Lebanese Women in Politics: between Actual and Muted Participation

Throughout history, women have often considered themselves as living in a male oriented society. Thus so, we find that most innovators in practically all fields happen to be men. Be it arts in its liberal or conventional forms, music, economy, religion ,science or philosophy, even war, men have always been the primary movers and shakers, […]

The Sultan's Harem (Harim el Sultan)

You definitely heard of the new Turkish soap opera “Harim el Sultan” (The Sultan’s Harem). The series is inspired from real historical events, and focuses specifically on the harem, scattered with danger, hatred, and a constant competitiveness to the sultan’s heart. The Sultan’s Harem has gained wide success and popularity across the Arab world, but […]

"داميتي" ضحية مِثْلُها كثيرات

لا نريد تعازيكم. لا نريد تعاطفكم الزائف. نطالب بتحركٍ فوريًّ لتشديد القوانين ضد العنف الجنسيّ”. هذا ما كُتِبَ على اللافتات التي حملها المتظاهرون في الهند احتجاجًا على حادثة الاغتصاب الجماعيّ التي تعرّضت لها فتاة هنديّة في حافلة  عامة. في التفاصيل أنّ الفتاة الهنديّة، وهي طالبة جامعيّة تدرس العلاج الفيزيائي في إحدى جامعات نيودلهي، كانت قد استقلّت […]

Hideous Sexism – Pranks on National Television

DISCLAIMER: This article is not an attack on anybody in particular. This is a mere presentation of an opinion drawn after hearing about a prank. a�?Jerks in masks try to grab girls in the nighta�?. This is the way a friend of mine described a prank that was aired on national television. I searched for […]

What is Being a Woman in the Lebanese Society?

More often than not, when people speak of inequality of the sexes in Lebanon, they speak of women’s inferior salaries, of women’s inability to pass on the Lebanese nationality to their children, of women’s minor representation in the parliament…They discuss big titles; eye-catching ones. I won’t. I haven’t experienced those situations yet and shall wait […]

Nouns, Adjectives, Definitions and Expectations

This is not an opinion. This is a simple inquiry about the situation in Lebanon. Herea��s how I see things to take place: We have men who objectify women. We have women who do the same to fellow women. Then, we have men who insult and attack women. And, in contrast, we have women who […]

For Her & For Him

Ita��s cute when brands do a a�?For Hima�? and a�?For Hera�? ideas. This, though, becomes the focus of everybody around the holidays, any holiday, and could easily get out of line. In the traffic jam of Mount Lebanon and Beirut, drivers listen to music and look out their window. Ads all over the highway promote […]

What do I mean by Equality between Men and Women?

There are many challenges to be faced and overcome when living in Lebanon, including trying to answer questions that are not asked anymore in other societies, such as: ‘Is Feminism a movement of angry Lesbian women wanting to destroy men’s supremacy?’ or ‘Why are you fighting for equality? And what is equality anyways?’, ‘Isn’t it […]

There are Men intimidated by Intelligent Women: my Perception of a Lebanese Reality

I live in Beirut and I write to share with you my perception of a particular reality. Most women I know, educated, successful in their work field, young, beautiful, intelligent and independent, are not able to get married nowadays. Men they dated felt emasculated. I even heard one of my friends saying that a successful […]

The Pill Pop Culture in Lebanon

According to a recent report by the Institute for Development, Research, Advocacy and Applied Care (IDRAAC), 28.5 percent of Lebanese people have at least one mental disorder, mostly anxiety related (with a majority of post-traumatic stress disorder – PTSD and generalized anxiety). Such conditions often have even more formidable symptoms, such as chronic depression and […]