Keset Hayaty El Gdeeda (My New Life Story)

I took 3 different photographs of my sister in which she resembles 3 different women. I made sure all 3 pictures are exactly the same, in terms of makeup and lighting, and focused on dark makeup on her eyes and eyebrows, for a deeper intensity. The first picture depicts my sister with her long flowy […]

Women’s Rights should be Prioritized and Addressed

In an era where robots are sense-perceptive, mobile phones have 3D touch capabilities, and cars can drive with little human interference, it disappoints me to see how little opportunities to grow or be identified as an equal the MENA*[1] region has presented for women. As an Arab woman, I myself have seen the struggles women […]

Fairness Creams Expose the Ugly Truth

You’re flipping through channels on TV and you find yourself watching a commercial where a woman is at a job interview. She does not get the job. Two weeks later, after using a whitening cream that made her six shades lighter, she goes back for the same interview. This time, she gets the job. The […]

My story with Arranged Marriages

“I never knew that I would be able to write about my experience as a woman of this community. I’m here today because of it, I’m here because it has made me who I am today: a woman trying to embody the ideals of both the West and East, a constant struggle, a constant obstacle- […]

It's Always an Exception When It Comes to Women's Rights, Isn't It?

مش وقتا ‘Mich Wa2ta’ (Lebanese saying for ‘This is not the time to…’) is a national slogan in Lebanon used on several occasions by people of different social-economic, political and religious backgrounds. Quite understandable in a country torn by cycles of physical and psychological wars, corruption, a dysfunctional system of diversity management, the reign of […]

Je ne suis pas qu'un corps et ce corps m'appartient !!!

‘Tu as grossi ! Il faudra que tu perdes au moins 10 kilos pour que tu sois à nouveau un être humain – bani ‘adam’ ! ‘Comment vas-tu plaire à ton mari avec cette haybe – cette face/façade – ?’ ‘Je connais une excellente diététicienne. Je te refile son numéro’. ‘Ah ! J’ai cru que tu étais enceinte ! Le […]

Why do Men Fear Women?

This is not a philosophy question. I am just sharing my story while hoping others will answer the question ‘Why do Men Fear Women?’ based on their own experiences. I have been working for quite some time in the Arab world, between Lebanon, Syria (before the war) and the United Arab Emirates. Different companies, different […]

Lebanese Architects which side you will be on?

Ongoing conflicts define the world society nowadays and refugee camps are growing in number, burdening hosting communities to handle the ever increasing number of asylums and continue to provide good management for the camps. Nonetheless, the real burden falls on the refugees themselves, as they face difficulties with safety, violence, aid distribution and violations of […]

Having a daughter is a blessing!

Women do pay a heavy price since the day they are born in Lebanon. The first words most family members said to my mother when they knew I was going to be born were: “A girl? Well… Maybe next time you will have a boy to ‘become her crown’ (yitawweja in Lebanese)…” Gender based discrimination […]

قطرات دماء تحدد مصير الحياة

في عالمنا العربي و في القرن الواحد و العشرون، مازال كثير من أهل الشرق يحصر الشرف في قطرات دماء تسقط يوم الزفاف بسبب فض غشاء البكارة. فالشرف ليس شي مادي، و ليس مقتصراً علي الجسد. الشرف يكمن في الأخلاق، يكمن في أحترام الأخر حتي و إن لم نتفق معه. و لماذا ينسب الشرف دائما للمرأة؟ ماذا […]