Women are not men's toys

"This Egyptian society used to exist solely on the backs of men. Women, veiled and confined, lived within the four walls of their homes, hidden behind doors and windows. These windows were often latticework screens, allowing them to glimpse the street by pressing their faces against the openings, catching a glimpse of the movement of people and things, and feeling that they were still alive, or that they had a part, however small, in public life. But this education, which our girls have received at all three levels—primary, secondary, and higher—has elevated Egyptian women to a high level, compelling men to respect them and forcing us all to change the unjust laws that have humiliated them." Thus begins Salama Moussa's book, "Woman Is Not Man's Plaything," a work belonging to what is known among female intellectuals as the feminist movement. This movement is driven by motives related to women's issues, and its members agree that its ultimate goal is to eliminate all forms of societal oppression connected to gender, allowing everyone, women and men, to grow and participate in society safely and freely. Most feminists are particularly concerned with issues of political, social, and economic inequality between women and men, and some argue that notions of gender and sex identity are determined by social structure. If we examine this book, we find that the social and political theories and ethical philosophies of feminism underlie its essays.