The idea of learning from the past so that mistakes are not repeated is one of the basic foundations for studying the past. But it should be remembered that each situation is different, no matter how close it resembles a past. The trick is to pick the correct lessons of the past and apply them to the […]
Tag Archives: Patriarchy
Relax… Don’t be afraid of Feminism(s)!
This is my answer to one ‘intellectual and highly educated person’ who expressed a while ago his ‘fear’ of Feminism in Lebanon and the Arab World: ‘you, Feminists, want women’s power over men. Men will not help you in your fight. Even most women in our countries, who are impregnated with the Patriarchal System, seem […]
Debating types of ‘Islamic dress’ (Hijab, Niqab, Burqa): Symbols of Freedom or Oppression?
Modern Islamic dress code has become a topic of much controversy and heated debate around the world. A number of countries have banned the wearing of these garments: hijab, which covers the woman’s body, leaving her face and hands visible; niqab, which covers everything except the eyes; and burqa, covering all parts of the face […]
Women, Sexuality and the Myth of the Virgin
As in most Arab societies, religion plays a fundamental role in the Lebanese society. Not only does it represent the base of the moral code but it also gives men of religion great power over the public opinion and allows them to practically dictate what the right and wrong ways to think and act are. […]
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 […]
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 […]
Sex Trafficking in Lebanon
Sex trafficking is considered to be part of human trafficking or modern-day slavery. Up to 27 million people are living in slavery around the world: women and men, girls and boys, and their stories remind us of the kind of inhumane treatment we are capable of as human beings. In 2012, Lebanon was among the […]
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 […]
Womanhood in Western Asia: A Journey to the Past
“In the nineteenth century, the central moral challenge was slavery. In the twentieth century, it was the battle against totalitarianism. We believe that in this century the paramount moral challenge will be the struggle for gender equality around the world” (Nicholas D. Kristof, in Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide). In […]