Arab freedom of expression

The right to be hidden

Some women want the right to be veiled, others to be seen naked

See article

Readers' comments



It’s good to see women starting to gain some freedoms with the rise of the Arab Spring. It’s also interesting to see the extremes established. We see the conservative sporting their niqab and the very liberal sporting their birthday suits, which reasonably would cause some insult in these typically conservative countries. I hope that Arab women continue to gain liberties, but maybe pursue them in less extreme ways than posting nude pictures, so as not to detract from their actual viewpoints.


Freedom could be defined in many different ways. In countries such as Egypt or many other middle eastern countries, freedom is not ultimate. Those countries are conservative and has many restrictions to freedom. In other words, you are free to do whatever you want unless it crosses the limits and the common costumes.
Anyway, freedom is supposed to take place in the middle east. What people are saying regarding the future of freedom is that there will be more restrictions on people if Islamist parties role Egypt. That doesn't seem to be accurate. Freedom is defined on what people believe. Most people in Egypt are Muslims and conservative, so, for instance, they don't want to see women half naked walking in the street, because that conflicts with their beliefs. That's why people who are not from the region see it as restrictions, but it's more of conserving the costumes and traditions.


I understand the desire to keep Islamic traditions in-tact in Libya, but I also agree with the right to self expression. For this reason, I must agree with the more liberal points of view when it comes to establishing a government party. This way, there is still a sense of freedom, but Islamic tradition and religion can be preserved.


She is a very courageous lady. That is a shock for a conservativ society. A shock can sometimes be good to induce thinking in a different way.


I agree with Ab ve. Women should not be disrespected for their personal point of views. The right to wear what you like is just the first step for many women in the Middle East. The true goal obviously is to obtain complete equal rights in religion, education, health, family issues, and society in general. Aliaa el-Mahdi'spictures are an extremely bold and controversial way of protest but its obviously worked if we're reading about it all over the world via media outlets such as the Economist.


For whatever reason this makes me think of the fight for suffrage here in the U.S. Women began doing some crazy things that were unheard of at that time just in at attempt to gain equal rights. I know it may be a crazy comparison but I can't help but draw connections.

AB ve

The real test of freedom will not be wearing or removing the coverings on the body but on the coverings on the mind.

Will they allows freedom to discuss religion/science/health and family issues?
Will they allow freedom to choose religion/education/family size to their people?

The constitution is given by people to themselves lets see what the new democracies give to themselves.


In my opinion this all depends on the country that you're living in and their tolerance of your religion. You can follow what your religion tells you to do or you can choose to follow the government, depending if they practice religious tolerance or not.

Top Hat 001

"The right to be hidden"

That may be true in the Middle East, but in the Western World women dressed like that stick out like a sour thumb.

Just saying.


I guess it's good that they can now afford these freedoms, even if they are portraying their new freedoms in an unethical and inherently different way. But props to you guys for being individuals, lets just hope they can gather themselves together and get out of this hole.

Connect The Dots

The Real Threat is the male disguised as a female who escapes patdown and security checks and detonates a 20 Kilogram Suicide Vest. OR just the occasional female suicide bomber.

After 3 such incidents in an Islamic community, even the native women grow weary of the veiled threats.

Henry Chinaski

It's interesting to think of the cultural stresses that must be happening in these countries -- clothing being possibly the most visible. Inner and inter tensions must be skyrocketing.

To see a people who've fought to gain certain freedoms (presumably ALL freedoms) so quick to limit them.

Certainly violent dictatorships are not enjoyable. But maybe nobody planned on the fact that pluralism is much more trying in many different ways. It's a trade off.

Robert Salama

Egypt, where are you going to, and what your people need from you. are they need you naked or they need you veiled? which one you one you should be and which way you should go. let me tell you that nether of them are easy way both are really hard to go with. simply because there are three different groups fight to take the power, christian, Muslims brother hood, and Salafist, some of them are liberal and some are not and each one see himself as the only one carry the truth and the right way for the Egyptian. should we see a civil war in Egypt soon? it is possibly, just wait till the election be over. Egypt is a great country and I wish they can be able to handle their future and do the best for their country whoever has the power it doesn't matter Egyptian are really strong and through the history they have been telling the ruler that they are not easy to please and when they got mad they do whatever it cost them to get their freedom back as we see last January in the Egyptian revolution.


