mattson advocates for a greater public role for muslim women as religious leaders. when she founded the first accredited graduate program for muslim chaplains in the us, she insisted that it be open to women. mattson wears a hijab, but argues that governments should have no authority to enforce religious dress or ban it. mattson has worked with a muslim social service agency called peaceful families. the group to advocates against domestic violence in the muslim community and argues against interpretations of the qur'an that permit violence to or discrimination against women.