Ladies night: Muslim women join the party

Oh, yes, it’s Ladies’ Night and Merium Bhuiyan has created a safe female space for Muslim women across Islington to let their hijab down and party. Oh, what a night! 

Started in 2018, the Club Cake Face events are the only existing parties for Muslim women in Islington that are advertised online. “This is not a religious event; this is a place for Muslim women to come together,” Bhuiyan said. 

Muslim parties tend to be private house gatherings, so Merium is extending the reach to women who don’t already have an existing network. There’s a collaborative playlist with a mix of music including hip-hop, R&B, Afro beats, Arabic and more: “We all lose our voices the next day,” Bhuiyan laughed. 

The soirees are affordable and accessible, open to all women above the age of eighteen. No men or children allowed.  

Bhuiyan added: “At our most recent party, a woman came for the first time, she walked in, and I swear to God she just took off her hijab and sighed with relief. She just felt completely relaxed even though she didn’t know anyone there, which just shows how important these spaces are.” 

Parties for Muslim women welcome ladies from all religious backgrounds

Although designed for Muslim women, the parties attract a multicultural crowd from all over London. The events have been held in various locations across Islington, including Park Theatre and Brickworks Community Centre in Finsbury Park and Caxton House in Archway.  

Merium Bhuiyan was surprised to receive many negative comments online in response to the event. A major theme was men feeling excluded, “What’s the point of having a party if there are no men there? Why should Muslim women meet up to party when it’s not very ‘religious’?” 

Hind, an attendee of the parties who did not want to give her surname, said: “In the process of healing from my experience of domestic violence I received a message from an old friend about ladies only night club night with “Club CakeFace”. I invited some of my work colleagues, we had an amazing experience. We danced. we had fun. It was very therapeutic. “Club CakeFace” plays an important role for Muslim ladies, one can have fun in a safe environment, no judging just fun and on top of that the price is very decent, we could all afford it. Well done Merium.”  

The meaning behind “Cake Face”

The name “Cake Face” is a play on the insult used to describe someone wearing heavy makeup. According to Bhuiyan: “It was the idea that I didn’t really see anybody that looked like me in the media, somebody who wears a headscarf, comes from a different background, who is a bit bigger than the normal models that we see. So, I thought, well if I can’t find it, I may as well be my own model. Then maybe I can inspire others to look like me as well!” 

Bhuiyan wears many hats. She is an English teacher, vice-chair of the Islington Faiths Forum, a member of the Inclusion Committee at Park Theatre and a Trustee of Holloway Educational and Cultural Centre.  

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 In April, Bhuiyan will be resuming the interfaith iftar that she has run throughout Ramadan for the past five years. It’s a place where people can break their fast together. She said: “If you’re fasting, break your fast with us, and if you’re not, then you can learn more about Ramadan and still eat with us. Men, women and children are all welcome.” 

Merium just held the 12th Club Cake Face party and is already planning the next one for Eid in May this year. The events currently hold around 30 partygoers, and the numbers are ever increasing. Tickets are sold on Eventbrite, and you can follow Merium’s Instagram for more info about upcoming dates and events. 

Addressing the people of Islington, Merium said: “To the women that are unsure about the event, or there’s something they’re not sure about, I would invite those women to come and check us out. Dance with us and have a good time with us. And you’ll see how much fun it really is.”