The question of Egyptian culture’s compatibility with feminism has been one highly debated in recent years. In this discourse, Arab women become entrapped in the confines of both the Western feminist lens which neglects them, and Arabs who oppose Western influence. The history of Egyptian feminism is both rich, and complex in that it is intertwined with Islam, nationalism, and post-colonialism. The reason for this is that national consciousness, which emerged in reaction to Western colonialism in the 18th century, developed simultaneously with feminist consciousness. Inevitably, with this comes the argument that feminism was a Western import of decadence to the Arab world. However, this argument is flawed in that it oversimplifies and overlooks the contexts in which any movement arises. Defining Feminism Although feminism encompasses an extensive framework with varying beliefs, at its core, it calls for equality. Arab culture is situated as non-Western, and formerly colonized, thus, post-colonial frameworks of feminism are most relevant to this exploration. The feminism that will be applied in this article refers to Islamic Feminist Scholar Margot Badran’s understanding that “women have suffered forms of subordination or oppression…and an advocacy of ways to…
