Jezebel: Egypt

Egypt Reduces Charges Against Doctor Who Performed Virginity Tests

Margaret Hartmann — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 23:09:01 EST

Last week Egypt banned the use of so-called "virginity tests" in military prisons, but it isn't exactly cracking down on those who are accused of performing them. In fact, the charges against Dr. Ahmed Adil al-Mogy, a military doctor accused of performing the tests on female detainees, have been reduced from serious sexual assault to public indecency and not following orders. Since forcing women to submit to a vaginal exam only constitutes "indecency," not "assault" the doctor may only be fined $50 or sentenced to less than a year in prison. More »

Egyptian Court Wisely Bans Military's Use Of Virginity Tests

Cassie Murdoch — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 12:05:00 EST

Finally a bit of positive news on the treatment of women protesters in Egypt: today a court issued an order banning those awful virginity tests that were being performed on female detainees after the March 9th protests in Cairo's Tahrir Square. More »

Alicia Keys Gives The Knicks Some Christmas Cheers

Cassie Murdoch — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 11:45:00 EST

NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 25: Musician Alicia Keys, Producer Swizz Beatz, and Egypt (son of Keys) pose for a picture during the game between the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on December 25, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Christopher Pasatieri/Getty Images) More »

Egyptian Government Issues Apology, Will Likely Continue Treating Women Like Garbage

Erin Gloria Ryan — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:30:00 EST

In response to international outcry over a photo of a female protester getting her clothing ripped off as she was dragged through the streets of Cairo, the Egyptian government has finally dropped the "they were provoking us!" act an issued an apology. The military junta in charge of the government has vowed to root out those responsible for all the lady assault and punish them. Self-regulation of a borderline totalitarian regime is a great call. That always leads to justice! More »

Egyptian Women March Against Violence Government Claims Isn't Really Happening

Erin Gloria Ryan — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:50:00 EST

This weekend, a picture of a female Tahrir Square protester having her clothes torn off while a soldier prepared to kick her renewed global concern that perhaps the new government of Egypt isn't being quite so awesome to the ladies. Today, thousands of Egyptian women took to the streets of Cairo to protest the ruling military government's rampant fuckery. And the government? They're denying that what's depicted in the now-infamous photograph is violence; according to them, it's apt response to provocation. In other words, the protesters are forcing them to tear unarmed women's clothes off. Seems legit. More »

Egypt's Military Carries Out Violent Attacks On Women Protesters

Cassie Murdoch — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 13:05:00 EST

Egypt's military rulers continue carry out a brutal crackdown on protesters in Cairo. Fighting has been ongoing for the last several days, and more than 300 people have been injured and at least nine people have been killed. In a shocking scene yesterday, troops viciously attacked a crowd of protesters—in one case (seen in the video below) dragging a woman's body though the street and pulling off her shirt and hijab, leaving her bra and bare torso exposed. More »

Seven Things You Should Know About Egypt's Elections

Erin Gloria Ryan — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 19:00:00 EST

Today, Egyptians are heading to the polls to cast their ballots in the first stage of the first truly free parliamentary elections in the country since Hosni Mubarak seized power in 1981. Enthusiasm is tempered by suspicion, and security is tight. But what in the world is going on? More »

Assaulted Journalist Says Average Egyptians Get Much Worse Treatment

Anna North — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST

In an interview with CNN yesterday, journalist Mona Eltahawy discussed her assault by Egyptian riot police, who broke her arm and hand and groped her repeatedly: More »

Writer/Activist Mona Eltahawy Arrested, Beaten, Sexually Assaulted By Police In Cairo

Dodai Stewart — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 09:15:00 EST

Mona Eltahawy — New York-based blogger, feminist activist, award-winning columnist and public speaker on Arab and Muslim issues — was arrested yesterday in Cairo. She'd traveled to Egypt a couple of days ago to report on the protests in Tahrir Square; after she was arrested, the State Department expressed concern. Eltahawy is a US citizen, and to some extent, there was a sense of relief when she tweeted, "I AM FREE" early this morning. But the tweets that followed were sad and disturbing: More »

Egyptian Feminist Creates Firestorm By Posting Nude Photos Online

Margaret Hartmann — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 22:25:00 EST

20-year-old college student Aliaa Magda Elmahdy has sparked outrage in Egypt by posting naked photos of herself to her blog as a protest against the country's conservative culture. She says she's upholding the spirit of the revolution, but in addition to conservative Islamists, she's angered liberals who believe the scandal will hurt them during the country's parliamentary election next week, the first since President Hosni Mubarak was ousted. More »

