By Thalia Kattoura | Staff Writer
Revolting against a system that has actively exploited the available resources for the benefit of the ruling class has long been led by Lebanese residents. However, the mainstream media has not covered the feminist dimension of Lebanese revolutions—particularly the October 17th revolution in 2019. Issues such as blatant sexism directed at female protesters, talks about the existing patriarchal government, and increased female participation in politics were not covered extensively.
Intersectional Feminism and the Revolution
Women were constantly at the forefront of the October 17th revolution; they stood against anyone who demonstrated their support for sectarian divides. They sought to advocate for the reformation of the Lebanese political and economic system.
The Lebanese civil war has had long-lasting consequences for women, which are not talked about enough. Whether that is cases of rape, sexual harassment, and/or abuse, such instances display how deeply rooted misogyny is and the ways in which it manifests itself during turmoil. Moreover, women continue to lack autonomy over their political and economic participation. In fact, Lebanon has among the lowest rankings in the world regarding the Gender Gap Index.
What is also worth mentioning is that sectarian divides across the country have continued to suppress the advocacy for women’s rights, which added to the need to feminize the Lebanese revolution. In the words of Lama Fakih, director of crisis and conflict division at HRW: “Too often women’s rights have been held hostage to flawed sectarian rhetoric.” What led to this conclusion in Lebanon is the existing Kafala system, prevalent child marriage, exclusive citizenship laws, and restrictive reproductive rights that women across Lebanon are subjected to.
“I absolutely believe that our revolution in Lebanon is feminist. Not only because it seeks transformative change, but also because it is intersectional. It is intersectional in that it seeks to end multiple forms of oppression, not simply economic inequalities. Many revolutionaries in Lebanon are calling for an end to different forms of oppression, whether it is classism, patriarchy, racism, environmental oppression, centralization, and homophobia,” says Sarah Boukhary — WILPF’s Interim MENA Co-Director.
A form of oppression that has not been highlighted in the Lebanese political sphere is LGBTQIA+ rights. Homosexuality in Lebanon is punishable by law and is looked down upon by the majority of the population. Many queer-friendly places were prompted to shut down due to the hostility that they faced by sectarian rhetoric. However, the revolution – led by queer people, particularly women – has allowed for the opportunity to defy the norm. Queer activists adopted an intersectional approach; not only did they advocate for queer rights, but they also protested for the rights of refugees and other marginalized communities. In fact, Sawt al Niswa – a community for feminist writers – affirmed on their website that they “stand against racism, sexism, sectarianism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, classism, in ourselves and in society”. These movements further demonstrate the need to advocate for human rights by highlighting different intersecting struggles.
As previously mentioned, the Lebanese October 17th revolution had also called for the abolishment of the Kafala system; a system that has actively enslaved migrant workers and stripped them from their fundamental human rights. The receiving end of this form of oppression is mostly female migrant workers, who have come to Lebanon in an effort of making a living. However, through unclear contracts and the system upheld in the country, they have ended up subjected to injustice and unfair treatment.
The Public Reaction
While the feminization of the October 17th revolution has proven to be influential, female protesters have faced a considerable amount of backlash. They were reduced to their physical appearances and extensively sexualized, which, ironically, is precisely the type of behavior that they are attempting to eradicate. Sarah Boukhary shares that an Arab newspaper had authored an article on the feminist protests under the title of “Lebanese babes: all beautiful women are revolting.”
Moreover, numerous women were subjected to misogynistic slurs on the ground. They were talked down on and insulted in ways that accurately exemplify the current status quo. However, a famous image of a woman, Malak Alawiye — karate-kicking a soldier has become one of the most iconic images of the October 17th revolution. The reason for that is the symbolic meaning of the image: attacking all systems of oppression, ranging from patriarchy to economic collapse.
The fight for women’s liberation from a misogynistic and sectarian system has, as expected, been countered with exactly those two. No woman who has attempted to fight her fight has been exempt from threats to her dignity, which is often reduced to her sexual appeal.
Referring back to the movement against the Kafala system during the revolution, numerous female workers were faced with racist and sexist comments by bystanders – which again sheds light on the recurring narratives and intersecting systemic issues in Lebanon.
If the October 17th revolution has demonstrated anything, it is that the underrepresentation of women in most domains has not and will never be acceptable. During the revolution, women chanted the national anthem and made sure to add “women” to “men” — given that the anthem fails to mention women throughout its entirety. The current state of affairs, which is upheld by gendered language and human rights violations, is no longer tolerated. Down with the Civil War System and all the ways in which it attempts to keep the glass ceiling intact.