The Lebanese society is deeply engrained in patriarchy and still treats women as second-class citizens. Cultural norms justify shaming women’s bodies, blaming them for their own sexual assault and even sometimes killing them. This behavior is socially justified in the name of “honor” - a sacred notion that is strictly tied to women’s bodies.

Since October 17 2020, Lebanon is witnessing a revolution against the ruling class. The walls of fear are shattered as people bluntly attack the system with its corruption/oppression/and patriarchy, with women being at the forefront of the revolution since day one.

In line with the revolution’s social pressure and demand for freedom, Lebanese women’s rights NGO ABAAD aims to break the link between the notion of honor and women’s bodies, for women to reclaim them as their own.

MY BODY IS NOT YOUR HONOR – عرضي منو جسدي، جسدي منو شرفك

In a society where women’s virginity is non-negotiable and where sexual freedom is almost non-existing, people believe that the honor of women is strictly linked to their bodies. Furthermore, they link women’s honor to that of the men in their lives. If one is raped, her brother’s honor is shaken. If a woman loses her virginity before marriage, her dad’s dignity is put to the ground. Hence, it is imperative to give women the voice they need to say ‘My body is not your honor’ as a first step towards the emancipation of women and their bodies.

Within the context of the Lebanese revolution, it is crucial for us to magnify women’s voices to fight, for the first time, for their sexual freedom.

As Lebanon’s always been at the forefront of the fight for women’s rights amongst Arab countries, we create the first feminist anthem of the Arab-world to shed light on women’s common struggles because of the honor notion. The song is by Lebanese women for every Arab woman out there, to tell a story of strength/empowerment, using a bold tonality that shakes toxic masculinity, while steering away from portraying women as victims.

Given censorship is widely practiced in traditional Lebanese media, we launch our video primarily on social platforms (Facebook/Instagram/Twitter/Youtube). The song is raw and exposes reality as it is, to the point that TV shows took the initiative to feature it during primetime.

The song is also launched on music platforms like SoundCloud/Anghami.

The songممنوعة_من_العرض implies the double-meaning of ‘honor’ and ‘censorship’, representing the oppression women face when it comes to their own bodies.

With a modern electronic/instrumental music composition, the song combines slam verses that portray reality as it is with no shame, and a melodic chorus that speaks to every Arab woman as we sing ‘I am you, I am a thousand rebels’.

As the song launch sparks an unprecedented online buzz, we trigger our influencer program to fuel the conversation which is picked up by local/international media and public figures.

A week after the launch, we take our anthem to the streets, as we collaborate with feminist groups to organize a protest calling for the sexual liberation of women’s bodies. Thousands of women join from across the country. They break their silence and repeat our song with one voice to let everyone hear their screams once and for all.

ENGAGEMENT

The launch of the song/music-video sparks an unprecedented conversation. Women break their silence, and for the first time they bluntly discuss their sexuality to reclaim their own bodies with no shame or fear.

- 530M+ impressions

- 7.5M+ views

- $2M earned media

- 93K engagements

- 81 publications (15 countries)

WOMEN MARCH

Following the video launch, thousands of women take to the streets of Beirut. With one collective voice, they sing our lyrics and demand the freedom that should have been theirs a long time ago.

COVERAGE+SUPPORT

- Prominent celebrities and public figures tweet/post their support.

- Local/regional and international coverage (including Washington Post, The Guardian, BBC Arabia, Alaraby UK, AP News, Euronews Arabic, Al Jazeera, L’orient Le Jour among others.)