Reminiscing the times when I had to be in downtown Cairo 3
days a week... attire: loose yoga pants, My "Downtown" Shirt, and
sneakers, hair tied up in a bun. Not a ponytail because it has been proven to
be extremely appealing for some weird reason I will never get. Once I reach my
destination I take off the "Downtown" short to reveal a half sleeved t-shirt
which is pretty standard, I wouldn't call it appealing at all, wear my hair
down or in a ponytail and VOILA I recognize myself again.
Reminiscing the times when I went to protest all across
Cairo... attire: loose pants, "Downtown" shirt or what is equivalent,
so probably a long sleeved, long something that gives me the silhouette of a
sack, hair bun
Reminiscing the times I went to finish governmental paper work:
attire: "Downtown" Shirt, sack silhouette achieved , hair bun.
Reminiscing on how many times I was harassed in my “meet the
public “attire is ridiculous. I think that I pretty much made myself repelling,
if not then least to say off the radar. You can’t see any details of a feminine
person, I don’t even bling.
it recently hit me, I realized how I feed the phenomena of sexual harassment
in Egypt, how I help make it grow.
I am a coward, I let the sexual harasser infiltrate my subconscious
and pick up my wardrobe. Whenever I look in the mirror I don’t see myself with
my own eyes but that of a harasser, the eyes of a criminal.
I think it’s safe to say that many women have the same set
of eyes. It’s the same set of sick eyes that undress you as you walk on by ,
the set of eyes that penetrates every cell of your body and sets out the “Here
it comes” alert when you just know he is
about to say something or do something to you. The eyes that tracks and hunts
you down in the busy streets, streets you think are too busy to comprehend the
passing of a female. No matter what you are wearing, no matter how many layers,
how loose your clothes are, how boring or dull or monochromatic. You dear lady
are getting stripped. Sad to say that
actually getting stripped isn't far-fetched.
In times where women share the streets with “Male” creatures
that can start sexual harassment at the age of 10...YES 10!! In times where
some women are killed after an attempt of sexual harassment that she simply
refused to let it slide…True story. Note we are talking about Harassment and assault
, let alone the gruesome raping and gang
raping that happen in broad day light where a million people are gathered.
I share the streets with people, who chose to turn the other
way when they see sexual harassment, or try to persuade you to just “let it
slide”. When I walk streets that not
only embraced public urination but can actually oversee public masturbation. It just seems natural to try to seem as invisible
as I possibly could. But this isn't the answer. I am not advocating running
around looking sexually provocative as well, but I just want to be me, wear my hair down , and wear my ‘downtown’
shirt if I want to , not because I use it as
armor.
I will not feed this sick society with playing it safe, I am
sticking to my grounds and convenient wardrobe. This is not a feminist movement
and I refuse to call it that. This is my basic human right, my right as a
citizen of this country, and people who ask women to adapt to a sick society;
the people who wear the eyes of the sick are their equivalent. I can’t be shamed that I am a woman for having
breasts and different genitals that all the sick perverts out there. A country that
overlooks the coexistence of more than half the population in basic rights won’t
have very far to go , because it’ll be lost in a pit of hormones , my example
is the last parliament.
I salute every single woman who fights and struggles every day
for her wardrobe, femininity, body, virginity and most recently her life.
Question is are women going to take the “Downtown” shirt off
their backs , will you help them take it off, or will we watch it getting
ripped off their backs?
I am keeping the shirt in the closet until further notice
from the population of our dark city.
