Egyptian blogger Amira Shohdi launched a new, ongoing initiative “I Can’t Do It All” in October 2018. The initiative is intended to raise awareness on how society’s expectations are adding a lot of pressure on women. It especially aims to tackle the notion of expecting women to be flexible in dealing with their everyday duties and taking more responsibilities than they care bear, un-assisted, as is the ‘natural’ role of women instilled in Middle Eastern upbringing. Shohdi realized that this misconception of the role of women has caused difficulties in raising healthy girls and young women with healthy mindsets. It has often stunted self-care as well as self-love and halted the mindset of thinking of her wants as there is constant pressure to care, love and add value to her community. This perpetual sense of self-sacrifice has further perpetuated the idea that a woman is expected to juggle her career, marriage, and children without any help and without resorting to private, self-indulging activities. We speak to Shohdi about her initiative and its goals. As a Middle Eastern woman raised in New Zealand, what inspired you to start the “I Can’t…
“I Can’t Do It All” Initiative to Break Society’s Expectations of Women
March 1, 2019
