In October 2017, Tarana Burke’s 2006 "me too" movement was revived by a simple tweet from actress Alyssa Milano. A year later, the hashtag had been tweeted over 19 million times by women around the world. There is no question that the #MeToo campaign mobilized and united women across the globe. Yet for Egyptian women, the battle against sexual harassment came way before the revival of #MeToo.... Continue Reading
Having faced unwanted advances on the streets of Cairo, Egyptians should hail Menna Gubran for fighting sexual harassment. Menna Gubran is an Egyptian woman who was waiting for a bus in a suburban Cairo street, when she noticed a man stalking her with his car. He drove around her bus stop several times, making her nervous, to the extent that she entered a nearby supermarket to escape. When... Continue Reading
The US is the greatest country in the world because of the millions of Americans, many of whom moved there from various “shitholes.” I confess. I come from a “shithole.” I come from a “shithole” country in North Africa, and I couldn’t be prouder. My “shithole” country is where I was born and raised. It is where I learned about family, love and compassion for others. My... Continue Reading
Donald Trump’s controversial immigration ban was intended to divide America. It achieved the opposite. “Make America Great Again.” That’s been President Donald Trump’s motto since he decided to run for office. But is there really a need to make America great again? As the Trump administration is getting ready to issue a new travel ban, one has to question whether this new... Continue Reading
Western media perpetuates a stereotype of veiled women largely based on sexist views, not on facts. One of the striking images of the 2016 Rio Olympics was that of a beach volleyball game, with bikini-clad German player Kira Walkenhorst on one side of the net and Egyptian player Doaa Elghobashy on the other side, wearing a full body suit and a hijab (headscarf). While many celebrated this... Continue Reading
