This is an article taken from The American Muslim blog. It's written by the blog's creator, Mr. Robert Salaam:

"I’m inspired to speak on a very controversial issue….Women in Islam. I’m reading this book: “Living Islam Out Loud” by this wonderful sister Saleemah Abdul-Ghafur, and I’m so glad I took it off my wife’s book-shelf behind her back! Over the years during my sojourn as a Muslim convert/revert, the issue of Muslim women or Women in Islam is an oft repeated, discussed, and debated topic. Often by the naysayers against Islam who use all kinds of “examples” to make Islam look like a religion that is against everything woman. It’s not like there isn’t ample ammunition to fire at us Muslims, when you see what happens when Talibanistic (yeah new word) ideology and practice is oft repeated in some circles of the world. Then of course, there’s no shortage of some rotund fiery self-made “cleric” making an ass of himself calling women meat, or helping to propagate the subjugation of Muslim women as second-class. We all know what’s out there from the negative perspective, but how much do we know about the positive reality of muslim womens’ lives?"

More: Women in Islam: Truth vs Falsehood The American Muslim