Egyptian ladies are typically subjected to a variety of stereotypes. From the’silly veiled feminine’ that is portrayed as an oppressed survivor in need of a christ, to the notion that women who wear hijabs are unable to consider for themselves or do not have any ambition. These preconceptions are dangerous in their portrayal of a culture, but also in the means that they deny the trailblazing work of women responsibility types across the place. Whether it is the first female governor of a town in Iraq or the many Arab female politicians, these women are a clear concern to the tale that has been created that says Egyptian women arab women for marriage are impotent and may take charge of their own lives.
Research conducted by George Gerbner, parents of Cultivation Theory, shows https://source.wustl.edu/2006/02/investors-dont-trust-women-wustl-study-finds/ that bad preconceptions are cultivated through repeated press representations. This is particularly true when it comes to the Arab media. During the coronavirus pandemic in 2019 for example, a large percentage of jokes circulated on social media sites reflected negatively about arab women. The’silly veiled female ‘ image was the most prominent one. Other negative images included women being illiterate, limited in intellectual capability, immoral, materialistic or opportunistic.
Dr Balaa highlights the importance of countering these stereotypes with positive portrayals of Arab women and how these are achieved in literature. She uses the example of Firdaus in Saadawi’s novel The Book of life where she is able to rebel against her rapist and show ‘ a different type of femininity.’ This is important as it illustrates that women can face multiple forms of oppression at the same time that are not solely related to their religion or their ethnicity as Arabs.
