![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Reading and other things.
Apr. 5th, 2016 11:11 pmRight now I am reading, "Headscarves and Hymens" which is written by Mona Eltahawy. (an Egyptian journalist and activist) The book was recommended by a friend (who is familiar with her work,) who also saw a play that was inspired by some of Eltahawy's experiences during the protests in Egypt. (Eltahawy was arrested, and sexually and physically assaulted while in custody.)
She explores the need for a sexual/feminist revolution in the Arab world existing along side the other revolutions. She has that rare privilege of being able to look at the situation from inside and out. Having grown up in Egypt, England, and Saudi Arabia. (later returning to Egypt as an adult.) She talks about her experiences taking up hijab and later removing it. And the crux of her experience was the fact that despite being as modest as possible by the standards of her particular culture/society, she was still harassed and assaulted -even in the holiest of places. It isn't the strongest book in the world but it is interesting because of the various ideas discussed. And it comes from a woman in the Arab world. (instead of someone from the outside.) She is someone who has really wrestled with her faith/culture about a number of things. It makes me curious to read/listen more from women in that region.
...
Second week of Easter holidays has begun. The weekend was spent attending a couple of birthday parties. Including my nephew's fifteenth birthday! So tall, so gangly, so sweet. God he is a great kid. We gave him things to make sushi, a spring-form pan, (because he is a kick-ass chef in the making.) and some candy corn. He likes candy corn. (pretty much any American sweet or baked good I have given him over the years is great stuff in his mind.)
Senor Onion is spending much of his time being a lazy butt on the computer but his best friend comes over every afternoon and they play and laugh a ton. So they are being social. In their own way. I open the window so they can get some fresh air.
Miss Biscuit plays in such a hard-core way. The living room is a bit of a disaster. Just all these areas where she plays. Heavily. Tomorrow she has a ballet workshop which will keep her busy for a couple of hours. She needs activities. Or she grows bored. Very bored. And makes you a hostage. But we have been having fun gardening, going out for ice cream, looking for books, and seeing friends.
Soon it will be back to school uniforms, and packed lunches.
She explores the need for a sexual/feminist revolution in the Arab world existing along side the other revolutions. She has that rare privilege of being able to look at the situation from inside and out. Having grown up in Egypt, England, and Saudi Arabia. (later returning to Egypt as an adult.) She talks about her experiences taking up hijab and later removing it. And the crux of her experience was the fact that despite being as modest as possible by the standards of her particular culture/society, she was still harassed and assaulted -even in the holiest of places. It isn't the strongest book in the world but it is interesting because of the various ideas discussed. And it comes from a woman in the Arab world. (instead of someone from the outside.) She is someone who has really wrestled with her faith/culture about a number of things. It makes me curious to read/listen more from women in that region.
...
Second week of Easter holidays has begun. The weekend was spent attending a couple of birthday parties. Including my nephew's fifteenth birthday! So tall, so gangly, so sweet. God he is a great kid. We gave him things to make sushi, a spring-form pan, (because he is a kick-ass chef in the making.) and some candy corn. He likes candy corn. (pretty much any American sweet or baked good I have given him over the years is great stuff in his mind.)
Senor Onion is spending much of his time being a lazy butt on the computer but his best friend comes over every afternoon and they play and laugh a ton. So they are being social. In their own way. I open the window so they can get some fresh air.
Miss Biscuit plays in such a hard-core way. The living room is a bit of a disaster. Just all these areas where she plays. Heavily. Tomorrow she has a ballet workshop which will keep her busy for a couple of hours. She needs activities. Or she grows bored. Very bored. And makes you a hostage. But we have been having fun gardening, going out for ice cream, looking for books, and seeing friends.
Soon it will be back to school uniforms, and packed lunches.
