We all know the battle women in the Arab world are constantly faced with. Whether it's judgement, societal or familial pressure, women are oftentimes left feeling discouraged and demotivated. Women in Egypt are no exception, unfortunately. Many of them fear voicing their own opinions and pursuing their dreams because they are afraid of society.
FP7 launched an initiative, 3ala Rasy (On Top of My Head), to empower these women to embrace their individuality outside of society's expectations. Using the power of reverse poetry, the video shows two opposing women's perspective. From the optimistic and empowered women to the discouraged and self-conscious, each and every one of us fits in one extreme.
نظرتك للحاجة ممكن تغير حياتك، تفرق في شكلك وثقتك في اللي حواليكي. كل حاجة بتتغير بدايتها سؤال: هتشوفيها إزاي؟#على_راسي
Posted by 3ala Rasy on Thursday, March 10, 2016
It starts with the self-conscious woman waking up to a new day, but the same life. Everything that goes inside her head echoes back the words: I can't. Everything to her is impossible because that's what society has her believing. She goes on to talk about her "mediocre" looks, her weight and the limited choices she is faced with on a daily basis. The life she dreams of having is "unattainable" in their eyes. In their eyes, she is not complete.
A turn of events takes place when she decides to tell herself the opposite of what society has long been feeding her mind. Reading the poem in reverse sheds light on the fact that she won't let society choose her path, tell her she's not beautiful, and make her believe that her dreams are unachievable.
In the end, on top of your head are the hijab, words, and thoughts and you are the only one that gets to choose how to see it. Don't let society do that for you.