A huge thank you La Women Trend Family for this lovely article & Interview! Truly humbled and touched I made it alll the way to France All praise to GOD 🤲🏼
READ THE FULL ARTICLE VIA THE LINK BELOW:
SUKCES JEST KOBIETĄ Poland Feature
“Natasha Toffa : Instagram Heroine”
A huge shout out to Sukces jest kobietą! (Success is a Woman) News & Media Website in POLAND for their lovely Article.
The Article can be viewed via this link :
HTTP://WWW.SUKCESJESTKOBIETA.PL/NATASHA-TOFFA-BOHATERKA-Z-INSTAGRAMA/
W24 South Africa Feature
A few days after my BBC story went live, a friend of mine sent me this screenshot and asked “Did you know a South African website has written a piece about you and your DV support work?” 🌍👀🌍
Again, a huge thank you to W24 South Africa for the article, it was really beautiful and heartfelt. To view the article simply click the link below:
HTTPS://WWW.W24.CO.ZA/WELLNESS/MIND/GET-OUT-OR-DIE-MEET-THE-WOMAN-WHO-TRAVELS-AROUND-THE-WORLD-TO-HELP-VICTIMS-OF-DOMESTIC-ABUSE-20180720
BBC Radio UK Interview
A few hours after my BBC story went live on Social Media on July 23rd, BBC World Service’s Facebook page made my story their cover photo as above. AHHH!!!
This was followed by my first ever International radio Interview, with BBC Outside Source. Take a listen via the link below, I start at 27 minutes in.
HTTPS://WWW.BBC.CO.UK/PROGRAMMES/W172W60V7V91SMH
I made it to BBC NEWS!!
YESSSS YOU READ RIGHT!! On Monday July 23rd I MADE IT TO BBC! All praise to God!!
So, how did this happen?!? Well, sometime mid -April BBC Minute started following me on Instagram and reached out to me via DM on Instagram. Olivia; a Journalist for BBC Minute, shortly learnt I was much more than just a Fashion Blogger. From there we began chatting daily about a feature collaboration that would educate so many on Domestic Violence and the work I have been doing in the past year to assist women around the world. I won’t go into too much detail as the video will speak for itself.
My heart is still so overwhelmed, to know that my BBC story is one of the most shared BBC stories in a week via BBC digital platforms! The video even got played on BBC tv and Sky News tv IN the UK!! It has been shared to:
BBC News
BBC News Africa
BBC News India
BBC
BBC News Swahili
BBC Stories
BBC World Service
BBC Trending
+ over 700 other business / personal fb accounts
bbc.com
bbc.co.uk
BBC Minute Instagram + various other Instagram personal / business pages
I’m just so thankful that so much awareness and exposure has been created from this video on Domestic Abuse. It truly saddens me that DV is such a norm and what, we are expected to just accept that ?! One of the main things we need to do is educate men and women on the early signs to help prevention in the future. I pray my message continues to spread awareness, educate others and encourage more to speak out. By God’s will I will continue to be the voice for those women without, to inspire women and educate the unknown.
Again I would like to thank BBC for this amazing opportunity and for conveying my message and the work I am doing in the most positive way. I would like to thank each person who took the time to watch my video and hear my story. I would like to thank those who have been sharing the video to spread the awareness. If you haven’t already I humbly request you to please repost this video to continue spreading the awareness about DV, you don’t know who may be in a time of need and this video may just give them the motivation and courage they need to also get out.
The full video can be viewed via the below link:
HTTPS://WWW.BBC.COM/NEWS/AV/STORIES-44885763/THE-WOMAN-HELPING-DOMESTIC-ABUSE-VICTIMS-WITH-INSTAGRAM
ABC Iview's "Hijabistas" Mini Series
I recently made my first TV-like debut!!! LOL Okay well I guess I better EXPLAIN that a little bit better now that I have your attention
Around May last year Yassmin Abdel-Magied posted a photo on her Instagram page in search of Australian Muslim Fashionista Hijabi women in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne for an upcoming project. No mention of Perth but STILL I didn’t hesitate to repost the photo on my Instagram story asking my real ones to comment my name on her post in hopes of catching her attention with the possibility of considering little ol’ me! Little did I know most of the hundreds of comments on the post were mostly just my name and stating why I should be chosen and well, it definitely caught the right eyes Alhamdulilah.
