Now Lebanon - Rights, wrongs and politics - March 21, 2011

Talking to feminist Nadine Moawad

Aline Sara, March 21, 2011

Nadine Moawad from Nasawiya. (Photo courtesy of Nadine Moawad)

Today is Mother’s Day in Lebanon, a day to celebrate the women in one’s life. But women in Lebanon are treated as second-class citizens by the government and often by society at large. NOW Lebanon sat down with Nadine Moawad from the feminist collective Nasawiya to talk about feminism, her organization, and the movement’s place and future in Lebanon.
Tell us about your discovery of feminism.
Nadine Moawad: I became a feminist pretty late. When I was younger, I wasn’t into women’s rights and found the movement a bit silly. Though I did my BA in literature, I was never introduced to feminist writers. A few years later, when I came across the term while reading a book, it was
like an awakening… And that’s the moment I realized that discrimination happens based on gender stereotypes…
Because feminism is very focused on justice for women, it’s a very positive approach to claiming justice.
What was it about feminism that you thought was silly?
Moawad: The concept I had of women’s rights in Lebanon was lots of organizations, older women getting together for charity, things like breast cancer… traditional stuff I wasn’t necessarily interested in because it doesn’t affect me personally. It was when I realized there was a political movement that it clicked in my head.
We started Nasawiya [feminism in Arabic] in January 2010 and tried to situate ourselves within the women’s movement in Lebanon, to respond to the culture here and really connect with the people. And that’s the only way it can work. It has to be a people-led movement for gender justice.
So Nasawiya is not an NGO, but what exactly do you mean by collective?
Moawad: The main difference is the way we are organized. We don’t believe in hierarchy or elections, in any sort of bureaucratic structure. For example, young women can participate… We wanted to provide a space that is completely open. All the work is done by volunteers. There is only one staff person. We are a total of 65 [of whom six are men], but most of us put in more than a full-time job’s worth…
There is a huge variety of people too, such as migrant domestic workers. It’s very important we work with the communities, because dismantling racism is very tough. The urgency cannot be exaggerated enough… Migrant domestic workers are dying at an alarming rate, six per week, not to mention those abused, raped, money withheld. Historically, the women’s movement in Lebanon has failed to address this, even though it is a women’s issue.
How do you compare your work to that of other women’s rights organizations?  
Moawad: For sure we are a grassroots movement, and the change comes from the people. No politician has just granted women’s rights here. We don’t believe in heading to the people in power. We believe in momentum and demands from the public, from the women…
We are a little different. We have the younger, more radical reputation. Our politics are quite radical in that they address the root of the problem, and we don’t apologize.


A lot of times, women’s groups are under attack, and they retreat into this position of “Please, we want our rights.”… There is a bit of sugar coating… because the men are often so quick to attack.
Do you think women here are not aware they are second-class citizens?
Moawad:  Not at all. We went down to the street for women’s day and asked over 3,000 women what they think of women’s rights in the country. Most feel [the situation for women] is fine. Many respond, ‘”It’s good,” or “It’s gotten better. We have our rights,” and when you probe a bit further about harassment, social security issues, maternity, they say, “I guess yes, these have to change.” They don’t connect these things to women’s issues…
The majority of the country is women.
How do we overcome this problem?
Moawad: There have been different ways of tackling this. Some tackle women’s issues sect by sect, but we believe there has to be a civil and egalitarian status law. Even the drafted ones aren’t that great. Even people obsessed with eliminating sectarianism aren’t really looking at the gender aspect of it.
What do you think of the recent movements against sectarianism?
Moawad: I think they are great. We do have a problem of defining secularism, and stupid politicians are trying to highjack it, but at least there’s a movement growing, and that’s a movement that will help the female cause. But it’s not that easy… There has to be laws in place to give women their rights…
These are logical rights we are asking for. When you dismantle patriarchy, many people will lose some power. Men will lose the power to divorce women any time they want, for example… And I really don’t care who is upset by that.
What has been the reaction to your “radicalism?”
Moawad: Feminists anywhere get called angry, and here they are also politicized. When we criticize March 8, we get linked on all the March 14 blogs, and when we criticize March 14, the March 8 people are like, “Oh they are with us.”
Can you give us an example?


Moawad: A couple of years ago, I blogged about [Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel] Aoun’s “Sois belle et Vote Billboard” and wrote the 12 reasons why it’s insulting. I was getting calls from all over the country… “Why are you doing this? This is not right. They are reaching out to women,” and I was explaining it was a very stupid campaign toward women. If you are reaching out to us, at least discuss women’s rights. And then March 14 was like, “Yes they are right, Aoun’s billboards are really bad.” And I was like, “Don’t get me started on your campaigns.”
We immediately got politicized, and March 14 retaliated with a billboard of a woman who looked more Lebanese and with a different slogan, and I criticized them too. Instead of putting women on a billboard, why not tell us what they are going to give us and then ask for our vote?
Who else has criticized your work? 
Moawad: I wouldn’t be able to call out a particular group. But for sure our work on sexuality is very sensitive and is what unites the institutions in saying “Now is not the time”… Same-sex relations, abortion, sex workers, all these things related to the woman’s body. But the age-old question is, “Will this harm my cause? Is it the time now to say abortion and alienate everyone else?” Our abortion law is actually one of the worst in the world… But it’s no lie women get it all the time and in really different circumstances.
We have an unapologetic approach. It all goes back to controlling women’s bodies in all sorts of different ways… Here in Lebanon, it’s controlled though sectarianism, the state, husbands, fathers… People think that if women have more sexual liberty, society is going to fall apart.
Let’s talk about your reaction to the Ministry of Tourism’s controversial new ad campaign.
Moawad: We just launched an open war against the Ministry of Tourism for their Lebanon Blues ad… We’ve been getting media coverage all over. We’ve been on MTV, NewTv to debate the ad. But the director general of the ministry said she welcomed our criticism and is glad we voiced it… But really, the Ministry of Tourism and their depiction of women? It’s getting out of control. I don’t know what they will do next.
Maybe sell Lebanese women to foreigners? It’s a concept of fake rights, especially to young women, that your right is in dancing, wearing bikinis, etc. But there’s nothing that protects these women. Even if a tourist wants to marry you he’s not going to get your nationality!
And what about the pressure on Lebanese women to look good?
Moawad: It’s disastrous. And society is not realizing. We raise our girls to feel ugly all the time… They grow up seeing beautiful women on all the billboards.
But many will counter your argument by saying this pressure is everywhere. What is particular about Lebanon?
Moawad: It is extra promoted in Lebanon because of the tourism factor, because of this idea that Lebanese women are beautiful…They are a commodity we are selling. And we have one of the highest rates of plastic surgery per capita in the world. I understand for some people, but the discourse [in the country] is at another level. In the media, they ask questions like, “Are six operations too many?”
Our girls grow up feeling ugly… it’s impossible. They even have bank loans for plastic surgery… It’s part of our medical tourism. It’s putting us back in the stone ages…

This interview has been condensed for length.