Archive for the 'Islam' Category


Egypt’s “virginity Tests” on CNN

An Egyptian general speaking on condition of anonymity admitted to CNN that that female activists detained on March 9 had indeed been subjected to “virginity tests”, as the women have insisted all along. I talked about “virginity tests” and gender politics on two CNN shows below.  


These “virginity tests” will spark Egypt’s next revolution

By Mona Eltahawy The Guardian There’s a thin line between sex and politics, and it is nonsense to keep repeating the mantra that Egypt’s revolution "wasn’t about gender". What revolution worth its salt can be fuelled by demands of freedom and dignity and not have gender nestled in its beating heart – especially in a [...]


CNN and CBC on Bin Laden pictures

I was on “In the Arena” with Elliot Spitzer to talk about why Pres. Obama didn’t release pictures of a dead Osama Bin Laden. On CBC Connect I discussed reasons behind the frat-boy scenes of celebrations we’ve seen at Ground Zero.


No Dignity at Ground Zero

By Mona Eltahawy The Guardian May 3, 2011 I could hear the cheers as I got out of the taxi, two blocks away. I could hear them from right in front of Park 51, the site of a planned Islamic community centre and mosque that met ferocious opposition last year for being too close to [...]


Arabian Business’ Most Powerful Arab Women/Arabs in the World 2011

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!


Aspen Symposium on State of Race in America and Presenting Ridenhour Documentary Prize to “Budrus”

I spoke on a panel on media and popular culture along with Spike Lee, Donna Byrd and Will Griffin at the Aspen Institute’s Symposium on the State of Race in America (our panel starts at 1:21:00). It was a pleasure to introduce Ronit Avni of JustVision and to present her and the team behind “Budrus” [...]


France Niqab Ban on CNN and BBC Newsnight

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


Eman Al Obeidi and Sexual Violence vs Women

I was on CNN American Morning on Wednesday and Democracy Now! on Thursday morning to discuss the gang-rape of Eman Al Obeidi by Gaddafi troops. Other uses of sexual violence to silence and intimidate women came up, such as the Egyptian army’s forced virginity testing of female activists detained from Tahrir Square in March. Also [...]


Egypt’s Youth Stepping Up to the Challenge

I contributed the following to a NYTimes.com Room for Debate asking “Will Egypt’s Youth Movement Be Pushed Aside?”. The other contributors are here. Stepping Up to the Challenge By Mona Eltahawy March 25, 2011 Young people are already stepping up to the challenge of forming a viable coalition with new initiatives like the Youth Revolution [...]


Revolutionary Woman vs Burqa Woman

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 [...]


Egypt’s Revolution: PBs Frontline

I was on a PBS Frontline programme on Egypt’s Revolution and the role of the Muslim Brotherhood. Here’s the transcript of the full interview I gave Frontline in which I explain that the revolution gave the middle finger to many things. I was featured in this Newsweek piece on talking heads on Egypt.


CNN: Egypt, Women’s Rights, sexual assault/harassment

I spoke about the Egyptian revolution, women’s rights and sexual assault and harassment in Egypt with CNN American Morning’s Kiran Chetry.


Women’s Rights, Sexual Harassment and Egypt’s REvolution

I was on CTV and CBC Connect on Wednesday to talk about women’s rights, the sexual assault of Lara Logan and Egypt’s revolution.


Taking Egypt REvolution to Sunday News shows

CBS Sunday Morning broadcast my video essay on how Egypt’s revolution toppled both a dictator and stereotypes of Arabs I was part of a roundtable on Egypt along with Arianna Huffington, George Will and Robert Kagan on This Week with Christiane Amanpour. When was the last time you saw more women than men on a [...]


Real Time And Overtime With Bill Maher

I took Egypt’s revolution to Real Time With Bill Maher and continued the discussion on Overtime.


Feb. 3/4/5 Media: CNN, NPR, MSNBC, CBC

I was on CNN American Morning to discuss what the US could do in reaction to Egypt’s uprising. I explained Mubarak’s “parallel universe” also on CNN American Morning. On NPR’s Tell Me More, I highlighted the role of women in Egypt’s revolution On the Dylan Ratigan Show/MSNBC, we discussed the Day of Departure and would [...]


Featured on Jezebel

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.


CNN, Newsnight and NYTimes.com

I was on BBC Newsnight to stress that freedom and dignity must win out in the “stability vs democracy” debate as Egypt’s uprising unfolds. On CNN, I urged media to use “revolt” or “uprising” rather than “chaos” and “crisis” when framing events in Egypt and NYTimes.com The Lede picked up on it. And on CNN [...]


Smashing Fear in Egypt

My latest column for the Toronto Star examines how Tunisia’s revolution helped smash fear of the dictator in Egypt, set to the beat of Seven Nation Army!http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/article/930165–smashing-through-fear-in-egypt [tweetmeme only_single="false"]


Tunisia’s Uprising and the Arab World

I was on PBS Newshour on Monday along with Shibley Telhami to talk about the Tunisian revolution. On Tuesday, I discussed Tunisia To the Point with Warren Olney, which is broadcast on NPR stations, along with David Kirkpatrick, Rami Khouri and Juan Cole. [tweetmeme only_single="false"]