Which lines made you feel that these women suffer low self-esteem ?

On the contrary IMHO ,women barely clothed on a beach or scantily- clad outside their homes would be the more likely candidates for lacking self-esteem.Since they count on their physical bodies to impress others.

The alienation you talked about is *after* they accepted Islam not prior to it !Their families wouldn't accept them for their new belief in many cases or disapproved of their now more modest/different sense of dressing.So alienation cannot be the reason for choosing to be Muslim .

It is almost dangerous to be Muslim these days especially when travelling to the west .If you look like a Mozlim Aye-raab most likely you are to be viewed with much suspicion and distrust.Why would anyone in their right mind revert to islam "just like a cult "considering the most unfair portrayal by the media?
Perhaps because these people found rational in this faith .

"all I see are women giving up things they loved in the name of a domineering religion. "Please clarify what you meant by this ..particularly the "domineering" religion bit?

Massalama.