Fast forward to multiple phone conversations with one of the main ABC Producers for the show, I was flown out by ABC on August 17th last year for 2 days filming in Sydney. This was my first time visiting Sydney and the perfect excuse for doing so! Getting to meet Yassmin, visit Sydney, convey and share a bit of my story for the viewers, all for a good cause of empowerment and education.
The purpose of the show was to educate the viewers on the rapid growth of the term “Australian Modest Fashion”. Sharing with the viewers exactly what it is, what it means and why it’s here to STAY. Participating and featured in the miniseries was a range of Male and Female Muslim’s from Designers to Artists and of course; the Fashionista’s. I am so grateful to God that I got to be the one chosen to represent Perth, the Perth Muslim Community, Plus Size women and Convert Muslims. It was truly an honour to have been a different voice that was relatable to many in similar situations to myself.
To watch the 8 part miniseries simply visit the below link or by downloading the ABC Iview app on your phone. Enjoy!
HTTPS://IVIEW.ABC.NET.AU/SHOW/HIJABISTAS
Natasha Medlar vs Caroline Overington : ABC Radio Melbourne
Let’s face it, we live in a messed up society where many of us are surrounded by racism, poverty, death, discrimination, terrorism and so on. However of course it’s not all bad, women of diverse backgrounds, races, shapes and sizes including Muslim women, are FINALLY being represented the way they should be!
We are living in a time where women are being celebrated for equality and for their contributions to not only their communities, but to society itself. However not everyone agrees entirely and what’s even more troubling is knowing that there are some women in society who claim they are intersectional feminists, claim they stand for equal rights, yet pick and choose when they are pro intersectional feminism and against intersectional feminism. It’s not a buffet, there’s no pick and choose when it comes to intersectional feminism nor when it comes to human rights and in this article’s case women’s rights, or is that just white privilege steering the wheel?
On January 29th Associate Editor of The Australian; Caroline Overington published an article titled “DFAT Exhibition Showcasing Modest Australian Fashion Does Not Represent Us”. January 30th I was invited on air for an Interview with ABC Radio National along with Caroline to debate and discuss her article along with our own view points. If you haven’t as yet, you can listen to the Interview by clicking on this link:
HTTP://WWW.ABC.NET.AU/RADIONATIONAL/PROGRAMS/DRIVE/BACKLASH-OVER-PROMOTING-AUSTRALIAS-MODEST-AND-MUSLIM-FASHION-O/9376246
First off, who is US, is she speaking on behalf of Australian Males AND Females? Is US a wealthy white privileged Australian female? Or a non-English speaking Chinese immigrant studying and working minimum wage? Is “US” the Indigenous and rightful owners of this land? Is “US” an Indian family who managed to escaped poverty and start a new life in Australia? Or perhaps US is a Middle Eastern woman who entered Australia as a refugee to escape her war stricken country? Australia is a strongly diverse, multicultural country soooo has Caroline composed a survey and spoken to a variety of diverse Australians in order to back up her claim of “US?”
I strongly believe everyone is entitled to their opinion and freedom of speech, however at the same time I don’t agree with people who speak on subjects they lack knowledge in, as this just comes across ignorant and sarcastic. Some extracts of Caroline’s article are below.
“How did you dress your little girl for school this morning? Shorts, and a short-sleeved polo? And what about your good self, what do you have on? A cute off-the-shoulder number? A shirt, with the second button undone? Do you think that makes you a little immodest?
I ask because Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, otherwise known as DFAT, or else as Australia’s face to the world, has this week launched a thrilling new exhibition, in both Malaysia and Indonesia, showcasing, wait for it, “modest Australian fashion.” In case you don’t know what that is, it’s skirts to the floor, ladies. It is full body suits at the beach. It’s covering up your hair, and draping yourself in heavy fabric as you go about your day.
Just curious, though, if you’re not wearing modest fashion, as defined by DFAT, what kind of fashion are you wearing today? Immodest fashion? Because you haven’t got a pair of leggings under your calf-length skirts, and a turtle-neck under your blouse? Obviously it’s possible to be both Australian and to wear the veil. But the idea that by choosing not to cover up — heading to the beach in a pair of bathers, or hitching up your shorts for climbing trees — makes one immodest … that’s something we need to push back against, as hard and as fast as we can.
