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their mosque, their friends, and even potentially their family. This is the reason why EXMNA believes that it is very important to normalize dissent in religious communities and why they have created a network of social support for those who chose to leave Islam. Due to the fear of apostates being "outed," EXMNA has a lengthy screening process to ensure the security and safety of EXMNA members.
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she said she was nervous to deliver the speech, believing the topic of Islam and dissent to be "sensitive", yet was delighted at how well the speech was received. Haider, a self-described liberal, is disheartened by what she feels is a hostile attitude towards Ex-Muslims by her fellow liberals. She
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and violence makes it dangerous for closeted ex-Muslims if they are exposed as disbelievers. They have stated that
Islamic "apostates live with a level of threat that influences every aspect of life," because when someone leaves the faith they often lose their community and social support including
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and would hand them to her without any further commentary. She set out to prove her atheist friends wrong and started studying the Quran to understand the context of these verses. However, she stated that sometimes the context was worse and she slowly became an atheist herself.
471:. Haider has stated that this makes the position of Ex-Muslim atheists precarious because "the political right is not our friend. We don't have allies on the right due to our atheism," but at the same time she feels Ex-Muslims also have very few allies on the left.
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I dressed modestly to deflect attention from my body, and to the bemusement of my parents, I chose to don the hijab for a short period. I stayed away from drugs or sexual encounters of any kind, complied with dietary restrictions, and prayed as regularly as I
329:, and allowed her to move away from home to go to college. Her journey into questioning religion began when her atheist friends in high school started having debates with her. One of her friends would print off "horrible" verses from the
427:(EXMNA), an advocacy organization and online community which aims to normalize religious dissent and to helping create local support communities for those who have left Islam. The organization was first based in just Washington, DC, and
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at the age of 16. She believes that she was lucky enough to have a relatively liberal father who may not have let her wear shorts or have boyfriends but still allowed her to read any books she wanted, including those
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has said women who leave Islam often "face ostracism, beatings, harassment and threats from their families and communities, forced travel back to home countries to pry them free of
Western influence, and
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364:, and became involved with non-profit and social advocacy groups. This involvement inspired her to launch her own non-profit advocacy group later on. She currently lives in Washington, DC.
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on a tour around the United States and Canada to speak at college campuses throughout the 2017–2018 academic year. EXMNA spoke on a variety of topics that affect
Muslims and ex-Muslims.
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467:," and therefore should be among the most welcomed by the liberal community. However, she feels that she and other Ex-Muslims are shunned by the left, having been called an
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802:"Sarah Haider, Co-Founder of Ex-Muslims in North America, Shares Her Transition to Atheism and the Need to Look Up to Fathers who Champion Women's Rights"
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In 2015 she gave a speech called "Islam and the
Necessity of Liberal Critique" at the American Humanist Association's 74th annual conference in
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903:"FIRE sponsors debate with the Free Press: Has the Sexual Revolution Failed? | the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression"
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Sarah Haider - Den
Utrolige Ateismen 15.11.19, Oslo--Arr- Ateistene & Human-Etisk Forbund Foto- Bjarne Henning Kvaale @quevaal
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This article is about the ex-Muslim activist who lives in the United States. For the
Pakistani singer-songwriter and actress, see
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699:. Vol. 76, no. 5. Interviewed by Naff, Clay Farris. Washington: American Humanist Association. pp. 21–23.
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is an
American writer of South Asian ancestry, public speaker, and political activist. She cofounded the advocacy group
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604:"Sarah Haider – Writer, Activist, Founder of Ex-Muslims Of North America (Episode Co-Hosted by Sarah Nicholson"
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Her father has since become an atheist as well. Haider described the journey to atheism with her father to the
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489:, titled "Has the Sexual Revolution Failed?". She argued in the negative, that it has not failed, alongside
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in 2016 as a long series of debates spanning over a decade. However, it was not until her father discovered
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leave the religion by linking them to support networks. She is the former executive director for EXMNA.
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of other
Pakistani atheists that had active members who were his age that he felt comfortable leaving
780:"Sarah Haider and Dave Rubin Talk Ex-Muslims, Paris Attacks, and Atheism [Full Interview]"
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family. Her family moved to the United States when she was seven years old and she was raised in
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1021:
534:, Pakistani-American writer, speaker, and political activist who helped Sarah Haider co-found
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630:"Sarah Haider on Leaving Islam, Changing Liberals' Minds, and Ex-Muslims of North America"
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846:"For Muslim apostates, giving up their faith can be terrifying, alienating and dangerous"
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59:. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced
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663:"FACES OF REASON: SARAH HAIDER, CO-FOUNDER OF EX-MUSLIMS OF NORTH AMERICA"
431:, but is now active in over 25 locations in the United States and Canada.