Woman Sues Egyptian Military For Administering 'Virginity Tests'

Margaret Hartmann — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 23:51:00 EDT

Even after Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak stepped down, there were reports of at least 18 female protesters being subjected to so-called "virginity tests" by military authorities. One official explained that they had to make sure the women had already had sex, because otherwise they could have accused the officers of sexual assault (according to his twisted logic, only virgins can be raped). Now one of the victims is suing the military for sexually assaulting her, in the hope that she can prevent other women from being subjected to these "tests," which Amnesty International classify as torture. More »

This Woman Is Running For President Of Egypt

Irin Carmon — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 11:10:12 EDT

They call her "the woman who is like a hundred men." She calls herself "a girl of the revolution." And now newscaster turned activist Bothaina Kamel is running for president, the first woman to do so in the country's history. More »

Egyptian General Admits To Virginity Tests

Irin Carmon — Tue, 31 May 2011 15:20:00 EDT

For the first time, a military official has admitted that detained female protests in Tahrir Square were subjected to spurious, invasive "virginity tests." His comments to CNN don't exactly constitute an apology. More »

Mubarak's Wife Detained

Irin Carmon — Fri, 13 May 2011 12:35:00 EDT

Egyptian authorities have been questioning former president Hosni Mubarak and his wife Suzanne about the massive wealth they accumulated when he was in office. Prosecutors ordered Suzanne, 70, into custody for 15 days. Hosni Mubarak is in the hospital. More »

Lara Logan Breaks Ground With Graphic Description Of Her Rape, Injuries

Anna North — Mon, 02 May 2011 11:08:00 EDT

In a strikingly candid interview on 60 Minutes, Lara Logan described in detail the sexual assault she suffered in Egypt, and directly addressed those who say women shouldn't report from war zones. More »

Lara Logan Speaks Out About Sexual Assault In Egypt

Anna North — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 16:45:00 EDT

Journalist Lara Logan has begun giving interviews offering details of her sexual assault in Egypt's Tahrir Square — and yes, she does call it rape. More »

"Virginity Tests" Forced On Egyptian Women Protesters

Irin Carmon — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 10:10:04 EDT

Amnesty International is condemning the treatment of at least 18 women protesters, who as late as March 9 — a month after Mubarak stepped down — were beaten, tortured, and strip-searched. They were also examined for their "virginity" and told that if they didn't "pass," they'd be charged as prostitutes. More »

Egyptian Women Protest, Are Groped And Beaten For It

Irin Carmon — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 16:14:56 EST

"Mubarak is gone. Misogyny might be a tougher foe," concludes Jenna Krajeski in a New Yorker account of yesterday's march of women in Tahrir Square, which did not go as planned. More »

What Do The Revolutions Mean For Women?

Irin Carmon — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 16:25:28 EST

Qaddafi's public rambling today has told us nothing about what will happen in Libya, nor whether the bloody reprisals against protesters will end. But as the dust settles on Tunisia and Egypt's unusually peaceful revolutions, women inside and outside of those countries are asking what's next for them. More »

Lara Logan Recovers From Assault Amid Confusion, Calls For Justice

Anna North — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 09:45:00 EST

CBS reporter and sexual assault survivor Lara Logan is now recovering at home, and she could be back at work in a few weeks. Meanwhile, President Obama is demanding justice for her attackers — and CNN has made a strange decision in its coverage. More »

After Lara Logan's Sexual Assault, Media Helpfully Discuss Her Hotness

Anna North — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 09:45:00 EST

Now that CBS has made public Lara Logan's sexual assault in Egypt, other media outlets are clamoring to respond — in the most offensive way possible. Please, let's talk about Logan's looks and sex life! More »

CBS Reporter Lara Logan Sexually Assaulted In Egypt

Anna North — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 16:43:00 EST

As Egypt celebrated Hosni Mubarak's departure Friday , a journalist became a target: CBS reporter Lara Logan was brutally beaten and sexually assaulted. More »

The Extraordinary Women Of Egypt

Sadie Stein — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 13:41:00 EST

Protesters Take To Streets of Algiers

Erin Gloria Ryan — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 13:50:00 EST

Algerian demonstrators filled a central square in Algiers today, demanding their President step down as the Presidents of Egypt and Tunisia have done. While the protest fizzled by mid-afternoon, organizers declared the outing a success and predict that what happened elsewhere in North Africa will likewise happen in Algeria. More »

