Headscarves and Hymens: Why the Middle East Needs a Sexual Revolution

by Mona Eltahawy

The journalist Mona Eltahawy is no stranger to controversy. Through her articles and actions she has fought for the autonomy, security, and dignity of Muslim women, drawing vocal supporters and detractors. Now, in her first book, Headscarves and Hymens, Eltahawy has prepared a definitive condemnation of the repressive forces-political, cultural, and religious-that reduce millions of women to second-class citizens.
Drawing on her years as a campaigner for and commentator on women's issues in the Middle East, she explains that since the Arab Spring began in 2010, women in the Arab world have had two revolutions to undertake: one fought alongside men against oppressive regimes, and another fought against an entire political and economic system that represses women in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Libya, Yemen, and other nations.
Eltahawy has traveled across the Middle East and North Africa, meeting with women and listening to their stories. Her book is a plea for outrage and action, confronting a "toxic mix of culture and religion that few seem willing or able to disentangle lest they blaspheme or offend." A manifesto motivated by hope and fury in equal measure, Headscarves and Hymens is as illuminating as it is incendiary.

• ISBN10: 0865478031
• ISBN13: 9780865478039
• Publish Date: 21 April 2015
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: North Point Press
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 256
• Language: English

Reviews

[Heather]

If you are reasonably well informed about the struggles of women in Islamic countries, nothing in this book is going to come as a shock. That’s a shame. It would be nice to be surprised to hear that women can’t drive or go out without a male relative to play sports. I didn’t know that Saudi Arabia had been forced to allow female athletes to participate in the Olympics by the International Olympic Committee. I also did not know that Saudi clerics started publicly calling these athletes whores and used the hashtag #prostitutesoftheOlympics. I wasn’t surprised though and that is sad. Even though incidents like this aren’t surprising it is important to read about them to be reminded of what is happening.

Rest of review at http://www.spiritblog.net/?p=9030