How married/divorced women are usually perceived!

The way society views married women is a shock to me. But then again, why should it surprise me? This society has no respect for anything, no respect for anything at all. Yes, I’ve been told on many occasions that there aren’t a lot of men who think like I do. Yes, Ia��m becoming more […]

I woke up a Girl!

Today I woke up a Girl, I began my daily routine as usual; I cleaned up, brushed my teeth, combed my hair, I got dressed, and drove to the Campus. On my way there, a billboard on domestic violence caught my attention. Will a paper, or a law, solve the sexual discrimination issues? Well at […]

ترتفع صيحتي

ترتفع صيحتي كلما أسمع شخصاً يقول لي: المرأة ملك الرجل! المرأة زينة الرجل! المرأة جزمة تغيرها كلما تشاء! خلق الله المرأة لتخدم الرجل. ترتفع صيحتي بشدة عندما أسمع إمرأة تنادي بأهمية وأحقية الرجل في إمتلاك المرأة بينما المرأة لا تملك زوجها لأن السيد يملك العبد لكن العبد لا يملك سيده. ترتفع صيحتي في مواجهة فكر […]

Hymen Talk

In comparison to neighboring Middle-Eastern countries, Lebanon is often regarded as a haven for moral and sexual liberty. The bubbly, alcohol-soaked nightlife and its inevitable share of wild, uninhibited party girls are endlessly flaunted through the Facebook posts of proud Lebanese and praised by astonished foreigners who have had their preconceptions of the Arab world […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]