Egyptian Women Cut Their Hair to Protest Harassment during Constitution Referendum

Following are excerpts from a demonstration at Tahrir Square, in which women cut their hair in protest against harassment during constitution referendum. The footage was posted on the Internet on December 25, 2012.

Footage of Tahrir Square

Placard reads: “Your Constitution Is Null and Void”

Activist Fatima Al-Sharif: Today, December 25, 2012, we have come to Tahrir Square, and we intend to cut off some of our hair. This is not in order to look like men or to go against society’s values and norms, but is a peaceful means of opposition and protest, which does not diminish our rights or our patriotism.

Footage of women cutting off locks of their hair

Activist Hanan Al-Khouli: When we were little, we were taught that a woman’s hair is her crown. When we grew up, we realized that a woman’s freedom, not her hair, is her crown.

Fatima Al-Sharif: We are here to protest the harassment of women in the recent referendum, especially of women who do not wear the veil.

There is an ancient story about the daughter of Akhenaten, who shaved her head, and went around the country with her father, in order to talk about the repression and violence they faced.

We decided to do the same on a wider scale, and bring girls out to the street for the first time in order to demand their rights, like everybody else.

Freedom comes at a high price, and we are playing our small part in order to achieve our rights and say to people: “We are here.”

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