Before you all get angry, relax, we’re not saying all Egyptian men are misogynists. We’re Egyptians ourselves and if all men were like that, we would have been in a great deal of trouble. While not all Egyptian men are the same, there are some… patterns that we’ve noticed exist in the vast majority. There are certain rules that, although they make no sense, most men so desperately try to follow. Rules like not letting the woman pay for anything in their home, to not smoking shisha unless he’s with you (so we won’t even try to pretend it’s a health thing?)
These rules control men as much as they control women. Prince Charming can’t be so charming when he…
Questions your Morals
If Sleeping Beauty was Egyptian, and Brens Phillip was supposed to kiss her to wake her up, we wouldn’t be surprised if the first thing that comes to his mind when his princess awakens is to questions her morals. If she let him kiss her now, then who has she kissed before, right? This all stems from misogynists’ idea that women are their property, and are not to be touched by anyone but them. If they are touched by someone else, they are spoiled goods. They are less than worthy. It goes without saying that these men believe they can do whatever they please with other women, but God forbid they’d marry them.
Believes your Body is his Honor
Society sometimes treats men as if they’re magical honor protectors, and women as if they can’t be responsible for their own decisions. This makes men frantic about things only they would notice, like your back showing when your top slides up. To this kind of man, your body is his and his alone. It is not yours for you to make decisions about it. It’s not about religion either because he might do a lot of things that are considered a sin, but if an inch of your body shows, he instantly turns into a sheikh. Why? Just to make sure no one else sees what’s his.
Decides he Must be the Sole Bread Provider
Some men get really, really offended when their wives help with anything related to their home’s financials, be it picking up some groceries or helping prepare the house they’ll get married in. Aladdin would have had a huge problem with Jasmine’s princess status had he been one of those men. To those men, a woman who is strong and independent isn’t to be admired, she is a threat. If he lets her contribute then she might realize she doesn’t need him, and to him that’s the scariest thing in the world.
Be his Family’s Puppet
Not just the family’s, but the entire society’s puppet. Pocahontas would have had a hard time being accepted in an Egyptian family. She might even get dumped because it’s been decided that John will marry his cousin. It doesn’t have to be a race thing. Those men will do anything to please their families and completely disregard the women they may have promised marriage to. These men will date women, while fully aware they’ve been “promised” to someone else.
Treats you Like a Child
Do you know how some Egyptian men will pat themselves on the back for being liberal and open minded when he “lets” his girlfriend or wife smoke shisha, but only when she’s with him? Not realizing he’s treating her like a child. Alice wouldn’t have been even allowed to talk to that caterpillar. If your significant other does this, be sure that he’s not doing this for your health. It’s just a way for him to assert his dominance, “you can do this, but only because I allow it”.
Give you a Curfew
This is somewhat like the previous point. Cinderella’s driving curfew wouldn’t have allowed her to return home on her own. Some women might feel like this stems from protectiveness, but it really comes from a very condescending place, a place where men believe women cannot take care of themselves. He will tell you to not drive on your own late at night, but trust your life in the hands of a driver he doesn’t know!