Coverage of the Egyptian protests this week disproportionately interviewed and photographed male protestors, occasionally using the terms “Egyptian men” and “protestors” interchangeably (excellent example here). What images we did receive of women depicted them as separate from the demonstrations if not dependent on male guardianship. The paucity of images or stories about women activists excludes them from the national uprising and silences their protests.
Outside of the mainstream media a widely circulated photo album, available to anyone with Facebook, collected over a hundred pictures of Egyptian women demonstrating. Curation of this album during the internet blackout, when nearly all images were filtered through the media, serves as a testament to the value of diaspora and transnational networks. Additionally, placing these images side by side becomes a powerful counter to women’s media invisibility and highlights diversity of backgrounds, opinions, and forms of protest undertaken by Egyptian women.
It might be worth nothing that we’re seeing more stories about women since a You Tube video (below) of a woman calling for people to join her in protest on January 25th caught the attention of the media. Namely this excellent NPR story and an AFP article. Lastly, anyone interested in social media should visit this Facebook group.
April Crewson is completing her masters in Gender Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.
Comments 15
T — February 7, 2011
Given the social structure found in Egypt, even in Cairo and Alexandria... I'm really curious if the guest poster could define "disproportionately."
I've been following the developments in Egypt quite a bit -- probably an understatement -- and my sources have been primarily the "mainstream media" (NYTimes, CNN, NBC, ABC, Al Jazeera, The Guardian). I've seen women involved. Not many. There were more women in the foreign protests (NYC, Atlanta, Detroit, London, Paris, etc.), but women were not invisible in the news reports from Egypt.
Like I said, I'm not interested in exploring the gender issues in Egypt... I'm interested in this term "disproportionately."
Egyptian Women In Protest « NOLAFemmes — February 8, 2011
[...] to go to bed but first I’m posting this photo and a link to a piece on Sociological Images, Women’s Media Visibility in Egypt’s Protests. Have you, like me, wondered why we aren’t seeing women in the recent protests in Egypt? Find [...]
MissDisco — February 8, 2011
I've seen plenty of women on BBC coverage. Hmmm. Though the BBC seem to increasingly avoid the protestors, who just seem to swarm on them to jump on the cameraman.
MissDisco — February 8, 2011
Also, in that picture above, that women appears to be walking from right to left, where the men are in various running postures.
Lina Ali — February 10, 2011
please mind the poor english
thank you for the article
i have been always been interested in reading this blog
always covering different things that doesn't come to your mind
i live in cairo egypt
i go to tahrir square not much that i have too
but there are lots of women from different background , age , ideology and religion
protesting for the same cause
and see you lots of families
i felt something really different that everyone is an equal there
it is like an open symposium
maybe you wont find women on the front lines of the fights
when the police and thugs were attacking
but we were there
maybe till now one egyptian girl has passed away(the declared)
in the check points civilians you find women
in the field hospitals you find women
in the protests you find women
what i am hoping for is a women would apply for the next elections
and please check Facebook
you can find tonz of photos and videos
NB — February 14, 2011
Hi,
I completely agree with Lina Ali. Just because the media decides not to portray the Egyptian women, does not mean they are not there.
But I'm not very good at arguing so I think I'll let this video, made by Sami Yusuf called "I'm your hope", talk for me. Enjoy:
http://www.samiyusufofficial.com/
Anonymous — March 16, 2011
hi , i am actually doing an assignment for women studies Feminist Media vs main streem news outlets and how they differ.
I wam wondering if the guest speaker has any good feminist websites to share about the Egypt Protest or any good feminist news articles about this protest.
thank you very much :)
egypt women pictures — June 1, 2011
[...] Women's Media Visiblity in Egypt's Protests В» Sociological Images Feb 7, 2011 … Just because the media decides not to portray the Egyptian women, does not mean they are not there. … [...]
Mighty » Blog Archive » pictures of women in the media — June 6, 2011
[...] Women's Media Visiblity in Egypt's Protests В» Sociological Images Feb 7, 2011 … Additionally, placing these images side by side becomes a powerful counter to women's media … [...]