The Power Of Women In Tahrir Square

Jessica Coen — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 09:45:00 EST

"It's incredible. We're seeing women being treated as citizens. We are thinking of issuing a statement, as women, asking to end this gender predicament once and for all." More »

Developing: The Majority of the Ruling Party in Egypt Has Resigned

Erin Gloria Ryan — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 16:00:00 EST

This includes President Hosni Mubarak's son, but not the embattled Egyptian President himself, although he's quit as head of the ruling party. In the meantime, our thoughts (along with this young British protester) are with the people of Egypt. More »

Creative Backlash Against Kenneth Cole's Idiotic Egypt Tweets

Margaret Hartmann — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 17:40:00 EST

Kenneth Cole deleted his infamous Egypt joke from Twitter and released a second apology, but the world hasn't finished berating him. The Tweet has been emblazoned on a San Francisco store window — protest as street art (or vice-versa?). More »

Kenneth Cole Uses Egypt Crisis As Opportunity To Plug New Line

Margaret Hartmann — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 15:14:00 EST

After this provoked outrage, he added, "we weren't intending to make light of a serious situation. We understand the sensitivity of this historic moment." Don't worry KC! We totally got that from your jokey reference to people dying in Cairo. More »

Women On Egypt's Streets, While An Eight-Year-Old Explains It All

Irin Carmon — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 10:26:46 EST

Organizers estimate that more women have been turning out to protest in Egypt than in past actions. And women are also prominent at the movement's fore. Meanwhile, an eight-year-old girl in Saudi Arabia breaks it down for Mubarak. More »

The Woman Who's Explaining Egypt To The West

Irin Carmon — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 13:30:37 EST

As the world struggles to understand the events and implications of civil unrest in Egypt, one person has emerged as a major authority in Western media: Mona Eltahawy. Let's find out more about her. More »

Sarah Palin Is Just Glad We Can't Blame Her For Egypt

Anna North — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 09:36:00 EST

It's no surprise that Sarah Palin is a fan of February's media boycott of her activities (she's never been a fan of the media in the first place). What's surprising is why. More »

Middle Eastern Promises

Erin Gloria Ryan — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 15:30:00 EST

Cairo, Jan 30: Three women gesture for victory as they attend a demonstration. Minutes before the start of a 4 p.m. curfew, at least two jets appeared and made multiple passes over downtown. (Image via AP)

Tank Girl

Erin Gloria Ryan — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 12:35:00 EST

Cairo, Jan 30: An Egyptian soldier gestures as a child walks on top of an army tank in Tahrir Square in Cairo.

Hillary Clinton Desperate for Egyptian Democracy, Grandchildren

Erin Gloria Ryan — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 12:15:00 EST

In a juxtaposition that exemplifies how fucking annoying coverage of women in politics can be, news stories today report that our Secretary of State is trying to do her job. Meanwhile, she wants grandbabies. More »

Pioneering Photographer's Work Discovered By Lucky Auction-Goer

Jenna Sauers — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 18:30:00 EST

What we know of the story of Vivian Maier's life and work, and of how 30,000 of her negatives came to be acquired at a Chicago estate auction by a 26-year-old real estate agent and amateur historian, is breathtaking. More »

New Cleopatra Biography Promises to Shed New Light On The Powerful Queen

Erin Gloria Ryan — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 17:26:00 EST

Another book about Cleopatra is comin' atcha this holiday season. I get that Cleopatra was interesting and triple extra sexy and all that, but I wish there was more out there about the real Egyptian Queen of Badassery, Hatshepsut. More »

Nefertiti Had "Ancient Equivalent Of Photoshop Airbrushing"

Jessica Coen — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 10:00:00 EDT

Scholars have determined that the famous bust of Nefertiti was given a facelift of sorts: another statue of Nefertiti, with a bent nose and wrinkles, was found inside the bust. See? The real woman was within. Very clever indeed, Egypt. More »

Pyramid Scheme

Anna Holmes — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 13:10:00 EDT

[El Giza, Egypt; June 3. Image via AP]

The Golden Age

Anna Holmes — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 17:10:00 EDT

[New York, April 21. Image via Getty]

Overcoming The Belief That "A Boy Is Worth 15 Girls At Least"

Irin Carmon — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 15:20:00 EDT

"Because of [your books] I wanted to marry not a slave, but a free woman," one Cairo man told Nawal El Saadawi, 79. Read about the writer, psychiatrist, and outspoken critic of (and survivor of) female genital mutilation here. [Guardian] More »