How about we tell them: Australia is an enlightened country, where women can dress as they please? How about we “support” them in their “immodest” desires? Because it’s getting harder to live without the scarf in Malaysia.
It’s not fashion forward. It is fashion backward, and plain grotesque.”
We are all aware that Modest Fashion is currently on the rise, bigger than it has ever been before. However like I mentioned on air yesterday Modest Australian Fashion although associated, is not just limited to Islamic Clothing nor is it “skirts to the floor and draping ourselves in heavy fabric” as Caroline stated. Heavy fabric, REALLY? I don’t know about you but that is the most ignorant way of attempting to make others understand what Modest fashion is. I see countless women each day dressed modestly, whether it’s palazzo ¾ pants and a singlet top, or a strapless jumpsuit, or a skater dress, these are mere examples of Modest Fashion worn by Non-Muslim women daily. Yet when it comes to Australian Muslim women, people who don’t know about Islam or are just ignorant and don’t care, always want to talk about their claims of how “oppressed” we are.
Let me just say this, I’m not speaking for every Muslim woman in Australia but I am going to say as an Australian born and raised, 4 year Muslim Convert, I am speaking for 99.9% of them in this article. We are well aware Australia is a land of freedom where everyone can talk, act, think and dress how they wish to. I strongly agree that women in Australia can and SHOULD wear whatever they choose to wear and not be judged, regardless of what anyone else thinks of it. So why is it so hard to understand that for Muslim women like myself who CHOOSE to cover their bodies, who CHOOSE to wear hijab, is one of the many ways in which we feel LIBERATED and FREE!?
What was most disturbing and intolerable was your contradiction of stating that Australian women should wear whatever they like and have the freedom to do so but then labelled Hijab Fashion as grotesque. What sort of self-proclaimed feminist uses their social platform to attack another group of women? Yet claims to care about how Muslim women are being treated in various countries overseas, claims to care about female empowerment and women’s rights? In no way is the globalisation of modest fashion used to force women to be oppressed. If this is what you believe and being a so called feminist, that means you also believe that the hypersexualisation of women in fashion has oppressed women and forced them to dress a certain way, making them feel pressured by society and modern fashion to wear less. Or what about the women who aren’t Muslim and would prefer to dress modestly but don’t feel it’s an option, because they don’t want to stand out and standing out could lower their chances in career and/or social opportunities?
Regardless of how you feel about others choices that are not your own, or how others choose to represent ourselves, you need to remember at the end of the day we are all females who bleed the same blood regardless of our differences. That’s what makes it so beautiful, everyone’s individual uniqueness in this beautiful multicultural country we call home.
Pakistan Journal Interview
Talk about the New Year starting off right! 3 days before 2017 was over with I was contacted by The Pakistan Journal; in Islamabad wanting to Interview me for their website segment; #PakistanJournalTalks.
The Pakistan Journal is a platform that aims to motivate and inspire digital generation with interesting content, viral stories, educational pursuits, awareness and every other matter that deserves your attention. Their goal is to create awareness, change minds, open up hearts and amplify the voice of socially conscious citizens of the world.
After getting over the overwhelming feels I felt of being recognised all the way in Pakistan, I answered the questions ranging from my journey with Hijab, Women’s Unity Movement, my fashion style, my thoughts, advice & so on. If you haven’t had a chance to read about it yet, I have pasted the link below. Enjoy!
HTTP://WWW.THEPAKISTANJOURNAL.COM/PAKISTANJOURNALTALKS/NATASHA-TOFFA-FOUNDER-WOMENS-UNITY-MOVEMENT/
Love U Magazine USA Feature
For those who aren’t aware, Love U Magazine is a quarterly digital magazine that features body-positive fashion and women empowerment issues. Love U Magazine is made up of a team of international Contributing Writers and Photographers who are passionate about creating a magazine that inspires and uplifts its readers, which is not often associated with traditional industry norms.
Love U Magazine believes that ALL women are beautiful and beautifully made. They want to empower and encourage all women to embrace their beauty and embrace the communities and brands that acknowledge and celebrate all women-regardless of size, shape, or ethnicity. Their mission is to disrupt the industry by blurring the lines between magazines that only publish sample-size models and magazines that only publish plus-size models. Love U Magazine are also moving beyond traditional print distribution as they plan to incorporate a multi-media reading experience that integrates both video and audio into their publication.
