Born and raised in Egypt, I was brought up to be a good middle class Egyptian girl; but somehow being good did not suit my notions. Deep down I have rejected the heavy heritage of traditions and norms that made no sense to my inquisitive mind. I could not understand why girls were killed, committed suicide, or lived in eternal shame when they lost their virginity. I failed to comprehend why such a rule applied only to girls and their male counterparts were spared. After my grand mother passed away we stopped celebrating Christmas, New Year's Eve, Halloween, and Thanks Giving … does being a Muslim deny me all my childhood memories? Why do I have to get married? Why can't I date? Why do men cheat? Why do I have to accept it? Why? Why? Why? And many more unanswered questions.
I have come a long way from the scared little girl that I once was … I found my passion in writing, my voice in teaching & training, and my strength in marketing … I took off my mask … and I decided to speak up and loud .. as loud as loud could ever be.
Latest posts by Marwa Rakha from June, 2010
Egypt: The Ministry of Interior Seeks Revenge
Egyptian activists have utilised citizen media to the fullest in exposing police torture and corruption. Marwa Rakha writes about their newest initiative and uncovers the case of an Egyptian activist held in neighbouring Libya in this post.
Egypt: Looking Inside Mr Egypt
Twenty-six-year-old Tarek Mohammed Nagiub Abdel Gawad has been named Mr Egypt 2010. Bloggers react to the title and his participation in Mister World 2010, held in South Korea.
Egypt: And the First Arabic Domain goes to … President Mubarak
Egyptian President, Mohamed Hosni Mubarak registered the first Arabic domain in Egypt: مبارك.مصر . In her post, Zeinobia expects that Mubarak.Misr would be the official Mubarak 2011 campaign website.
Egypt: My Name Was Khaled and I Was Not a Terrorist
Demonstrations and rage continued in Egypt following the death of a young Egyptian, allegedly at the hands of police. The anger on the street is evident online, where citizen journalists speak out.
Egypt: Scheherazade must Die
Freedom of Expression is taking a beating in Egypt. In a series of lawsuits against writers, Scheherazade of 1001 Nights is now being accused of immorality and some lawyers want her dead - in their call for banning the book!
Egypt: Should Coptic Divorcees Remarry?
The Egyptian Supreme Administrative Court has issued a ruling obliging Coptic Pope Shenouda III to allow Coptic divorcees to remarry. The pope has rejected the ruling. Supporters of the church and promoters of a secular state blogged their opinions.
Egypt: The First Starbucks Protest in Egypt
The Gaza-bound Flotilla Raid has sparked an uprising in Egypt. Zeinobia covered the first Starbucks Protest in Egypt; A video and photographs were also posted by Sarah Carr and Mostafa Hussein.
Egypt: Khaled Said – An Emergency Murder by An Emergency Law
Khaled Said, a 28-year-old Egyptian from the coastal city of Alexandria, was allegedly tortured to death at the hands of two officers who wanted to search him under the emergency law. The story goes: he asked for a reason or a warrant - they killed him.
