Miserable, unsatisfied, ill-disciplined, demanding, despotic and useless… Rude to their parents and other adults, acting bossy and refusing to share with other children, prone to excessive self-absorption, lack of self-control, anxiety and depression… Yet they get extravagant birthdays, Prada purses, Tiffany jewelry, designer clothes, etc. I am certain of the fact that many mothers – […]
Tag Archives: Middle East
Women Ordination in Catholic and Orthodox Churches: Lebanese perspectives… Censored!
I was interviewed by OTV (one of the local TV channels in Lebanon) on the highly sensitive subject of women ordination. The priest who was invited too clearly expressed his opposition to women being ordained in orthodox and catholic churches. I presented the Sciences of Religions’ perspective, I talked about women pastors and bishops in […]
Woman’s ultimate hurdle to guilt-free choice… Her own kind?
Growing up in the late seventies, in the Middle East, I have witnessed the rise of successful career women who held important positions in political, social and educational institutions. They argued their way through, were respected, and made sure that things got done. These women, who were educated or not, had achieved numerous successes in […]
هل يمكن أن نتكلم عن "ربيع" المرأة في العالم العربي؟
كثر الكلام عن الخطر الذي يكمن في إستيلاء الجماعات الإسلامية المتطرفة على إدارة المجتمعات والسياسات الوطنية، ولكن تهب رياح التغيير في العالم العربي – من المطالبة بالحريات والحقوق الإنسانية والإطاحة بالإستبداد السياسي ومعها حركات جديدة تطالب بحقوق المرأة؛ حركات متنوعة في المنهجية المعتمدة والخطاب النسوي و الآراء والممارسات، منها تعبر عن غضبها وترصد الإنتهاكات للحقوق، […]
Feminist and Peace Activist
A student of mine, studying Theology, future clerk, asked me a while ago: ‘‘Why, a woman ‘like you’ (describing me as ‘young trendy secular woman’), not attached to any religious function, is interested in religions, cultures, philosophy, politics, etc. in a country like Lebanon where the production of knowledge – if it exists – on […]
I am a Heel Wearer and my Footwear is Feminist !!
One of the questions many women ask me when they look at me or when they read ‘Red Lips High Heels’ is: how can you say you are feminist when you wear red lipstick and high heels? Strange how I have to defend my feminism within a movement fighting for women’s rights. True we do […]
Who’s afraid of Aliaa el Mahdy?
October 2011: a young nineteen-year-old Egyptian woman blogs a naked picture of herself. What could have been but a mundane act in the west was about to stir a passionate debate around feminism religion and nudity in the Arab world. Two years later, after having been harassed, threatened and kidnapped in her home country, Aliaa […]
Presumed Incompetent! It can be tiring being a Woman in Academia!
This is one of the latest books I have been reading: Presumed Incompetent. The Intersections of Race and Class for Women in Academia (Edited by Gabriella Gutiérrez y Muhs, Yolanda Flores Niemann, Carmen G. González, Angela P. Harris). Highly interesting work, especially for my case as a university professor having to deal with sexism while […]
Women in the Middle East/ Western Asia: the Fight for Equality Continues!
I have been following closely the diverse campaigns on Facebook and other online platforms such as the “Uprising of Women in the Arab World”. Somehow, most testimonies reflect my concerns. As a Western Asian woman, but also as a university professor, researcher, author, artist and activist, in one of the most Patriarchal institutions i.e. the […]
Do Women have a Fragile Sense of Self-esteem?
I was captivated by your quote Dr. Pamela Chrabieh on Red Lips High Heels’ Facebook Page concerning the fragility versus antifragility dynamics, and their relation to gender issues. I strongly believe that both man and woman can be fragile and antifragile, depending on every situation and their environment and the support they get, and their […]