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305:. She was a devout Muslim as a child. In a 2017 interview with the blog
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EXMNA believes Muslim communities often shun those who are accused of
693:"Islam's Ex Factor: An Interview with Sarah Haider and Muhammad Syed"
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In 2023, Haider was a panelist in a public debate co-sponsored by
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273:(EXMNA), which seeks to normalize religious dissent and to help
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549:, India-born Pakistani ex-Muslim scholar-writer and humanist
513:, Pakistani-born Canadian ex-Muslim activist and writer
579:"They Left Islam and Now Tour the US to Talk about It"
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Haider explains the goals and actions of EXMNA (2017).
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peers to make them more comfortable leaving religion.
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411:, Sarah Haider and Heina Dadabhoy speaking at the
519:, Pakistani-born British ex-Muslim activist from
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454:, that has been widely viewed since uploaded to
487:Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression
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636:. Interviewed by Mali, Malhar. Archived from
155:Haider addressing the 2017 convention of the
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665:. The Reason Rally Coalition. Archived from
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438:as well as their families and that fear of
311:, she said of her religious participation:
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543:, Pakistani-born Dutch ex-Muslim activist
528:, Iranian-born British ex-Muslim activist
127:Learn how and when to remove this message
1037:Pakistani emigrants to the United States
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862:Joshi, Hrishikesh (February 3, 2017).
691:Haider, Sarah; Syed, Muhammad (2016).
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360:After finishing college, she moved to
1012:American writers of Pakistani descent
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16:Pakistani-American ex-Muslim activist
889:"I shall always be ready with a lie"
804:. AHA Foundation. September 20, 2016
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628:Haider, Sarah (December 19, 2016).
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864:"Leaving Islam in North America"
577:Amos, Owen (November 28, 2017).
30:
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824:"Sarah Haider - Openly Secular"
730:"10 Questions For Sarah Haider"
553:List of ex-Muslim organizations
474:In 2017 Haider decided to take
1017:Former Muslim critics of Islam
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728:Khan, Razib (March 20, 2017).
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1:
1042:Pakistani former Shia Muslims
826:. Youtube. September 19, 2014
752:"Interview with Sarah Haider"
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57:secondary or tertiary sources
1007:American former Shia Muslims
782:. Youtube. November 20, 2015
216:Director of Development for
63:, especially if potentially
41:biography of a living person
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536:Ex-Muslims of North America
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458:. During an interview with
425:Ex-Muslims of North America
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271:Ex-Muslims of North America
249:Ex-Muslims of North America
218:Ex-Muslims of North America
61:must be removed immediately
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997:American atheism activists
756:Interviews with Max Raskin
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1027:American critics of Islam
848:. EXMNA. January 2, 2015.
608:www.womenbeyondbelief.com
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1047:Activists from Houston
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55:Please help by adding
992:21st-century atheists
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353:to find their family
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1062:Writers from Karachi
1057:Writers from Houston
740:on October 10, 2017.
614:on October 10, 2017.
1052:People from Karachi
669:on December 1, 2017
419:In 2013 Haider and
285:Haider was born in
157:Australian Skeptics
44:relies too much on
1032:Pakistani atheists
1002:American feminists
640:on October 9, 2017
521:Faith to Faithless
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349:. She now advises
293:, in a practicing
228:political activist
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327:critical of Islam
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828:. Retrieved
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806:. Retrieved
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786:November 27,
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759:. Retrieved
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708:. Retrieved
697:The Humanist
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673:November 28,
671:. Retrieved
667:the original
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642:. Retrieved
638:the original
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612:the original
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588:February 20,
586:. Retrieved
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541:Fauzia Ilyas
511:Ali A. Rizvi
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493:and against
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987:1991 births
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210:Occupations
193:Nationality
67:or harmful.
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559:References
547:Ibn Warraq
460:Dave Rubin
351:ex-Muslims
281:Early life
259:Secularism
187:, Pakistan
170:1991-03-27
87:newspapers
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199:Pakistani
945:Religion
583:BBC News
505:See also
485:and the
452:Colorado
436:apostasy
368:Activism
291:Pakistan
255:Movement
202:American
65:libelous
931:Portals
924:Twitter
456:YouTube
429:Toronto
355:secular
322:atheist
299:Houston
287:Karachi
181:Karachi
101:scholar
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491:Grimes
448:Denver
316:could.
222:writer
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476:EXMNA
347:Islam
331:Quran
303:Texas
185:Sindh
108:JSTOR
94:books
39:This
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832:2017
810:2017
788:2017
763:2024
712:2018
701:ISSN
675:2017
646:2018
634:Areo
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164:Born
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