A Nonconformist’s Journey to Self-Discovery Through Religion and Rebellion: Sia
- 7 years ago
We traveled to London’s Southbank Centre to conduct What’s Underneath interviews as an open call in a public setting. We weren’t sure what to expect, but eager participants stepped up to share their stories as an audience accumulated. Watch six women strip down and open up in our first ever Open Call.
On our first day shooting, Sia and her younger sister hung out all day in full support of our subjects, until she had her chance to participate on day two. When it was finally her turn, we were floored by Sia’s uncompromising vulnerability and willingness to explore who she is, within and outside of Islam. A second generation Afghan, Sia opens up in her video about the complex identity issues that come with growing up in a Muslim family in Britain. From wearing a full veil of her own choice for three years to unleashing her fully realized self in short shorts and miniskirts, Sia is a rare fearless spirit who is only emboldened by the intense judgment of others. As she puts it, “I feel most beautiful when I leave the house and my parents hate what I’m wearing. I feel like I’m going to war.” And despite her concerns about her family seeing her undress in this video, Sia made clear to us the importance of letting the interview be raw, in order to help other women who struggle with similar problems. A monumental force for self-acceptance, she refuses to limit or censor herself anymore.
Connect with Sia:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sia.naj
Subscribe to StyleLikeU: https://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=stylelikeu
StyleLikeU is led by mother-daughter duo Elisa Goodkind and Lily Mandelbaum, who are bound by the desire to uncover what’s underneath personal style. Through candid, docu-style interviews with empowered individuals, StyleLikeU is building a world where getting dressed each morning is an act of self-love.
WATCH NEXT: The What’s Underneath Project: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_jxFaykzU8CSjCdSJamAv6Yh_S48prrm
Connect with StyleLikeU:
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/9wJ_b
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stylelikeu/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stylelikeu
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StyleLikeU
Tumblr: http://stylelikeu.tumblr.com/
Produced by Elisa, Lily, and Mona
Edited by Kirsten Johnson
On our first day shooting, Sia and her younger sister hung out all day in full support of our subjects, until she had her chance to participate on day two. When it was finally her turn, we were floored by Sia’s uncompromising vulnerability and willingness to explore who she is, within and outside of Islam. A second generation Afghan, Sia opens up in her video about the complex identity issues that come with growing up in a Muslim family in Britain. From wearing a full veil of her own choice for three years to unleashing her fully realized self in short shorts and miniskirts, Sia is a rare fearless spirit who is only emboldened by the intense judgment of others. As she puts it, “I feel most beautiful when I leave the house and my parents hate what I’m wearing. I feel like I’m going to war.” And despite her concerns about her family seeing her undress in this video, Sia made clear to us the importance of letting the interview be raw, in order to help other women who struggle with similar problems. A monumental force for self-acceptance, she refuses to limit or censor herself anymore.
Connect with Sia:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sia.naj
Subscribe to StyleLikeU: https://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=stylelikeu
StyleLikeU is led by mother-daughter duo Elisa Goodkind and Lily Mandelbaum, who are bound by the desire to uncover what’s underneath personal style. Through candid, docu-style interviews with empowered individuals, StyleLikeU is building a world where getting dressed each morning is an act of self-love.
WATCH NEXT: The What’s Underneath Project: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_jxFaykzU8CSjCdSJamAv6Yh_S48prrm
Connect with StyleLikeU:
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/9wJ_b
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stylelikeu/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stylelikeu
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StyleLikeU
Tumblr: http://stylelikeu.tumblr.com/
Produced by Elisa, Lily, and Mona
Edited by Kirsten Johnson