NEWS FLASH: Women in Egypt Uprising

This news flash is in response to an NPR radio show aired on February 4, 2011. The recording and transcription are hosted here: http://www.npr.org/2011/02/04/133497422/Women-Play-Vital-Role-In-Egypts-Uprising

The uprising in Egypt has dominated our newspapers and pundit discussions for weeks now. Everyone is constantly discussing how the protests and the end of Hosni Mubarak’s term as President will affect the Egyptian people. Some are discussing how it will affect the West’s relations with Egypt and the Middle East. Others choose not to concern themselves with it at all. But National Public Radio recently aired a discussion that considered the Egyptian situation in a slightly different light. Recognizing the historically consistent trend of one liberation movement “piggy-backing” on the momentum of another, NPR asks what role women are playing in the uprising and how it may affect them after the dust settles. Even in Western nations Egypt is at the heart of a hot topic of discussion on women’s rights simply due to its location in the world and some cultural traditions. Considering how women are becoming active in this rebellion and how it might affect their futures provides an interesting case study on contemporary women’s activism and a fresh way to approach a story that has almost monopolized our media.

First, it must be acknowledged that most of these women have their hands in more than one social struggle at all times. The NPR interview focuses on the Egyptian youth, a demographic that is highly represented at the protests and in the uprising more generally. It is no different for women. Much like the identity struggles that Lorde discusses in her article, these women are constantly fighting a battle for the equal treatment of their sex, even as they seek recognition as a new political generation. The two efforts become inextricably linked, although they two do not always support one another.

NPR Correspondent Mona Eltahawy keeps her finger on the pulse of the women’s movement in Egypt by paying close attention to social media, a means of networking that has undoubtedly played a major role in building the momentum of the uprising. Eltahawy notes that female protesters are forced to discuss an issue that male protesters do not need to concern themselves with; sexual harassment towards women becomes an unfortunately common occurrence in these settings. This made me think about how applicable McIntosh’s argument is in this case; the men of this uprising have the privilege of not being distracted or discouraged by their sex when they feel strongly about politics. Women, however, may face more direct harassment or violence and a society that is generally less open to their opinions. As the demonstrations become more polarized and pro-Mubarak forces come into closer contact with the protesters, women have been encouraging each other via Twitter and other web updates to wear extra layers of clothing in case one gets torn off. The social media is littered with recommendations regarding how to tie head scarves so that they are secure and other suggestions to keep women safe and respected.

Eltahawy expresses that this type of communication and the high volumes of it that she has been exposed to is a bittersweet message. It means that women are definitely taking a role in these new politics, it means that they want to be heard, and it means that they will not give up easily. Unfortunately, it also means that abuse within this unstable environment is a very real threat to Egyptian women. Eltahawy explains that she personally encountered hostility and groping from officers at a similarly publicized event in 2005. She claims that she has always known Egyptian women to be eager participants in the political culture in Egypt, the social media and networking has allowed them to be more prepared for the sometimes hostile reception they meet.

Perhaps the most powerful evidence that this abuse has not deterred women is the video that arguably instigated the January 25^th protest. The YouTube clip (translated here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgjIgMdsEuk) shows a woman named Asmaa Mahfouz rallying support for the government protest at Tahrir Square. The fact that this major world event centers on an average female citizen’s YouTube video is remarkable in itself. The speech she delivers on camera offers an even more intriguing glimpse into the gender dynamics of the Egyptian uprising. At one point in the video she says, “Whoever says women shouldn’t go to protests because they will get beaten, let him have some honor and manhood and come with me on January 25.” Later, she repeats the sentiment by saying, “If you have honor and dignity as a man, come. Come and protect me and other girls in the protest.” These statements definitely carry the undertones that women typically hold a secondary status in the political realm; at the very least, Mahfouz is acknowledging that a woman’s presence at a protest is notably different than a man’s. But Mahfouz’s statements seem to acknowledge this only out of necessity; her words simultaneously empower women to make a difference while encouraging men to hold their social position of authority by exerting their own power at the protest. Considering that her goal is to rally support and maximize participation, this was probably a good strategy because her words do not ostracize anyone. It is very interesting, however, to consider how carefully Mahfouz had to word this very courageous video in order for it to be well received. Undoubtedly, if this inspirational speech were coming from a man it would sound very different, particularly in this cultural setting.

The big question (especially as Mubarak has stepped down since this interview aired on the radio) is how women will guide the shaping of a new government and how they will avoid replacing one oppressive regime with another. Eltahawy expresses extreme confidence that the government will not simply fall into the hands of another oppressor; she thinks that the Egyptian people have made a strong enough statement that the world knows they wont allow dictatorship. It seems logical that Egyptian women would be opposed to a candidate from the Muslim Brotherhood, but Eltahawy claims that there is a fair amount of support from men and women for the Brotherhood in Egypt. There have been no claims that the Muslim Brotherhood will enter presidential candidates or seek parliamentary majority, they claim that this uprising was a movement of the Egyptian people not their organization (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/12/world/middleeast/12egypt.html).

As a new government is formed, Eltahawy is confident in the Egyptian women and the country’s youth to speak out for justice. But I think that road is going to be difficult and particularly complicated for women. A new government does not guarantee a stop to the hardships women have endured for years in the Middle East. If Mahfouz’s video and women’s large-scale participation in this uprising show us anything, it is that women have a strong desire for change. Unfortunately, it has also been made clear that women must tread carefully in their quest for change and be aware of the dangers they may face as they confront well-established norms and expectations in their society, regardless of the ruling government.