Mona Eltahawy Headscarves And Hymens Summary

Misogyny in the Middle East is still a problem in today’s society. Middle Eastern women want the right to live and be free but their political, social, and religious surroundings obstruct them from that right. In “Headscarves and Hymens: Why the Middle East Needs a Sexual Revolution” the Mona Eltahawy states that “We Arab women live in a culture that is fundamentally hostile to us, enforced by man’s contempt… We have no freedom because they hate us.” She explores on this statement by speaking about her own experiences in her native country, Arab, and also including other women’s experiences.
Although the world seems to be developing yearly in improving women's lives “the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has made the fewest reforms of any region”.“Eltahawy argued that in the Muslim world women are still treated like animals by men who disdain and fear them.” Furthermore, this proves women in the Middle East are fighting a battle that seems to be bigger than them. It is engraved in their minds from an early age that they are meant to be objectified, but as the world evolves slowly they began to realize they were being treated unequally. Eltahawy continues by stating in “Headscarves and Hymens” another woman's experience where her husband “solely focuses on his
These privileges include women having to be submissive and obey their husbands. If they did not follow their husband’s orders the husband is allowed to beat them. Moreover, as a wife the woman is always supposed to have the blessings of her husband to do anything. The police will forcibly return her back to her husband if she tries to leave. Consequently, she is seen as an outcast which means that no one will help or speak to her if the husband says not to. However, the husband also has the power to divorce her at any time without any eligible reasoning and this would also suspend the wife’s access to financial