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Arabisc: Egyptian Women a Cut Above the Rest

Categories: Middle East & North Africa, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Economics & Business, Human Rights, Law, Media & Journalism, Women & Gender, Youth

Dr Hala Sarhan

Prostitution, female circumcision [1] and lesbianism aren't vices restricted to Egyptian woman [2], says Egyptian blogger Tamr Heneh, in an open letter to Egyptian talk show hostess Dr Hala Sarhan [3].

According to the blogger, the Arab world has much more problems which Dr Sarhan could focus on, instead of continuing to drag the reputation of Egyptian women to the ground.

تابعت حلقات فتيات الليل ….. أيون : أعترافات الساقطات المصريات و كيف انخرطن فى هذا المضمار و كيف تحولن الى مومسات و مدمنات و ساقطات ..بالصوت و الصورة …تابعتها ليه؟ لأن هالة سرحان أعلامية بارعة و ممتعة و قعدتها حلوة .
بس يعنى يا دكتورة هى كل المواضيع الشائكة بتاعتك تنحصر فى المرأة المصرية؟ بغاء .. سحاق .. ختان .. هباب ؟؟ للدرجة دى لحمنا رخص
“I followed the episodes on the girls of the night which was about the confessions of Egyptian prostitutes and how they got inticed into this business and how they became addicts. Why did I follow them? Because Hala Sarhan is an interesting media personality and her programmes are attractive. But seriously Dr, why are all your hot topics focused on Egyptian women? Prostitution..lesbianism..circumcision..other problems…Is our meat this cheap?” she claims.



Tamr Heneh
accuses Dr Sarhan of tarnishing the reputation of women in her country in exchange for her job and fame.

فضحتينا عالهوا .. يابنت السرحان …
طالعة تحاسبى البنات عالدعارة و الأدمان؟؟ عارفة الدعارة يا هالة؟ طب شوفى حلقة ست الستات اللى استضفتى فيها جمال سليمان و اللى قعد بين زميلاتك المغوارات و تولت ملهمتك الساحرة ايناس الدغيدى مهمة تأكيله التورته فى بقه .. دى مش مقدمات دعارة يامّا ؟ انتى و زميلاتك اللىصح و البنات هما اللى غلط؟؟
“You've ruined our reputation. You are questioning women about their involvement in addiction and prostitution? Do you know what prostitution is? Watch the episode in which you hosted (male actor) Jamal Sulaiman, who was seated among your other guests, who included (female movie director) Enas Al Dughaidi, who was feeding him cake (in his mouth). Isn't this a prelude to prostitution? Are you and your friends correct and all the other women wrong?” she writes.

Not content with rebuking Dr Sarhan, Tamr Heneh ventures into giving the famous presenter a few topics to consider for her future episodes. Tamr Heneh‘s list opens fire on a number of taboo topics in the Arab Muslim societies, which are not normally discussed on television and the media.

ماشى يا متعلمة يا بتاعت المدارس لو قلبك عالأسرة المصرية يبقى خدى بقى المواضيع اللى تتكلمى فيها ( و بعيدا عن السياسة) :

عايزين حلقة عن الشيوخ اللىفوقنا بشوية عالخريطة اللى بييجوا لينا هربانين من الكتمة و الكمكمة و لابسين الغطرة و العباية … بيستغلوا البنات الجعانين اياهم .. اللى ماحيلتهومش حاجة .. و مشوار للحوامدية يشتروا بت عيله قاصر أهلها مش لاقيين اللضا .. خمس تلاف يا قطة .. و ياخدوا البنية قانونى و تمام التمام .. و كام شهر و فايدها عيل ترجع لحضن أمها … هتعمل ايه تفتكرى؟؟ لأ و حددى بالظبط مين السبب فى اللى هتعمله.

“If you really cared about the Egyptian family values, then here are a few topics (which aren't political) and which you can discuss. We want an episode on the Shaikhs (members of the Ruling families in the neighbouring Arab Gulf countries *) who come here to escape their closed up societies in their traditional garb and who devour those hungry girls you were refering to. Those girls who have nothing. It only takes them a trip to Hawamdieh to purchase a young girl from her family, who don't even have food to eat. Five thousand for the cat. They can also take the girl legally (in marriage) but after a few months dump her back with her family, with a baby in her arms. What do you think such girls would do? Please tell me exactly what they will do,” she asks Dr Sarhan.

Another issue Tamr Heneh thinks Dr Sarhan could focus on is discussing Saudi novel: Banat Al Riyadh [4] (Daughters of Riyadh) – a controversial novel written by a young Saudi woman which broke taboos in the Saudi Arabian conservative society.

The book speaks openly of sex, lesbianism and young women's desire to lead freer lives.

موضوع تالت : البغاء فى المغرب : فن أم شطارة أم ماذا؟

موضوع رابع : ظاهرة اللواط فى منطقة الخليج العربى – هل هى ظاهرة اجتماعية سببها قمع الحريات الشخصية و وجود المطوعين .. أم ماذا؟
موضوع خامس : نسوان لبنان يرقصن على أنغام الرصاص الطائفى و الصهيونى و حكاية ” رهاب المثلية” ………
موضوع سادس : لجوء النساء العراقيات للدعارة بسبب الحرب و الترحيل …
فيه مواضيع كتير يا هالة بعيد عن مصر و المصريات …

“A third topic is: Prostitution in Morocco? Is it an art or trade? A fourth topic is homosexuality in the Arab Gulf countries: Is it a social phenomena because of the repression of personal freedom and the presence of religious policemen? or what? A fifth topic: The women of Lebanon who are dancing to the tunes of sectarian and Zionist bullets. A sixth topic: Iraqi women turning to prostitution because of war and displacement. There are lots of topics Hala away from Egypt and Egyptians.

* The Arab Gulf countries are Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.

Photocredit: Dr Hala Sarhan's website [3]