It's tough being a woman anywhere in the world, and it's even tougher for women in the Arab region. The system of patriarchy, which holds men in higher esteem due to the existence of a Y chromosome in their body cell, is to blame.
Through art - in the form of >illustrations, >books, and >music - Arabs have long been pushing back. Lebanese rapper >Bu Nasser is the latest to do so through an epic video series titled "Al Butuqa", which is Arabic for "crucible".
The rapper recently released the second episode of the series, garnering over 10,000 views at the time of writing.
"In this video, we are highlighting the everyday struggles women face when living under patriarchal rule. They are in contact with men who treat them as inferior beings," rapper Bu Nasser told StepFeed.
In the video, the rapper can be seen spewing demeaning remarks at a woman as she enters the taxi he's driving, imitating hateful comments women receive on a daily basis ... because the patriarchy allows it.
"You are like the rug that won't get clean without pounding"
The music video features Lebanese artist Lama Kassem, a victim of patriarchy herself. More often than not, women receive uncalled-for patriarchal advice revolved around jobs they go for or hobbies they take up.
The same applies to artists who play certain musical instruments, including the oud, which some people believe is not "feminine enough" - a phrase Kassem has encountered numerous times.
To combat this, Kassem and Bu Nasser collaborated to shut down the sexism.
"We decided to collaborate by putting our musical talents together to convey a message to shut down the patriarchy," Bu Nasser told StepFeed.
The rapper explained that the most striking part of the video is the last scene, which conveys a message that emphasizes how "the old days are over".
"Now is the time the authoritarian man's mustache falls off"
"My music now plays a role in addressing these rights"
Bu Nasser has been working in the rap scene for over 10 years. With time, he has come to realize that "human struggles are interconnected, and no struggle can be disconnected from another".
"When it comes to the law and one's freedom, whether political, personal, or sexual, the same applies," he told StepFeed.