Arabian Business magazine recently compiled a list of 100 Most Powerful Arab Women 2011, which placed me at 51 and a list of 500 Most Powerful Arabs in the World, which placed me at 124. It was interesting to compare the Arabic-language bio they’ve posted for me with their English-language one – quite different!

As the ban on niqab (face veil) went into effect in France, I debated the issue – with Sarah Joseph on CNN International’s Connect the World – with Sam Harris and Tariq Ramadan on BBC Newsnight here . – with Hebah Ahmed on CNN’s In the Arena

By Mona Eltahawy Toronto Star NEW YORK—As if further proof were needed of the intellectual as well as physical cave Al Qaeda inhabits, their new online magazine “Al Shamikha” (Majestic Woman) is the latest reminder. As women and men, passionate for freedom and dignity, fuel uprisings and revolutions that are sweeping across the Middle East [...]

It was a thrill to be featured on Jezebel which described me as “The Woman Who’s Explaining Egypt to the West”. Trying my best to amplify the voices and courage of Egypt’s uprising.

By Mona Eltahawy Dec. 10, 2010 I’m a Muslim. I’m a feminist. And I’m here to confuse you,” I told attendees at the TEDWomen conference, where I was a speaker, in Washington this week. The conversation on Muslim women usually revolves around our head scarves and our hymens — what’s on our heads (or not), [...]

By Mona Eltahawy The Jerusalem Report I was 23 years old and I was interviewing an Egyptian feminist who had just taken over as editor-in-chief of a women’s magazine of the cooking-and-fashion variety, which she had vowed to turn into the go-to magazine for women’s rights. I was excited to meet her because she was [...]

American-Muslim journalist Souheila Al Jadda and I discussed France’s ban on niqab on USA Today video.

I was on Russia Today’s “Crosstalk” to discuss bans on face veils with Myriam Francois-Cerrah, of the Oxford Islamic Society, and Sihem Habchi, president of Ni Putes Ni Soumises. Another Muslim woman (who works with the French businessman who has offered to set up a fund to pay fines incurred by women who wear niqab) [...]

I was on Boston’s NPR affiliate WBUR to discuss face veils with Heba Ahmed, an Egyptian-American woman who wears the niqab. We’re on at 5 – 20 mins.

Tariq Ramadan, Nigel Farrage and I discussed a ban on the niqab on BBC TV’s Newsnight.

By Mona Eltahawy Saturday, July 17, 2010; A13 The French parliament’s vote this week to ban full-length veils in public was the right move by the wrong group. Some have tried to present the ban as a matter of Islam vs. the West. It is not. First, Islam is not monolithic. It, like other major [...]

I was on Tuesday’s edition of the Dave Ross Show talking about France and the ban on face veils and on BBC Radio 4′s Moral Maze to discuss the same issue with the panel.

Broadsheet, the women’s issues blog on Salon, interviewed me about why I support a ban on the face veil.

Here’s my latest video essay for Time.com about a beauty queen, a comedian and media stereotypes.

Egyptian-born columnist and lecturer Mona Eltahawy argues in favour of the proposed French ban on the burka in public; actor and playwright Stephanie Street takes the opposite view The Observer, Sunday 21 March 2010 YES: Mona Eltahawy Egyptian-born columnist and lecturer on Arab and Muslim issues As a Muslim woman and as a feminist I [...]

In January, I gave a keynote lecture on how women in the Arab world use social media to express themselves. My talk opened the “Islam and the Media: Who Speaks for Islam?” conference at the University of Colorado at Boulder’s Center for Media, Religion and Culture.

In an online poll, Barbie fans voted what her new career should be. They chose: News Anchor – a wonderful coincidence because as you’ll see from my latest Time.com video essay, that’s exactly the kind of job I’ve had in mind for Barbie ever since an Italian designer added a burka to her wardrobe.

By Mona Eltahawy Metro Authenticity has never been Barbie the doll’s strong suit. It’s estimated that if she were life sized, she would tip over because of the size of her breasts. So I shouldn’t be surprised that as part of the 500 international outfits designed to mark Barbie’s 50th birthday — yes, she’s that [...]