She knows that their rules come from a place of love and that they have just been raised with a different set of beliefs. Despite their differences, Rukhsana doesn’t want to hurt her parents. And it is my obligation to make sure that does not happen” (5). But if you’re’ not careful, you could also be the one to stain it. Regarding Rukhsana’s progressive attitude about education and gender equality, Zubaida tells her daughter: “You have the power to honor our family’s good reputation. Although she realizes that Ariana deserves better than a deceitful partner who is unable to fully embrace her publicly, Rukhsana begs Ariana to wait until they are safely in California.Įven though Rukhsana’s parents Ibrahim and Zubaida are Bengali people renowned for their love for food, poetry, and music, they are also known to be homophobic, parochial, and protective. When Ariana nuzzles her ear or kisses her neck, Rukshana’s body tingles from head to toe.Īfraid that her revelation that she is a lesbian will ruin her family and her life, Rukhsana keeps that part of her identity secret. But Rukshana isn’t a traditional Muslim, and she’s more interested in Ariana’s sweet-nothings whispered than in learning how to make laddoo. Therefore, she has to know how to prepare chai, goat vindaloo, and roti in order to impress a potential mother-in-law.

In her mother’s mind, Rukshana’s worth in the marriage market is directly proportionate to her culinary prowess.

She also can’t wait to escape her home in Seattle where her Muslim parents believe that daughters and sons are not the same. Fluent in the language of vectors and the laws of physics, Rukhsana Ali dreams of one day working at NASA and plans to attend Caltech when she graduates from high school.

The love and lies of rukhsana