, no clever metaphors. This blog is real, and I’m about to share with you one of my biggest fears. So don’t laugh, don’t patronise me and comment “you’re still a baby”. Just listen....
Horror at the Hairdresser
So I was halfway through writing my next blog (it’s really good, by the way) when it was getting a bit too emotional. So I took a break. And it was during this break, that this blog was born. Because during my break, I decided to visit the hairdressers. It was an...
20 Things I Wish I Knew As A Young Asian Girl
You will blossom. I look back at photos of myself when I was aged between 11 and 15… that awkward age where puberty had caused a spurt of hair growth- on my face. You resemble a baby monkey, with a heavy monobrow and a moustache that Borat would be proud of; your...
Islam Is What You Wear
I was scrolling along on Instagram yesterday, randomly clicking through people in an attempt to find new makeup hacks, nice outfits, someone with a more interesting life than mine, etc… and I came across this girl. She was beautiful: She was Asian, like me. Her hair...
Why I’m Not Married
So I woke up at 5.30am this morning. And after a long, hard day at work, I just could not wait to return home. Home: your haven. The one place you can relax, unwind….Wrong. Fate had another prank to play on me. I arrived home to find a rishta (potential suitor)...