Revolution in Egypt

Just moments ago, Pres. Mubarack of Egypt finally resigned and turned over his power to the military after eighteen weeks of rebellious crowds in the streets! Mubarack's repeated assertions that he would remain in office until September and only then give over when his power to his vice president were discouraging to those demonstrating against him, and to me as well. For over a week the TV has focused on the throngs of rebels. Mubarack had insisted that his remaining in office until the scheduled election time was necessary to maintain order in the Egyptian culture. It looked like he would never give up power until he was good and ready. His overthrow has to be of monumental importance, but only time will reveal its full impact on Egypt and the world at large.                                                                                                            What an exciting time to be alive!
The above was written two days ago. Questions arise, now that the dust has settled and clean-up of the squares has begun. One thing's for certain: This successful rebellion never would have occurred without the exchange of information made possible by the Internet. We live in a dramatically different world because of the social network. I wonder what, if any, changes the revolution will bring about in the life of the typical Egyptian woman. I suspect there will be quite a few! Time will tell! Yes sirree, this is an exciting time to be alive!

Egypt's Women

While my TV screen is filled with rebellious throngs marching by the tens of thousands in Egyptian cities, I ponder how little I know of that exotic country and , in particular, about contemporary Egyptian women. There has been so much political upheaval and war elsewhere in the Mideast that Egypt has not been the focus of attention on the media. I guess I have come to think of Egypt as a country of relative stability. Haven't thought much about Egyptian women's roles.                                                                               The Internet and cell phones have opened up the world to Egyptians, and their disbursement of information has led to their being banned throughout the country. The world is now hoping there will be no more bloodshed, and I pray that a resolution is found that is acceptable to the citizenry. For now the demonstrations rage on.
The TV shows only a few women among the demonstrators, and those few are dutifully wearing head coverings even when they are shouting their defiance. I will try to learn more about how technology may have impacted the modern Egyptian woman and how she has been affected by the rebellion in the streets.