About Feminism and Religion
The Pink Inch.: Let’s start from the end, you appeared in Tahrir Square of El Cairo suddenly, and brought a new air of change and hope for young Egyptians, despite the fall of the revolution. Everyone browsed about you and your books while, the Arab women who never knew about you started to follow you, and believe in your ideologies. Are these women in general seeking for a change in the society? Are the feminists curbing a social phenomenon this time or is it a new ideology to make a fair and progressive society?
Nawal: Well, it is both, when we discuss the idea of feminism in this younger generation we will discover that some of them are more radicals in their feminism and they connect it to my books but in my books, I was able to connect capitalism with imperialism and women. Now, the younger generation that reads my books are more feminists and they do not separate the Economy from Sexuality either sexuality from History. So, there is a lot of change among the young generation.
The Pink Inch.: Can women be equal to men when it comes to salaries and job opportunities? If so, how achievable is it?
Nawal: Yes, but the countries in the west are very patriarchal and industrial. The west is not liberated. The women and the poor are not liberated and they are exploited by capitalism in Europe and America. When it comes to job opportunities it is difficult to achieve, because the economy is against women. We can’t make women and men equal sexually and economically without changing the patriarchal-capitalist-religious system in the west or east.
The Pink Inch.: Some people think that religion is responsible for confining women exclusively thereby preventing them from being socially involved or more integrated into the societies. However, the women that eliminated religion from their lives are still struggling to find their place in society and how they can be equal to men? What is the real problem then? And in your opinion, how can this issue be resolved? Is it a battle between a man and woman or is it just a small incidence that can be resolved from inside of our homes?
Nawal: Religion is responsible for the oppression of women in the West and East. In fact, all religions especially Monotheism oppresses women a whole lot, when we check history we will observe that revolution was aborted because of religion. There was a conflict between secular people and religious people. The Egyptian revolution failed because it started social and economic. Until it arrives to be religious and Islamic. the same happened in Iran, I was there, it started, social and economic revolution, then Khomaini came and it becomes a religious revolution. So, it’s between secular people and religious people. Usually, religious people are the ones who have power because the Estate is religious. You can’t separate the Estate from the religion and political system. The Estate and religion work together. God and the president work together they are inseparable. In the old history, they combined with each other to abort all the revolutions.
The Pink Inch.: The price of being a leader of feminism in the Arab world or in any other country is high. In your case, the truth costed you to be fired from your job? Can you tell us the story of how it happened?
Nawal: It is a very very sad story and it is repeated with all leaders, especially the women leaders that are feminist. As you know, I am sick, I am 89 years old woman, and I have nobody to help me, I’m all alone. Being a feminist comes with a very high price but in my case, the government of Sadat and Mubarak that robbed me of economic power have been fighting against me for more than half a century, thereby making me pay a very very high price. I’ve retired from my activities now that I am old and alone, but I have never regretted it. I’m still writing and fighting. My Medical college colleagues live very comfortably but I am very uncomfortable.
Immigration and colonialism
The Pink Inch.: Europe and all the northern and western countries are complaining about the immigration and massive arrival of refugees, some of these countries are convinced that the arrival of these refugees will make them lose their comfort and they found a solution by intensifying the borders control, in your opinion is there a solution for this social phenomenon threatening the comfort of the European and Western countries?
Nawal: Yes of course. Both women and men in the Western countries should oblige their government to open the borders not to close the borders and they shouldn’t exploit the poor countries economically or their resources, for instance, Egypt resources are taken by Europe and America. in fact, Europe developed because of colonialism. You know Egypt was colonized by the British. Now, Israelites are killing Palestinians every day so, we are living in a jungle and Egypt is paying a high price for it not only Egypt though but all other African countries, they die in the sea, so the solution is in the hands of men and women in Europe.
The Pink Inch.: The same leaders who kicked against immigration are those who encourage the importation and the use of the resources of these countries in order to grow their economy and to generate wealth. How can you explain this contradiction?
Nawal {She laughs}: this is the history of colonialism, capitalism, and imperialism, they exploit the poor countries but they don’t want them to migrate to Europe.
Nawal El Saadawi agenda
The Pink Inch.: You’ve written dozens of books, novels, and published researches about women, revolution, criticizing religions, governments, and social taboos, what is the next Dr. Nawal? Are you writing a new novel if so, what is it about?
Nawal: Yes. I’m currently writing my autobiography, I’ve published three parts of the autobiography in the Arabic language and I’m about to finish writing the 4th part of the autobiography but I don’t know whether I will live to finish it or not.
The Pink Inch.: You are a strong and intelligent woman, you faced and criticized several regimes in Egypt and the extremism too? How were you able to withstand this kind of storm alone?
Nawal: I wasn’t alone, because I started a big feminist organization for Egypt and Arab countries but Egypt Government closed and all the groups I started. During the Government of Sadat, Mubarak, and the Muslim brotherhood.
The Pink Inch.: Are you satisfied about the current regime in Egypt?
Nawal: It is much better than the Sadat or the Mubarak or the Muslim brothers, the army are secular and they are fighting religious fundamentalism which is very important.
The Pink Inch.: For your followers over the world, can you inform them about your next conference abroad?
Nawal: Since my health deteriorated I’ve not been able to organize any conference in Cairo. However, I’ve been invited to come to Italy in September where my novel titled memoir of woman doctor will be translated and an Italian Theatre Director will present my other novel titled “God resigns at the summit meeting”.
The great feminist, writer, physician, who identifies herself, as human being and dissident wrote about 60 books, novels and researchers, many of them were translated to more than 30 languages. Here you have some of them that you must add to your list. The Woman at point zero, The fall of the Imam, a daughter of Isis, memoirs of a woman Doctor, Walking through fire, God resigns at the summit meeting, two women in one, Zeina. they are available on Amazon.
