Mona Eltahawy, an Egyptian writer and feminist activist, boldly advocates for women and girls to embrace the 'seven necessary sins': anger, ambition, and power. She shares inspiring stories of women across the globe challenging patriarchal norms, from the rise of domestic violence during the pandemic to the provocative acts of figures like Alia El Mahdi. Eltahawy emphasizes the importance of men as allies in feminism and discusses the role of social media in empowering marginalized voices, pushing for transformative policies to uplift women's lives.
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insights INSIGHT
Patriarchy as an Octopus
Patriarchy, like an octopus, uses multiple oppressions (racism, misogyny, etc.) to maintain male dominance.
Both men and women can be harmed by or benefit from this system.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Personal Experience with Assault
Mona Eltahawy describes being sexually assaulted at 15 and 50.
At 50, she fought back, highlighting the shame from the first incident and the empowerment from the second.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Curriculum for Girls
Create a "Rage for Girls" curriculum.
Include feminist icons like Ursula K. Le Guin and June Jordan to inspire and empower girls.
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Mona Eltahawy's "The Seven Necessary Sins for Women and Girls" challenges traditional notions of femininity and societal expectations placed upon women. The book uses the framework of seven 'sins' – anger, ambition, profanity, violence, attention, lust, and power – to argue that these are not vices but essential virtues for women to embrace in their fight against patriarchy. Eltahawy encourages women to harness these qualities to dismantle oppressive systems and reclaim their agency. The book is a powerful call to action, urging women to embrace their full selves and fight for liberation. It's a blend of personal anecdotes, insightful analysis, and a passionate call for revolutionary change.
Be angry, ambitious, profane, violent, attention-seeking, lustful, and powerful. These are the “seven necessary sins” that Egyptian writer and activist Mona Eltahawy says women and girls are not supposed to commit – but absolutely should. Eltahawy advocates a muscular, out-loud approach to teaching women and girls to harness their power.
Eltahawy came to Intelligence Squared to tell the stories of activists and ordinary women around the world from countries including South Africa, China, Nigeria, India, Bosnia and Egypt who are fighting back against these taboos and tapping into their inner fury. Rather than teaching women and girls to survive the patriarchal system, they have found themselves in, Eltahawy uses these stories to show them how to dismantle it.
Buy the book with a special Intelligence Squared discount here: https://www.primrosehillbooks.com/product/the-seven-necessary-sins-for-women-and-girls-mona-eltahawy/
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