For my Global Feminisms course at BGSU!

1. Egypt
Carly Toepfer

2. History of Egyptian Women’s
Struggles
Much like in the U.S., women in Egypt have
been relegated to the house for much
of history. According to Janet H.
Johnson in her article Women's Legal
Rights in Ancient Egypt, “When women
married, they depended on their
husbands to make all decisions, while
the women themselves were depended
upon to carry out household chores.
Married Egyptian women were
expected by their husband’s families to
bear children, but particularly males.”

3. Female Royalty and Roles
• Cleopatra, Hatshepsut, and
Nefertiti (right) were
exceptions to the rule. They
wielded great power in their
country in Ancient Egypt.
• However, just because other
women were put in household
roles, this doesn't mean they
were viewed as inferior to
men. Johnson adds that in
some periods of time, women
were seen as superior to men,
but were generally seen as
equals.

5. Recent Regimes
• State Feminism – Rule of Gamal Abdul Nassar
(1956-1970)
• Economic Liberalization Plan – Anwar Sadat Regime
(1970-1981)
• Hosni Mubarak's Regime – (1981- February 2011)
• Current military Rule
(Hamet)

6. Current Struggles
• Women played a large role
in the 2011 revolution
• They currently struggle with
the military. The military has
done “virginity tests” on
female prisoners.
• They also beat female
protestors, dragged them by
their hair, and stomped on
them during the revolution.

7. A man holds a newspaper showing a woman
who was stripped and beaten during
protests(left), a tweet a year after virginity
tests. (Mackey)

8. Videos
• This video can't be • And another.
embedded! :( but Both are of
it's a good watch, protesting
so here's a link!
women!
• http://www.guardia • http://www.youtub
n.co.uk/world/vide e.com/watch?
o/2011/dec/20/egy feature=player_em
pt-women-protest- bedded&v=NcH2q
cairo-video el-b9k

9. Works Cited
Hatem, Mervat F. “Economic and Political Liberation in Egypt and the
Demise of State Feminism.” International Journal of Middle
East Studies. 24.2, May, 1992. 231-251. Web.
Johnson, Janet H. Women’s Legal Rights in Ancient Egypt. University
of Chicago. 2002. Web.
Mackey, Robert. “One Year Later, Egyptian Women Subjected to
‘Virginity Tests’ Await Justice.” The Lede. New York Times. 09
March 2012. 02 April 2012. Web.