I decided to write a piece on self love, something that would be relatable to ALL women in today’s society, of all generations. My aim was for my words to resonate within and in doing so encourage each and every woman to love themselves and really see their true beauty. Below is the piece I wrote for Love U Magazine, titled “The Beauty of Self Love”. Enjoy ❤
When you look at yourself in the mirror and I mean, REALLY look, what do you see? I’m not talking about a quick glance to make sure you look decent before going about your day. I’m talking about those times when you are home alone — no friends, no photographers, no makeup artists, no cameras are in sight. I am talking about those times you are either undressing from a long day or hopping out of the shower and wrapping your towel around your body — when you start over analyzing certain parts of your body from head to toe, in shame or disappointment.
If it isn’t pinching your tummy counting the amount of rolls you’ve gained, it’s wishing your boobs were as big as some of the women you come across on social media every day. If it’s not comparing your “imperfect” bum to those that are surgically enhanced, it’s wishing your pale skin was tanned, or the opposite, wishing your skin was lighter. And what about the face; when the defined nose contour has been removed with a makeup wipe exposing the wide shaped nose or when the layer of high coverage foundation has been completely removed, exposing only your acne prone skin and thin lips, less the overdrawn lipstick you wore just earlier that day.
Why do we always compare our facial features and bodies to those of other women? Why is it so hard for us women to see our true WORTH; I mean we are QUEENS after all. Every part of us is beautiful. Why seek compliments and acceptance from our friends, family, followers on social media, and of course, men? Why subject ourselves to be treated as objects by exposing our body parts, these days leaving less and less to the imagination. For what? To gain a thread full of thirsty comments from men admiring our “self-love”, when actually we are degrading ourselves and our bodies.
Yes, we all love to be complimented it makes us feel real good inside and gives us an instant confidence boost, but without self-love that feeling is only temporary. Without love for yourself you will remain in a constant battle against YOURSELF, fighting low self-esteem issues day-in and day-out but never succeeding. Every mistake you make, every goal you put in place and fail, every negative person around you, will keep you trapped without self-love. I speak from experience as I, like many others, have lived most of my life this way — not by choice, but from the negativity and trauma that used to surround me.
You must see the beauty within yourself inwardly and outwardly, in order to accept yourself and to be content. By doing this it will change your life COMPLETELY and the way you live daily. With self-love comes confidence. With confidence you will find that you’re no longer seeking validation from others, as it no longer of much importance to you. The time you once spent focusing on the negative, beating yourself, can now be spent putting goals into a plan and going after what you want — what IS important to you. Once you commit to accepting yourself and embarking on your self-love journey, you will discover that you are an unstoppable force who deserves all the world has to offer. And quite frankly, there’s nothing more beautiful than that!
Grace : Empowered to Empower Collab
For those who aren’t aware, Grace is a West Melbourne Organisation which has been formed by a group of women who share Christian values and are extending God’s grace by providing care packages to women and children fleeing Domestic Violence.
A HUGE thank you to Sarah Peace of GRACE : West Melbourne Families against Domestic Violence Inc for reaching out to me & giving me the opportunity to briefly share my story for their first online project; Empowered to Empower. May my words & story help give many strength, courage, motivation & inspiration.
My Survival of Domestic Violence
It has been 6 years since my Domestic Violence relationship “officially” ended and it has taken me all this time to heal, start a new and finally be ready to openly speak out about my previous relationship. To date I have never openly shared my story nor parts of my story in detail with anyone; whether it be friends or family. I decided I was now ready to address it and thought the best way to do so was via one platform, being You Tube for all to hear.
This video was not made in an attempt to gain pity nor attention. I have made this video in order to help those around the world whom are current victims of DV and newly Survivors like myself. I wanted to show these women that they aren’t alone and that this isn’t the life they are deserving of nor to need to continue living in.
May this video help empower, give strength and courage to women globally whom are currently in a Domestic Violence relationship or whom have recently gotten out of one. I had planned to include all of my story and share how I FINALLY got out of that toxic relationship, but I couldn’t finish my emotions were too high. I will make a continuation video the weeks to come.