Fariha Róisín

Fariha Róisín
OccupationWriter, poet, cultural critic
LanguageEnglish
NationalityAustralian-Canadian
GenreLiterary fiction, poetry
SubjectSelf-care, personal essay, pop culture
Years active2010-present
Notable worksHow to Cure a Ghost
Website
www.fariharoisin.com

Fariha Róisín (born 1990) is an Australian-Canadian writer. She released her debut poetry collection How to Cure a Ghost in 2019 and her debut novel Like a Bird in 2020. Her first work of non-fiction was written in 2022, Who is Wellness For: An Examination of Wellness Culture and Who it Leaves Behind.

Early life

Róisín was raised in a Muslim family to Bangladeshi immigrant parents in Sydney, Australia.[1][2][3] Her father is a university lecturer and academic, and her mother is an artist.[4] Róisín's maternal grandfather was Abdul Haque, a socialist former member of Parliament in Bangladesh.[5] Róisín moved to the United States at age 19 to study law at university, but dropped out to pursue a writing career.[6]

Career

Róisín has been a freelance writer since 2010 and has written for publications including: IndieWire, HuffPost, Filmmaker,[7][8] The New York Times, Bon Appetit and The Hairpin.[9][6][10] She began her writing career in 2010 via an internship at the fashion blog StyleLikeU, and then participated in a program at the Critics Academy (run by IndieWire) to learn how to be a film critic.[11] Many of her written pieces are film criticism, cultural criticism and/or first-person personal essays. She also frequently writes about self-care, mental illness, spirituality and socio-political issues.[2][12][9] From 2012 to 2017 she co-hosted the pop culture analysis podcast Two Brown Girls with friend and fellow writer Zeba Blay.[13][14] Róisín appeared in Jidenna's 2019 music video for the song "Sufi Woman".[10][15][2]

Róisín debut poetry collection How to Cure a Ghost was published in 2019 by Abrams Image. She describes the collection as relating to "traumas she's experienced as a queer Muslim woman,"[16] and it explores topics including islamophobia, the experience of sexual assault, and white supremacy.[15] The collection was written over five years.[15]

Róisín's first novel Like A Bird was published in 2020 by Unnamed Press.[17][9]

Personal life

Róisín is Muslim and identifies as queer.[18] She has previously lived in Montreal and New York City,[1] and currently resides in Los Angeles.[2] She is a survivor of child sexual abuse.[19] During adolescence she engaged in self-harm and experienced suicidal ideation, and attempted suicide at age 25.[20][9]

Works

  • 2019. How to Cure a Ghost. Abrams Image. 2019. ISBN 1419737562
  • 2020. Like a Bird. Unnamed Press. 2020. ISBN 9781951213091
  • 2022. Who Is Wellness For?: An Examination of Wellness Culture and Who It Leaves Behind. HarperWave. 2022. ISBN 9780063077089
  • 2023. Survival Takes a Wild Imagination. 2023.[21]

References

  1. ^ a b Mag, Live Fast (16 August 2017). "Self-Care, Body Diversity, and Religion: A Conversation with Writer Fariha Róisín". Live FAST Magazine - The Best of Fashion, Art, Sex and Travel. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d Carlos, Marjon (2 February 2017). "Fariha Róisín Talks Visibility and Taking Up Space Online as a Muslim Woman". Vogue. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  3. ^ Róisín, Fariha (14 September 2018). "I Never Thought Wellness Was Meant For Me". Bon Appétit. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  4. ^ "Mothers, Representation, Spirituality, Homosexuality and Islam with Fariha Roisin". Charlie Siddick. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Artist Fariha Róisín on sharing a troubled relationship with her mother and what true feminism means". Elle. 20 February 2019.
  6. ^ a b "The High-Functioning Stoner With The Best Red Lip For Brown Skin". Into The Gloss. 24 September 2019. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  7. ^ "Fariha Róisín". IndieWire. 18 August 2014. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  8. ^ "Fariha Róisín". HuffPost. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  9. ^ a b c d George, Anesha (11 February 2020). "Poet and author Fariha Róisín on the importance of self-care". Elle India. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  10. ^ a b Kaabi, Amina (14 October 2019). "Fariha Róisín is Doing What Everyone Says Muslims Can't". Mille World. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  11. ^ "meet fariha róisín". Passerby Magazine. 30 January 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  12. ^ Weinstock, Tish (9 February 2018). "after years of white-washing, fariha róisín finally feels free to be herself". i-D. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  13. ^ Spellings, Sarah; Tsui, Diana (1 December 2017). "The Writer and Podcaster Who Doesn't Have a Phone". The Cut. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  14. ^ "@twobrwngirls". Twitter. 18 August 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  15. ^ a b c Ngangura, Tarisai (8 November 2019). "Fariha Róisín on Beauty, Self-Care and Desirability". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  16. ^ Allaire, Christian (23 September 2019). "Fariha Róisín Writes Poetry for Survivors". Vogue. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  17. ^ Dundas, Deborah (4 September 2020). "25 picks from this fall's book bonanza". thestar.com. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  18. ^ Roisin, Fairha (30 March 2017). "I'm queer, tattooed and Muslim. Canada needs to get used to that". CBC.
  19. ^ "Celibacy as Survival". 10 June 2022.
  20. ^ Weinstock, Tish (9 February 2018). "after years of white-washing, fariha róisín finally feels free to be herself". i-D. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  21. ^ Roisin, Fariha (17 October 2023). Survival Takes a Wild Imagination. Andrews McMeel Publishing. ISBN 9781524878221.