Phallocracia

/.../ Today this appalling sexual terror wave has fainted out, but the usual harassment, a cocktail of frustrated pulsions and an extremely phallocratic regime are still ruining Egyptian women’s daily life. One cannot say it is like anywhere in the world. There seems to be an Egyptian syndrome. Feminist organizations have worked for years, and are still working, to combat this phenomenon. They are trying to break out of the complexities of the social taboos that blame women for participating in demonstrations, a process that reaches the extent of blaming women for leaving their houses in the first place. Women are also blamed for what they wear, though according to statistics those dressed modestly or islamically correct undergo as much if not more harassment. Such cliches are legion.

My work to condemn this is a photographic essay, which takes from my usual documentary background and mixes up with conceptual thinking and a digital collage technique. I realised this was my best chance at making visible a phenomenon which otherwise would be hardly picturable; a state of mind as well as a political regime totally phallocratic.

To read pictures’ captions click on the images hereunder.