Zainab Hassan

Arts

The villainous tale of TikTok’s farewell and return
TikTok has been a globally beloved platform that has opened up conversations, incited change, and allowed personal expression, but recent changes for American users bring up questions about whether it can still be utilized as such.

Zainab Hassan January 27, 2025January 27, 2025

On January 18, TikTok was suspended in the United States, accompanied by a message: “A law banning TikTok has been…

Arts

Can food be considered art?
With every dish made is a story told—filling the recipe book with secrets, superstitions, and satisfactions of the people you love.

Zainab Hassan January 13, 2025January 12, 2025

Of the many family traditions indulged in during the holidays, my favourite occurs during Eid and school vacations when my…

Arts

Indigenous literature recommendations
Fiction, non-fiction, and poetry collections written by Indigenous authors to add to your TBR.

Zainab Hassan November 11, 2024November 10, 2024

As November settles in, we’re all thinking too much about assignments and pointedly not about finals. We need—well, godly intervention…

Opinion

Playing Devil’s Advocate: a look into the many (mis)representations of the Devil in our culture
The commodification of Satan serves to perpetuate religious abuse.

Zainab Hassan October 21, 2024October 20, 2024

Despite popular belief, Satan is not an inherently Abrahamic — referring to Christianity, Islam, and Judaism — character. Religions as…

Arts

Death by streaming
The fall of good media and the rise of my temper.

Zainab Hassan October 15, 2024October 15, 2024

It’s October folks, which means that whether you’re getting ready to indulge in the latest monster mashes for Halloween or…

Arts

Word On The Street is… you should really go!
A review of the 2024 Word On The Street Toronto festival and the diversity it inspires.

Zainab Hassan October 7, 2024October 6, 2024

Out of all the experiences I’ve written about for The Medium, I have to say that Word On The Street…

Features

A review of the Theatre of Science’s first seminar on theatre and the environment
The seminar included a lecture alongside short performances by undergraduate acting students, exploring the relationship between theatre and the environment.

Zainab Hassan September 30, 2024September 29, 2024

On September 20, the Theatre of Science at the University of Toronto Mississauga’s Department of English and Drama hosted a…

Arts

The Blackwood Gallery’s Quiet Parade
From ASL interpretation music to a royal storm cloud in a ballgown, the Quiet Parade was truly a sight to behold.

Zainab Hassan September 23, 2024September 22, 2024

If you saw a storm cloud in a ball gown walking around campus on Wednesday: no, you weren’t seeing things….

Opinion

Dating as a Muslim
How sex and sexuality are misunderstood in religious communities.

Zainab Hassan September 9, 2024September 9, 2024

As an international student, a staple of going home for the summer involves at least one 2 AM catch-up with…

Arts

Madame Web: the Spider-Man spinoff that wove itself into a disaster
Why Madame Web is a movie we love to hate.

Zainab Hassan March 11, 2024March 11, 2024

Warning: Spoilers ahead. Reader discretion is advised. Madame Web revolves around the totally dynamic and not-at-all poorly written female protagonist,…

Opinion

Are boycotts worth the work?
The effectiveness of boycotts continues to be questioned, and yet, we are seeing results.

Zainab Hassan January 29, 2024January 28, 2024

In a world where there seems to be no end to social injustices that need calling out, boycott movements flare…

Between the Lines

Self-exploration in the long-awaited Piranesi

Zainab Hassan October 23, 2023November 28, 2023

As an avid lover of all things fantasy, I absolutely had to read Piranesi, English author Susanna Clarke’s award-winning book….

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