Egyptian Women Still At Risk From Their Government and Military

by Robert Wilkinson

The military strongman who brutally cracked down on civilians and conducted "Virginity tests" on female protesters is about to become Egypt's president.

This isn't just the "lesser of two evils," as much as a repulsive "choice" between different forms of raw evil. In the WaPo news story, In Egypt, presidential contender Abdel Fattah al-Sissi appeals to women voters we read "A former army chief who defended conducting invasive “virginity tests” on female protesters is expected to be elected Egypt’s president this week — with a large constituency of women voters."

I originally gave you this story exactly 3 years ago in the article Egyptian Military Do "Virginity tests" on Female Protesters While Dancers are Arrested at the Jefferson Memorial In it you'll find links to the original news stories reported "for all the honest world to feel." I also bring up some important considerations about Gandhian principles of non-participation in evil that might be beneficial for readers when they're dealing with forms of coercion.

Anyway, the media is spinning that the women hate Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood, and all the other heavy-handed authoritarians that took away their rights under the previous government. But while it's very clear that a strict Muslim government might be bad for women's rights, it also seems clear that someone who could order "virginity tests" on women protesters is also a devil of the highest order.

Sorry, Egypt. Democracy is messy, and powerful men do not necessarily have our best interests at heart, even though they would swear they do. I would only hope this barbarian about to become president has realized the folly of his past ways and renounces any and all policies that allow violence against women.

© Copyright 2014 Robert Wilkinson