Perhaps it is no coincidence that we have chosen to talk about women in times of revolution. Since October 17, 2019, Lebanese women have played a prominent role in a revolution that has marked Lebanon’s modern history. What impact do women have on this movement?
If we proceed from the premise that women are citizens on a par with men, and accordingly they enjoy full rights and carry out duties like them, then talking about distinctiveness is no longer justified, because in this case, women are seen as citizens participating in professional, social, cultural and political life, and consequently in revolutionary life.
Barbed wire
In times of revolution, the issue of equality between women and men cannot be considered transient. But if we linked it to the concept of citizenship as a whole, then equality would be a matter of detail and would not assume importance. This is probably what has motivated Lebanese women to become increasingly involved in the revolution since its outbreak and to struggle side by side with men on all levels, not to say that they have outdone them in some instances.
The most significant role played by women in the revolution was manifested in the Shiyah - Ain El-Remmaneh demonstration in an area bearing a powerful symbol since war times. The “women’s” decision to organize a demonstration there aimed to prevent the recurrence of the war bitter experience on the basis of genuine citizenship that makes women responsible at the national level, just as men, and because genuine citizenship must also promote civil peace and protect it from violence.
Linda Khairallah, one of the mothers who participated in the demonstration, describes that day by saying, “It was a great day. We felt that spontaneous love which prevailed among all. As Muslims and Christians, we have common concern and pain, i.e. adverse living conditions in this country.”
She goes on to say, “We are all mothers, and we do not want our children to leave this country.” Linda is the mother of three young men out of whom only one still lives in Lebanon. She commented by saying, “I am fed up with immigration, even though I have not experienced it myself, but my children’s experience makes me hate it. This pain is certainly shared by many mothers.”
Linda admits that Lebanese women, and specifically Lebanese mothers, have suffered tremendously, and it is not unusual that they are at the forefront of the revolution. “It is the pain that drives them, so their experience is heartfelt and touching.”
This women’s movement has further strengthened the concept of citizenship and women’s sharing men in all fields, even those that are considered risky. This problematic of equality between men and women prompted the 2019 Human Development Report to address the issue in the framework of “inequalities in the 21st century”. Issued by the United Nations Development Program, the report indicates that “Gender inequality is intrinsically linked to human development, and it exhibits the same dynamics of convergence in basic capabilities and divergence in enhanced capabilities. Overall, it is still the case—as Martha Nussbaum has pointed out—that ‘women in much of the world lack support for fundamental functions of a human life.’ This is evident in the Gender Inequality Index and its components—reflecting gaps in reproductive health, empowerment and the labour market.”
However, the report itself refers to the fact that “Inequalities for some basic capabilities are slowly narrowing across most countries, even if much remains to be done.” It also emphasizes a key message that “Inequalities accumulate through life often reflecting deep power imbalances.” This equation bears no resemblance to the time of the revolution that Lebanon has witnessed for nearly six months, as women have often been at the forefront of the protest movement and have proven how they can translate genuine citizenship into concrete action. Accordingly, referring to differentiation is unlikely. The role of women was evident in every clash, as they acted as buffer between demonstrators and security forces and formed “barbed wire” to prevent any friction between the two parties. In short, they are the ones who have protected men!
Once again, women have demonstrated that they share with men genuine citizenship.
Media professionals or women?
The media has been the main pillar of the revolution over the past six months. At the practical level, journalist Rachel Karam had field experience with the protest movement in the critical area of Tripoli. She says, “Roles differ in accordance with the nature of women and men. Women generally tend to be calm; they approach reality from a humane perspective more than men do, and know how to tackle pain and suffering. But I do not think that people deal with female and male reporters differently. Even security forces do not deal with women differently. I noticed that women have never been protected in the revolution, because the security forces do not distinguish between a man and a woman, especially in expressing their anger. There is no differentiation at all.”
As a woman, Karam thought that perhaps the equation is clear when it comes to men: force versus force. However, when it comes to women, the approach is different. Karam admits that “the reporter’s personality also plays a major role, add to this the fact that professional experience and the perception of the media and the profession as a whole are all cornerstone factors in dealing with the event. This is what causes the distinctiveness between media professionals, whether they are men or women.”
But the media in general is facing a major challenge, namely social media, as every individual has become a journalist evaluating the experience of media professionals. This is partly negative and detrimental to the profession as well. Such “chaos” never promotes genuine citizenship, but rather impairs and derails it, because public responsibility can never be dissociated from citizenship, but rather both are two sides of the same coin.
In conclusion, Lebanese women have undergone many experiences during wartime, peacetime, and the revolution. As a result, it is said that “the revolution is female.”