Gendering the Arab Spring: Arab Women Journalists, “Cyberfeminism”, and

Socio-Political TransformationSahar Khamis (Ph.D.)

Department of CommunicationUniversity of Maryland, College Park

Characteristics of the Arab SpringGrassroots, popular movementPeacefulAcross the boardLeaderlessSignificant role played by youthSignificant role played by womenSocial media acted as catalysts for changeDifferent outcomes in various countries

Women’s Activism in the Arab SpringWomen played a visible role in the Arab

springMany took part in “non-stereotypical” gender

roles, i.e., not just nursing, nurturing or supporting others, but rather being in the front lines, risking their own lives, and facing the risk of injury, arrest, or event death.

The selection of Tawakul Karman, who came to be known as the “mother of the revolution” in Yemen, as the first Arab woman ever to receive the Nobel prize signified international recognition for women’s role.

About this Study…..This is a qualitative study which relies on in-

depth personal interviews with a group of young Arab women journalists from Arab spring countries, namely: Egypt, Libya, Syria, Yemen and Bahrain.

All the interviewed women were in their 20s or 30s.

They all received some Western education.They all had some overseas experience.They all described themselves as

journalists/activistsThey all saw themselves as “agents of

change”

Redefining Activism, Empowerment, and Resistance

All the interviewees endorsed a form of bottom-up, horizontal, grassroots activism, which engages the widest possible segment of society

They denounced government-manufactured activism, which results in “tokenism” or “cosmetic feminism”

They saw empowerment as an indigenous, autonomous effort on the part of women themselves to enact change with their own hands and to speak in their own voice

They conceived a parallel revolution which involves resistance in the “socio-political” domain

The Role of “Cyberfeminism”The term “cyberfeminism” refers to a process

whereby women deploy new forms of communication, mainly online communication, to advocate for their own rights, causes, and demands, and to fight various forms of discrimination, injustice, or repression

It is considered the sister term for the more general phenomenon of “cyberactivism”, which refers to the use of online tools to advance a cause which is difficult to advance offline

They all hailed the role of new media in serving the needs of women and helping their causes

Three Main FunctionsMobilization: Rallying support for certain

causes which are important for women, collecting the needed funds, and securing the needed resources to help them.(For example: helping refugees and rape victims)

Documentation: Using their cameras, cell phones, and even pens and papers, to show the whole world incidents of brutality, humiliation, and harassment against women

Education: Raising awareness about women’s issues and discussing them through “positive media”

Perceived OpportunitiesAll the interviewees believed that women

have a lot of opportunities to fight for their causes, spread their messages, and make their voices heard.

They saw social media as providing women with the needed “window” to see the outside world, and to be seen by the outside world, as well as the needed tools to network, organize, and mobilize.

They believed that the affordability, accessibility, interactivity, and immediacy of these tools made them especially important in enacting socio-political change

Authoritarian regimes controlled the media

… but protesters found ways to spread information and calls to

action

… using social media.

New media accelerate the spread of information to a wide audience…

… to raise awareness of corruption and repression

… to mobilize and coordinate resistance

… to provide platforms for brainstorming

… to keep up pressure AFTER the revolutions

Perceived OpportunitiesThey saw the rise of new young Arab women

activists, who are combining online and offline activism to fight for political rights, as well as social rights, to be particularly important and useful for women, as it increases the salience and visibility of women’s issues and helps to secure support for them.

Many of these young women activists became “public opinion leaders”, who are setting good role models and positive examples, not just for other women, but for all citizens, men and women alike.

Nawara Negm: a prominent blogger who used her blog and

Twitter foractivism

Asmaa’ Mahfouz: In January 2011, her Facebook video was

posted to YouTube

LINK TO VERSION WITH SUBTITLES

Perceived OpportunitiesThey saw the increase in youth activism as

especially important and relevant when it comes to supporting women’s issues, since both youth and women were perceived to be two sides of the same coin of activism

Young people:

… are the fastest growing segment of the population where reform is needed.

… are 70% of the population in the Arab world.

… can be agents of change with their open-mindedness, desire for reform, creativity, energy, and determination.

… are technologically-savvy and comfortable with new media tools.

Wael Ghonim & Abdul Rahman Mansour created the Facebook

page “We Are All Khaled Said”

Perceived ThreatsFrom solidarity to fragmentationCreating an “unsafe public space” for

women: sexual harassment, violence, virginity testing, and rape

The rise of political IslamThe reactionary, patriarchal culture Educational, economic, and infrastructural

constraintsThe overshadowing and marginalization of

women’s issues: “Thank you ladies, you can now go back to the kitchen!”

The Uncertainties AheadThe future of women’s status, and the gains

they can actually secure, are very much related to the future of their respective countries, many of which are in flux, without any clear roadmap.

This is applicable in countries where the struggle for freedom is still ongoing, such as Bahrain and Syria, but is also applicable in transitioning countries, such as Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya.

A Final Word……In looking ahead, we have to bear in mind

that it would be wise to adopt a realistic approach in looking at the future of women’s issues, in the context of socio-political transformation, which acknowledges their gains and contributions, but also takes into account the challenges and threats which are confronting them

Likewise, it is wise to adopt an approach of “cyberrealism”, which avoids the two undesirable bi-polar extremes of “cyberpessimism” and “cyberoptimism”.

Limitations of Social Media

While they may aid socio-political change as “catalysts”…

… they are not “magical” tools and cannot bring change all by themselves.

It is the people, in this case women themselves, who can create actual change in the real world.