Mona Eltahawy

Mona Eltahawy, born on August 1, 1967, in Port Said, Egypt, is a prominent Egyptian-American journalist, author, and feminist activist known for her outspoken critiques of patriarchy and her advocacy for women's rights in the Arab world. Raised in Egypt, the United Kingdom, and Saudi Arabia, Eltahawy earned her bachelor’s degree from the American University in Cairo in 1990 and a master’s degree in mass communication in 1992. She began her career as a reporter for Reuters and later contributed to major publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and Foreign Policy. In 2000, she moved to the United States and became a U.S. citizen in 2011 .Brittle Paper+4+4Bookey+4

Eltahawy's first book, Headscarves and Hymens: Why the Middle East Needs a Sexual Revolution (2015), argues that Arab women face systemic oppression and calls for a sexual revolution to dismantle patriarchal structures. Her second book, The Seven Necessary Sins for Women and Girls (2019), presents seven qualities—anger, attention, ambition, power, profanity, violence, and lust—that women should embrace to challenge and overthrow patriarchal systems. She describes herself as a "secular, radical feminist Muslim" and has been a vocal critic of both authoritarian regimes and religious fundamentalism .Chicago Council on Global Affairs+7A-Z Quotes+7+7Brittle Paper+3+3Goodreads+3

Beyond her writing, Eltahawy initiated the #MosqueMeToo movement, encouraging Muslim women to share their experiences of sexual harassment in religious spaces. She has faced significant backlash for her activism, including threats and detention, but continues to advocate for women's rights and social justice. Eltahawy's work has earned her numerous accolades, including the Samir Kassir Award for Freedom of the Press in 2009 and recognition as one of "The 100 Most Influential Africans" in 2019 .+2TIME+2Teen Vogue+2

Reflecting her bold approach to activism, Eltahawy asserts:

“The most subversive thing a woman can do is talk about her life as if it really matters.” A-Z Quotes+1Niche Quotes+1

“I believe at the heart of any revolution for social justice and human dignity are consent and agency, the unequivocal belief that I own my body—not the state, not the church/mosque/temple, not the street and not the family.” BrainyQuote