New Trend -- Latinas Converting to Islam

Of the 20,000 converts to Islam each year in the U.S., approximately 1,200 of those are Latinos with the majority being females. The trend seems to be occuring because the women see more respect coming from Islamic men than from most men that they encounter on a regular basis. They do not see the religion as demeaning women, but instead as making their roles more sacred and respected.

Many Americans view the Taliban and al Qaeda as typical examples of Islamic beliefs, but that is far from the truth. Most of the more demeaning aspects of Islam toward women that we see demonstrated on a regular basis are actually cultural manifestations that use extreme Islamic teachings as justification for misogynism.