She wrote extensively about life within harems, gender, and public and private spheres. "Size 6: The Western Women’s Harem," is an essay from her book, "Scheherazade Goes West: Different Cultures, Different Harems" and it discusses the repression and pressures women face merely based on their physical appearance. Whether it is women being analyzed in Moroccan society or in the West, it seems that they must live up to stereotypical standards such as dress sizes. Mernissi compares the clothing size 6 to harems and states that these practices isolate and mistreat women.