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

I think it's hilarious that the first book I read this year is called Headscarves and Hymens. I got this book at Brooklyn Book Fest last year and have been itching to get into yet. As with all the other books I have, the moment to read it didn't come up until now. I've been in a "let's analyze mankind and all his faults" kind of mood. And yes, all of HIS faults.

Mona Eltahawy is an Egyptian-American journalist who writes and speaks about Arab and Muslim issues. Her book is about the need for a sexual revolution in the Middle East. Each chapter is a different essay on a different topic with the central theme of gender equality. In this book, she talks about how the female body is an object that women have no equity in. The chapters touch on things like why women are feared (leading to their oppression), the value of virginity, cultural "norms" that center on the ownership of women's bodies, and eventually we get to how Western societies enable this oppression.

via GIPHY

I will be honest, I haven't actually read many books about women's rights/gender equality in the Arab world. I've read things like We Should All Be Feminists and Bad Feminist, but nothing specific to a geographic region. This book is particularly important to me because I am Muslim. I love my religion but am always saddened by how it's taken out of context in order to oppress my gender. Eltahawy details how religious verses/texts are interpreted in a way that leads to the oppression of women (i.e. women must wear hijab around men who are not relatives) when in fact these texts can be interpreted in many ways.

The most impactful takeaway I have from this book is that women are so powerful we are feared and that is why our gender is oppressed globally. Another big takeaway for me from this book is that no matter who is in charge, whether it be progressive or conservative regimes, somehow women are still pushed down and seen as commodities. A sexual revolution is necessary in order for women to reclaim their power and for us to achieve equality.

“The most subversive thing a woman can do is talk about her life as if it really matters. It does.” - Mona Eltahawy, Headscarves and Hymens