“Life is very hard. The only people who really live are those who are harder than life itself.”
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Nawal El Saadawi
Nawal El Saadawi was an Egyptian feminist writer, activist, physician, and psychiatrist. She wrote numerous books on women in Islam, focusing on issues affecting women in the Global South, including sexuality, patriarchy, social class, and colonialism.
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science · Egyptian feminist writer, activist, physician and psychiatrist (1931–2021) · psychiatrist · physician writer · gynecologist · novelist · politician · writer · activist · physician · also Nawal El Saadawi, Nawal el Saadaoui, Nawal al Sadaawi, Nawal Saadawi, Nawal as-Saadawi, Nawāl al-Saʻdāwī
Born 27 October 1931 · Died 21 March 2021 · Q238514
55 published statements · 0 followers
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I knew that [prostitution] had been invented by men, and that men were in control of both our worlds, the one on earth, and the one in heaven. That men force women to sell their bodies at a price, and that the lowest paid body that of a wife. All women are prostitutes of one kind or another.
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2026· 17 entries
“I knew that [prostitution] had been invented by men, and that men were in control of both our worlds, the one on earth, and the one in heaven. That men force women to sell their bodies at a price, and that the lowest paid body that of a wife. All women are prostitutes of one kind or another.”
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“Yet not for a single moment did I have any doubts about my own integrity and honour as a woman. I knew that my profession had been invented by men, and that men were in control of both our worlds, the one on earth, and the one in heaven. That men force women to sell their bodies at a price, and that the lowest paid body is that of a wife. All women are prostitutes of one kind or another.”
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“All my life I have been searching for something that would fill me with pride, make me feel superior to everyone else, including kings, princes and rulers.”
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“Every single man I did get to know filled me with but one desire: to lift my hand and bring it smashing down on his face.”
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“My work is not worthy of respect. Why then do you join in it with me?”
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“Her voice continued to echo in my ears, vibrating in my head, in the cell, in the prison, in the streets, in the whole world, shaking everything, spreading fear wherever it went, the fear of the truth which kills, the power of truth, as savage, and as simple, and as awesome as death, yet as simple and as gentle as a child that has not yet learnt to lie.”
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“I was arrested because I believed Sadat. He said there is democracy and we have a multi-party system and you can criticize. So I started criticizing his policy and I landed in jail.”
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Published video “وأجمل النساء هي التي تتجمّل لذاتها وذلك لثقتها بأنها هي من تستحق ذلك أيّاً كانت الوسيلة التي تتجمّل”.
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Published video “المرأة مقهورة في كل الاديان”.
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Published video “ماذا يحدث بعد لحظة الموت؟”.
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Published video “جزء تم حذفه من حلقة نوال السعداوي مع وفاء الكيلاني في برنامج بدون رقابة”.
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Published video “إزاي الأهل بيكسروا شخصية اولادهم؟!”.
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Published video “"لماذا لا نتوقف عن الحروب؟"”.
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Published video “العقل اذا لم يتمرد على الظلم لا يبدع”.
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Published video “اسمعي يا ابنتي”.
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Published video “"الله روح وليس ذكراً أو أنثى".. نوال السعداوي تحرج "أنصاف المثقفين" في أجرأ لقاءاتها”.
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2021· 8 entries
Prospect: Nawal El Saadawi (1931-2021): the pen can also be a weapon
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Al Bawaba News: Nawal el-Saadawi Fought Passionately Against Female Genital Mutilation
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The Washington Post: Nawal El Saadawi, Egyptian author, physician and feminist activist, dies at 89
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Al Bawaba News: Controversial Egyptian Feminist Nawal El Saadawi Dies Aged 90
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CNN: Nawal El Saadawi, famous Egyptian feminist author, dies aged 89
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Died 2021-03-21.
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“The hijab has nothing to do with moral values. A woman's moral values are reflected in her eyes, in the way she talks, and in the way she walks. They put on a hijab and go dancing, wearing high heels and lipstick. They wear tight jeans that show their bellies.”
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“Many people think that female circumcision only started with the advent of Islam. But as a matter of fact it is well known and widespread in some areas of the world before the Islamic era, including the Arabian peninsula. Mohammad the Prophet tried to oppose this custom since he considered it harmful to the sexual health of the woman.”
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2015· 1 entry
Awarded BBC 100 Women (2015).
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2014· 2 entries
In a 2014 interview, Saadawi said that "the root of the oppression of women lies in the global post-modern capitalist system, which is supported by religious fundamentalism".
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“the root of the oppression of women lies in the global post-modern capitalist system, which is supported by religious fundamentalism”
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2012· 2 entries
Awarded Seán MacBride Peace Prize (2012).
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The International Peace Bureau awarded her the Seán MacBride Peace Prize
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2011· 2 entries
Awarded Stig Dagerman Prize (2011).
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Democracy Now: Leading Egyptian Feminist, Nawal El Saadawi: “Women and Girls are Beside Boys in the Streets”
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2008· 1 entry
A similar attempt was made to strip el-Saadawi of her Egyptian nationality due to her radical opinions and writing, this attempt was also unsuccessful
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2007· 2 entries
Awarded honorary doctor of the Université libre de Bruxelles (2007).
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By writing: "Bedour, did you have to die for some light to shine in the dark minds
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2005· 2 entries
Democracy Now: Egyptian Feminist Nawal El Saadawi on Bush’s 'Democratization' of Middle East: “We Were Fighting For Years…They Deprive Us of Our Struggle”
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Received the Inana International Prize in Belgium
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2004· 2 entries
Awarded North–South Prize (2004).
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Was awarded the North–South Prize by the Council of Europe
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2003· 1 entry
Awarded Catalonia International Prize (2003).
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2002· 1 entry
A legal attempt was made by Nabih el-Wahsh in an Egyptian Court to legally divorce el-Saadawi from her husband on account of hesba, a 9th-century principle of shariah law, that allows for the conviction of Muslims who ar
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1997· 1 entry
Awarded honorary doctor of the University of St Andrews (1997).
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1996· 2 entries
“Why Keep Asing Me About My Identity?”
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“Why Keep Asking Me About My Identity?”
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1994· 1 entry
“Women, Religion, and Literature: Bridging the cultural gap”
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1993· 1 entry
When her life was threatened by Islamists and political persecution, Saadawi was forced to flee Egypt
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1990· 1 entry
“Islamic Fundamentalism and Women”
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1982· 2 entries
Awarded Franco-Arabic Friendship Award (1982).
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Founded the Arab Women's Solidarity Association
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1975· 1 entry
“The woman sitting on the ground in front of me was a real woman, and the voice filling my ears with its sound, echoing in a cell where the window and door were tightly shut, could only be her voice, the voice of Firdaus.”
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1972· 2 entries
Published her first work of non-fiction, Women and Sex, which evoked the antagonism of highly placed political and theological authorities
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Published Woman and Sex (المرأة والجنس), confronting and contextualising various aggressions perpetrated against women's bodies, including female circumcision
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1966· 1 entry
Studied at Columbia University (1966).
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1955· 1 entry
Studied at Cairo University, Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (1955).
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1931· 1 entry
Born 1931-10-27.
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