I thought of writing this article when a friend of mine told me her nationality (Eastern European) is labeled ‘only good for prostitution’ in certain Arab countries. I knew prostitution is an ancient reality in the Middle East, still, I wasn’t aware of the growing phenomenon of transnational prostitution and the stereotyping of nationality and […]
Author Archives: Red Lips High Heels
La femme guerrière: mythe ou réalité?
En lisant la presse ce matin, je tombe sur la photo d’une franc-tireuse syrienne, la ‘première’ femme guerrière de renom au sein du bataillon de l’opposition au régime en place (‘Armée Syrienne Libre’), nommée ‘Guevara’, opérant surtout à Alep, et voilée. Flash back à ‘la Violence et le Sacré’ par René Girard, et surtout, aux amazones, […]
Feminisms in Dialogue (I)
Following a first encounter organized by ‘Women in Front’ yesterday afternoon of at least 30 Lebanese women activists, journalists, university professors, lawyers, etc. all wanting to improve women’s participation in politics and decision making, I remembered the experience I had while living in Montreal (Quebec, Canada) with a group of women under the leadership of […]
Adultery in Lebanon: a Crime?
A question I have been asking for years , especially when I hear of women being publicly humiliated or murdered when caught in extra-marital relations or having sexual intercourse without being married, whereas men are generally ‘heroes’, or are easily forgiven for their acts – men are seen ‘naturally’ polygamous. Men and women are treated […]
Cab Driving and Sexual Harassment
How many times have we heard stories about cab drivers and their lack of ethics in Lebanon? They try to get more than a normal fee out of passengers to go from point A to point B. They surely overcharge foreigners. And, they engage in obscene conversations with guys and girls. The typical Lebanese cab […]
On a Lighter Note…Laughing Your Way Out (Being a Female Athlete)
One of the perks of being a female athlete is the invitation to show off, and prove that you can really do what you pretend saying. When younger cousins dare you to accomplish those deeds, it is just as important to be funny and take it lightly than to make a big deal out of […]
« Transmettre la nationalité au conjoint et aux enfants »: un droit encore non acquis pour les Libanaises!
En tant que Libanaise vivant au Liban, je jouis certes d’une marge de liberté introuvable dans certains pays avoisinants. Je peux conduire une auto, enseigner à l’université, boire un kir royal dans un bar huppé de Beyrouth, me pavaner en mini-jupe en toute saison, fumer le cigare ou la pipe, débattre de sujets ‘sensibles’ en […]
Womanhood in Western Asia Cannot be Summarized in ‘Clichés’
Most Western Asian societies are struggling nowadays with social, political and economic crisis. They also suffer from diverse forms of discrimination (gender, religious, political, etc.) based partly on highly selective memories serving particular interests and ideological positions. However, there are spaces of dialogue and conviviality, and gender equality cases. Just as memory and identity support […]
A Vindictive Husband! My story…
Many true stories about vindictive ex-spouses exist. I have heard about several men who have tried to destroy the reputation of their ex-wives with a ruthless and quite thorough assault on their public characters. These men have told lies to friends and family members, attempted to blackmail their former spouses by threatening to spread vicious […]
I am a Feminist Man
The word a�?feminista�? is being more and more associated with queer women, lesbians to be specific. And, what are lesbians known for? Answer: Hating men. So somewhere along the history of feminism, this link has been created and it has become hard to break this line of stereotypical thoughts. In all feminist movements women are […]