The Economist is confused. Islamic fundamentalists already assume that everyone who does not subscribe to their world view is wrong, wicked, and not to be tolerated. It doesn't matter a whit whether or not some young woman poses nude; the Islamists will pursue their agenda regardless of any liberal hand-wringing, compromises, or other genuflections. This is an ideological movement and the notion that it will be influenced in any way by outsiders is frankly risible. The writer of the article needs to take a reality check.

RockyMountain1984 in reply to CA-Oxonian

I also agree that the girl should not be condemned. Was her behavior appropriate or discreet? Of course not. Even in a free country it might not be a good idea to pose a self portrait of nudity when you are still a college girl. But by taking this unusual action in a country loomed by religion extremists, her act was a demonstration of bravery and has a strong meaning of supporting freedom of expression. If you are meant to promote an idea, something uncommon can be done to attract maximum attention. At this moment, I don’t think the extremists will take bold moves to put the girl’s life in jeopardy, provided that they are not stupid enough to spoil their election campaign.

Jevy in reply to CA-Oxonian

no i do not think that that it the point that the economist was trying to make. the point was towards those who are confused whether to chose between conservatism and liberalism, and if those confused will think that liberalism will result in their daughters posting as the naked girl then that means trouble...

heythere in reply to CA-Oxonian


-Islamic fundamentalists, sure, but most definitely not Islam. Thought the distinction should be made and clarified.

Reluctant Polluter in reply to heythere

@ heythere:

"Islamic fundamentalists, sure, but most definitely not Islam."

To put it mildly, you're not sincere.

There is no any difference between Islam and fundamentalist Islam except some not very convincing make-up. And this has been proven time and again.


It's great that they are getting more relaxed about the dress-code and stuff, but all of the other women must HATE that girls for posting that picture of herself! Finally they get the chance to wear normal clothes and then someone (like always) goes way too far and will more than likely ruin it for everyone else. It's great that she is happy to be free from the robes but come on, I'm sure there was a much more mature way to have gotten people's attention. But, she is making the news which was what she was aiming for...I'm guessing she won't have too many friends for a while though.


I just cannot accept that whenever Islamic people migrate to non-Islamic countries they think it is in their pristine right to bring along their customs, while at the same time I, a simple atheist, cannot even visit Mecca, let alone bring my bottle of scotch.

Isaiah Ellison in reply to imcampos

Is it okay for people who live in their community to make and enforce rules or not? Either you you have a principle that people conform to the community they visit or the communities have to tolerate them. At least you know before you leave for Mecca what the rules are. No politicians are going to make you the scapegoat for societies ills or make you a political issue to help them get re-elected. Lets be clear. They were told their "customs" would be OK, that the West accepted anything as long as it didn't harm anyone. How are you harmed by a woman wearing the niqab or not being able to go to Mecca? Will drinking in Mecca somehow extend your life or even add any measure of quality to it?

neutrino123 in reply to Isaiah Ellison

"If,living in Italy, you admire Italian art while distrusting Italian
character, you are a tourist, or cad. If, living in Italy, you admire
Italian art while despising Italian religion, you are a tourist, or cad.
It does not matter how many years you have lived there. "
The Aristocratic `Arry

They know what they are into before emigrating to Europe, yet those tourist is demanding for special treatment and trying to muslimnized their host.

heythere in reply to imcampos

Mecca is one of the holiest places for Muslims - a place where nobody is allowed to consume alcohol, something that is not allowed in Islam, and thus not tolerable in a holy place either.

The holy site is the only place where non-Muslims are not allowed to visit. The city Mecca itself is open for all visitors. And on special circumstances, even the non-Muslims are allowed to visit the holy site.

Information should be presented clearly and wholly.


Your questions are irrelevant to the issue.

And the issue is the reciprocity:

if Judeo-Christian, or Western, mores are not acceptable for Mohammedans, why would their - quite savage, in my opinion - "traditions" would be tolerated in our world?

forsize in reply to Isaiah Ellison

I'm sure there are people harmed by not being able to goto mecca, archaeologists, anthropologists, tourists.

but does that even matter? are you defending your religion's vile bigotry(so extreme that it completely excludes others from entire cities) on the basis that in your bigoted opinion it might not harm them?

sad sad stuff.



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