Arab women are leading an online movement to redefine gender roles

Very few may agree on an accurate definition of what it means to be an Arab woman in today’s digital world. Egyptian women may find very little in common with their Iraqi, Palestinian or Lebanese counterparts.

However, it would be almost impossible not to note the current mix of satirical wit, passion and sense of adventure that brings Arab women together, especially those making a serious impact on younger generations using online tools.

They are smart, funny and fearless. Talented Arab women who have mastered the art of creating meaningful visual content despite facing shameless attacks from those resisting change. 

“When I first got into video gaming, I was attacked for 'meddling' in something ‘not meant for girls’. Nobody took me seriously.”  

Now at only 19, Hala Sherif, aka EgyGirlGamer, is the first Egyptian female gamer to run her gaming channel on YouTube with a total of 353K views.

“Go to the kitchen, this is not your area, leave the gaming to us,” are hate filled online comments men or boys still leave on pages of female gamers for the whole world to read. 

But in 2016 when world Activision -an American video game publisher- invited 25 lucky gamers for the launch of Call of Duty’s Infinite warfare, they chose Sherif as the only Arab and female gamer to attend the private London event.

Today, Sherif works at Arabhardware -the largest IT community in the Middle East- with over 3 million online visitors per month.

As a game reviewer and a host, Sherif “gets paid to play games” she says with a proud smile, “a dream job for any gamer.” Beyond the obvious fun, the video games industry is serious business. It is expected to generate $100 billion in revenues in 2017 and users in the Middle East are a lucrative niche.

Companies such as Activision, EA and Ubisoft are now shifting their attention to attract younger audiences in the region, placing Sherif at the forefront of the online wave.

“Our generation accepts all oddities. Back when I started, there was much more resistance to girl gamers. There are now several other girl gamers who are not getting attacked like I used to,” she says with a hopeful sigh.

An achievement, she says means a lot to her because “it was my dad, a gamer himself, who encouraged me to pursue this field despite being a girl.”

In 2016, self-professed pizza lover and Kuwait-based Lebanese graphic designer Reem Nadar took the social media scene by storm when she started posting videos that can serve as the work of a seasoned stand-up comedian.

Her sharp comments mixed with a sarcastic look at Arab society turned her into an instant favorite. 

Commentary on the patriarchy, out-of-control wedding costs and spontaneous rants about racism or prejudice, set Nadar apart from other women influencers. 

"It's my way of fighting negative stereotypes by spreading positive vibes, by making people laugh and hopefully encouraging others to discuss the issues that plague our society."

One of her videos reached 2.5M views on Facebook in just under a week -a decent number for someone using humor to highlight some very serious issues. 

“I always highlight the fact that we are all the same and should be respected and treated equally regardless of nationality, color, religion, sect, or finances."

Being funny or using comedy to alleviate or discuss Arab society’s contradictions is not traditionally seen as very ‘feminine’. Humor in our culture has traditionally been a trait among the top qualities of a Middle Eastern man. 

“I think that is because it is not easy for a woman to put herself out there and have to face all the negative comments thrown at her from absolute strangers, which can be a little easier for men to handle,” says Nadar who continues to brush off irrelevant and harsh comments about her looks, despite her popularity. 

“At first, I used to get angry and sad, and some of them made me cry at some point," explains Nadar who doesn’t even describe herself as a comedian but as a social media user who shares thoughts that others find funny. 

She does hope her online fame will one day open the door to acting.  

“I have always dreamt about acting, so if I ever get the chance to do that, I would quit my full-time job for sure,” says Nadar. 

Until then, her 74K followers remain entertained and quite supportive of her individuality. 

“I have been obsessed with science for as long as I can remember,” says Salam Katanani, an Abu Dhabi based mom who posts short hilarious videos full of scientific and philosophical theories. 

Unlike many women her age, Katanani says she didn’t have the chance to attend university after high school and had to immediately work to support her family.

“I got caught up in the work-family grind," she tells me with a slight regret she hides with a smile. 

So, between the morning rush to her office job and taking care of her 4-year-old, she manages to create videos about space discovery, Newton's Law and strange medical facts -all this packed in a spontaneous and funny video format she films in her car. 

“I know that there are a lot of young girls and boys who have great interest in pursuing innovation and worldwide change, but they don’t find the right support that feeds their curiosity and encourages them to go after their passion.”

Her peculiar style and visual content has garnered 50K followers at the time of writing.

“If we want to ever see change, it is by building a generation of strong, educated and brave individuals who aren’t afraid to drive change,” says Katanani who keeps her posts untainted by the lure of branded commercials. 

"For now I don't make money from my Instagram account, I simply do it to spread the love of science among young girls," she explains.

“A lot of young individuals, if given the chance, would innovate and excel in bringing up new ways that can benefit people and societies on a local or even an international scale."