Headscarves and Hymens by Mona Eltahawy Summary
Overview of Headscarves and Hymens
Mona Eltahawy's explosive manifesto exposes the toxic mix of culture and religion oppressing Middle Eastern women. With shocking statistics - 90% of married Egyptian women undergo genital mutilation - this fearless call for a sexual revolution sparked the viral #MosqueMeToo movement. What freedom awaits when veils drop?
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Key takeaways
When Fifteen Girls Burned Because Their Headscarves Weren't Perfect
Fifteen schoolgirls died in a fire in Saudi Arabia in 2002. They didn't die because the flames were unstoppable or because the building had no exits. They died because religious police blocked their escape-the girls weren't wearing proper headscarves and abayas. Firefighters stood helpless as morality enforcers declared it "sinful" to let improperly dressed girls leave a burning building. Fifty-two more were injured. This wasn't an accident or a tragedy-it was murder by modesty culture, where a girl's headscarf matters more than her life. This incident crystallizes the brutal reality facing women across the Middle East and North Africa: your body isn't yours. It belongs to your family's honor, your community's traditions, your government's laws, and clerics' interpretations of scripture. Nearly a century after Egyptian feminist Huda Shaarawi removed her face veil at Cairo's train station to applause in 1923, women's bodies remain battlefields where tradition wages war against liberation. The Arab Spring toppled dictators, but the harder revolution-against the misogyny embedded in homes, streets, and institutions-continues to rage. Growing up means learning that your culture fundamentally despises you. This isn't hyperbole-it's daily reality.
The Hatred We're Taught and the Violence That Follows
The Headscarf Paradox and the Ideology of Erasure
The Hymen Worth More Than Life and the Violence of Tradition
Home: Where Danger Lives and Religion Justifies Control
The Revolution That Starts with "No" and the Power of Mobility
Reclaiming Desire, Reclaiming Ourselves, Reclaiming Revolution
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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