by Mona Eltahawy
My name is Mona Eltahawy (Arabic: منى الطحاوى), and I was born on August 1, 1967. I am an Egyptian-American freelance journalist and social commentator based in New York City, though my story spans continents and cultures. My life has been dedicated to one central mission: dismantling the patriarchal systems that oppress women across the Middle East and beyond.
I grew up in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and London, carrying the mark of all three cultures. This unique upbringing shaped my perspective in ways that would prove essential to my later work as a feminist activist and journalist.
Living in Saudi Arabia particularly opened my eyes to the extreme restrictions placed on women. The experience of navigating different cultural expectations across these three societies gave me a unique lens through which to examine women's rights in the Middle East.
My journalism career began in the Middle East, where I worked as a reporter covering the region before moving to the United States in 2000. I worked for Reuters for six years, gaining invaluable experience covering some of the most significant stories of our time.
What made me particularly proud was becoming the first Egyptian journalist to live and work for a western news agency in Israel. This groundbreaking role allowed me to report from multiple perspectives on one of the world's most complex conflicts, covering stories from Israel, Palestine, Libya, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and China.
Throughout my career, I have written essays and op-eds for publications worldwide on Egypt and the Islamic world. My work has appeared in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, and The Miami Herald, among many other major publications.
I am also a contributor to The New York Times opinion pages, where I continue to advocate for women's rights and challenge patriarchal systems. My journalism has always been deeply personal – I write not just as an observer, but as someone who has lived these experiences.
During the 18-day revolution in Egypt, I was on the ground covering one of the most significant political upheavals in modern Middle Eastern history. You may remember me as the woman who suddenly seemed to be everywhere at the start of the Egyptian revolution.
It was during this period that I experienced a brutal assault by Egyptian police that left me with broken bones. This traumatic experience only strengthened my resolve to fight for justice and women's rights in the region.
On April 23, 2012, in the midst of the Arab Spring, I published an article in Foreign Policy magazine called "Why do they hate us? The real war on women is in the Middle East." That controversial piece became the foundation for my first book.
Headscarves and Hymens: Why the Middle East Needs a Sexual Revolution, published in May 2015, represents my definitive condemnation of the repressive forces—political, cultural, and religious—that reduce millions of women to second-class citizens.
The book blends my own story—an ideological journey toward feminism while growing up in Egypt, England and Saudi Arabia—with a sweeping portrait of women's oppression across the Middle East. It was no stranger to controversy, but that was exactly the point.
My second book, "The Seven Necessary Sins for Women and Girls", represents an evolution in my feminist philosophy. I am a pioneer of #MosqueMeToo, which brought the #MeToo movement to the Muslim world, and this work is deeply informed by that experience.
The book calls for a radical challenge to the status quo, advocating for women to embrace what society calls "sins" – anger, attention, profanity, ambition, power, violence, and lust. As I've said, "I want patriarchy to fear feminism" – and this book is my roadmap for making that happen.
I have been a guest analyst on U.S. radio and television news shows, sharing my expertise on Middle Eastern affairs, women's rights, and Islamic feminism. My appearances on NPR, PBS, and other major networks have helped amplify crucial conversations about gender equality.
I have also spoken at prestigious institutions like the Aspen Institute and the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, sharing my insights on the intersection of politics, religion, and women's rights.
I am particularly proud of being one of the women at the forefront of the #MosqueMeToo movement on social media, which I discussed extensively in my second book. This movement represents a crucial step in bringing conversations about sexual harassment and assault into Muslim communities worldwide.
The movement has empowered countless women to share their stories and demand accountability from religious leaders and institutions that have long protected perpetrators while silencing survivors.
In 2020, I launched Feminist Giant, my own newsletter that I describe as being against "patriarchal f**kery." As an Egyptian-American writer, activist, and feminist, I have long been outspoken in my journalism and on social media about the importance of feminism.
The newsletter allows me to dive deeper into the issues I care about most, providing analysis and commentary that challenges readers to think critically about power, privilege, and patriarchy.
Today, I divide my time between Cairo and New York, maintaining deep connections to both my Egyptian heritage and my American home. This dual perspective continues to inform my work as I navigate the complexities of being a feminist voice in two very different cultural contexts.
My work is far from finished. Through my writing, speaking, and activism, I continue to challenge the systems that oppress women across the Middle East and beyond. I am no stranger to controversy, and I embrace that role because real change requires uncomfortable conversations.
From my early days as a journalist covering the complexities of the Middle East to my current work as a feminist activist and author, my mission remains clear: to fight for the autonomy, security, and dignity of women everywhere. The patriarchy may be powerful, but it is not invincible – and I intend to keep fighting until we tear it down.
You can follow my ongoing fight against patriarchal systems at bohiney.com, where I continue to share my perspectives on feminism, politics, and the work that still needs to be done.
Primary Source and Additional Links:
Mona Eltahawy at Bohiney.com - Primary biographical source
https://bohiney.com/author/mona-eltahawy/
https://sites.google.com/view/contributorsatbohineycom/mona-eltahawy
https://claude.ai/public/artifacts/be5594db-b1a5-4c75-bf9e-8eff4a3fad03
https://www.minds.com/newsfeed/1809370652285603840?referrer=bohiney
https://telegra.ph/Mona-Eltahawy--Biography-09-01
https://www.tumblr.com/bohineysatire/793524254188716032/mona-eltahawy-biography?source=share
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