On the occasion of International Women\u2019s Day, and in response to a question from one of my patients about the relationship between society and women, I said:<\/p>\n
In general, in societies where masculine tendencies dominate, the woman is blamed in all cases, even if she is raped or violated.
In private life between man and woman, society regresses when her freedom is violated \u2014 through verbal harassment, physical touching, or a degrading view of her body.<\/p>\n
Practices such as what they call \u201cpurity\u201d \u2014 which scientifically is mutilation of the female genital organs without consent \u2014 or forcing marriage in childhood, hiding her identity in the name of protection, or depriving her of the right to continue her marital life by abolishing laws that grant her this right \u2014 all reflect this regression.<\/p>\n
I found myself thinking: what is the link between society and woman except a cultural interdependence, in which there is a collective split personality.
Society glorifies the mother and calls Egypt \u201cMother of the World,\u201d yet at the same time accuses the woman and violates her rights, even if she is the victim.<\/p>\n
The masculine mindset claims that woman was created from Adam\u2019s rib.
To me, Adam may be a name that could refer to a man, a woman, or both.<\/p>\n
Returning to science, I see that self-awareness through reason is the greatest human ability.
Religion \u2014 especially Islam \u2014 urges us to think, search, and learn.<\/p>\n
When Darwin proposed evolution over billions of years, the theory collided with religious interpretations held by clergy in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.
The same resistance appeared when science proved that Earth is not the center of the universe.<\/p>\n
Interpretations are human, not sacred.
Humanity must mature and allow knowledge to accumulate, rather than stopping at the childhood stage of collective thinking.<\/p>\n
Was the beginning of creation \u2014 symbolized in religion by Adam \u2014 a complete human formed instantly from clay, as literal interpretations say?<\/p>\n
Many people today \u2014 including myself \u2014 see the story of Adam and Eve as symbolic, and some scholars from different religions share this view.<\/p>\n
Scientific evidence shows that genetic diversity in humans is too great to come from only two individuals.<\/p>\n
Mitochondrial DNA, inherited only from the mother, traces all humans back to one woman who lived in East Africa about 150,000 years ago \u2014 called Mitochondrial Eve<\/strong>.<\/p>\n This suggests humanity may not have descended from only two people.<\/p>\n Genetic diversity requires at least 50 individuals to avoid extinction, and about 500 to avoid genetic drift. This agrees with evolutionary theory but conflicts with literal religious interpretations.<\/p>\n The story of Adam and Eve may be symbolic, meaning that humans came from one community.<\/p>\n Compared to the 14-billion-year age of the universe, human existence is less than a second.<\/p>\n We are not even a scene in the film, yet we think the film revolves around us.<\/p>\n The Egyptian woman is extraordinary \u2014 mother, worker, farmer, leader. When she sat on the throne, Hatshepsut ruled for 21 years and made Egypt a great power.<\/p>\n When she sang, she became Umm Kulthum<\/strong>, the Star of the East.<\/p>\n She led airplanes, revolutions, science, medicine, and art.<\/p>\n What protects women from oppression today?<\/p>\n Science. Every family must arm its daughters with knowledge.<\/p>\n To all the women of Egypt\u2026 On the occasion of International Women\u2019s Day, and in response to a question from one of my patients about the relationship between society and women, I said: In general, in societies where masculine tendencies dominate, the woman is blamed in all cases, even if she is raped or violated.In private life between man and woman, …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11185,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[280,103,16,270,197],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13717","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-2026-collective-activities-articles","category-all-articles","category-articles-by-dr-badrawi","category-egyptke-website","category-translated-articles"],"yoast_head":"\n
Estimates suggest that early humans needed a population of at least 2,500 individuals to survive.<\/p>\n
\nReturning to the Egyptian woman<\/h3>\n
When educated, she excels.
When she ruled in ancient Egypt, she led with wisdom.<\/p>\n
Knowledge.
Education.<\/p>\n
Your past is civilization,
Your present is strength,
And your future is light.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"