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‘Sex is a Matter of Personal Freedom’: Egyptian Director Stirs Controversy

May 1, 2015

“Sex is a matter of personal freedom,” said Egyptian director Inas Al-Degheidy on live television, stirring controversy in Egypt and the Middle East.

“After a certain age, sex…is a personal freedom. Everyone has it [sex] in accordance to their ideas, mentality, customs and traditions. I can’t generalize because some people prohibit sex before marriage [because of religious reasons],” said Inas on Deutsche-Welle Arabic, adding that you cannot impose sex on someone who believes it is against their religion and that in the end it is a personal choice.

The film director, whose movies often tackle social issues, has since been condemned by a number of Islamists in Egypt.

Dr. Mohamed El-Shahat Guindy, a member of the Islamic Research Academy, says Inas’ statements came from a Muslim that does not respect her religion’s teachings, according to Youm7. Dr. Guindy added that premarital sex is the ultimate shock to the conscience of Muslims.

Meanwhile, controversial salafist Sheikh Yasser Borhamy said that allowing premarital sex is the same as the rejection of the teachings of the Qur’an, Bible and the Torah.

On television, professor Ahmed Korayema, who works at Al-Azhar Univeristy, told the OnTV host that Inas’ statements promote “pornographic acts” that are “contrary to all heavenly laws.”

This isn’t the first time the director has caused controversy among Islamists. In 2012, Inas’ film Al-Samt (Silence) was forced to have a change in the script by the Egyptian Board of Censors after it sought to tell the story of a girl sexually abused by her father.

Comments (10)

  1. Minymina says:

    It’s none of your concern what I do with my body. Sex is a personal choice.
    Much respect to this woman. Hope more people become as open minded.

    1. K29 says:

      That depends what culture you are from. If you decide to have sex before marriage in egypt there is a high certainty that no one will want to marry you. Sex is not personal in any way as it involves other beings. Respect for a future spouse shows the ability to not need any other being to lust or behave in any sexual manner with them. You may call this close minded but I believe otherwise. My ability to respect my own body and have others respect it shows a high level of understanding of the needs of the human body to me.

    2. AgnosticEgyptian says:

      So if you’re an Egyptian guy who slept around a bit before you got married and you never told anyone, how would anyone even know? Oh riiiight, it’s only WOMEN who have to worry about that. You see basing marriage on virginity is dumb? People should only get married when they know 110% they’re right for each other, and how can they do that if they’ve never even had sex?!! Furthermore, what the hell does “respecting” your body even mean? Sex is the best thing you can do for your body!

    3. Minymina says:

      Except that sex is perfectly nature and has nothing to do with respect for futuer partners. Regardless of how you veiw it, it’s a choice. No one has the right to tell me what I can and cannot do with my body.

    4. Jim Fox says:

      This applies also to MEN??
      NO, thought not…you are a woman, I take it?

  2. Mohamed elsayed says:

    I think it’s opinions not be changing the mentality of the egyption because already egyption adore sex more than food but habits and traditional of egyption society don’t except this words on live. ..