نريد أسرة ديموقراطية لا سلطة مطلقة فيها لأى فرد الأب أو الأم أو غيرهما
Which means “We want a democratic family/country with no absolute power to a certain person be it the father or the mother!”
These words were in the opening words of a new Facebook page that is titled “Egyptian Women Union” and another one ; “Egypt’s Women Union – Germany” with the picture of Nawal El Saa’dawy on its main page.
So isn’t Nawal El Saa’dawy a person? Why is her picture identifying this union whatever it is? Is it El Saa’dawy’s union? So if I’m interested in such a union, I have to know that I am in Nawal El Saa’dawy’s one? If we need a real life symbol for such a union, we have the pictures of the hundreds and thousands of Egyptian women who have actually been participating in the revolution – Like the Revolution Women’s Coalition – or these “Women of Egypt” pictures, we have the pictures of the female revolutionary martyrs, we have so many figures. And the fact that some people look up to Nawal El Saa’dawy and they want her picture to represent what they are doing, the shouldn’t mention this “No absolute power” thing because I personally see it contradictory, especially when you check out the links in the page and you find out that the international image that whoever making the page is trying to build is that it is something that is closely related to El Saa’dawy.
What if I am an Egyptian woman who believe in each and every cause Egyptian women have been fighting for, and I would like to be part of such a union and help if I can, but I am not willing to be in anything that is related directly to Nawal El Saa’dawy? There’s a difference between working together despite our differences for the bigger cause because we both work for the bigger cause, and working for the bigger cause through and along with someone’s specific image!! Not to mention Saa’dawy’s image!!
I’m sorry Dr. Saa’dawy; you don’t and you shouldn’t own the Egyptian Women Union or any other way to unite Egyptian women under your name. This is not proper and I personally don’t accept it.
I just don’t get it and I don’t like it!
We have passed this time when only one person can own ideas, dreams, visions, not to mention, people, especially women. Egyptian women don’t need to be lead or guided in their own union. This is just a new form of patriarchy that I don’t accept!!
