May Sayegh

May Musa Sayegh (Arabic: مي الصايغ‎, born 1940, also spelled Mai Sayegh) is a Palestinian poet, feminist, political activist and writer.

May Sayegh
مي الصايغ
Born1940 (age 80–81)
Gaza City, Mandate of Palestine
NationalityPalestinian
OccupationPoet, activist, feminist

Biography

Sayegh was born in 1940 in Gaza city in the Mandate of Palestine. She earned a Bachelor's degree in philosophy and sociology from Cairo University.[1] In 1954, she was the head of the Baath party women's division in the Palestinian territories.[2] In the aftermath of the Six Day War in 1967 and the occupation of the Gaza Strip, she fled Gaza and settled in Beirut.[3]

She was the secretary general of the Palestinian Liberation Organization's (PLO) Women's Union from 1976 to 1986, and a member of the Palestine National Council (PNC).[4][5] The General Union of Palestinian Women was itself formed in 1965 as a result of a PNC decision in 1964.[2] Known for her strong anti-Zionist views, she stated the goal of Palestinians is the liberation of Palestine and that "any Palestinian who wanted less was a traitor"[4]

Within the Palestinian community, she is an outspoken advocate for women's rights especially politically, calling for greater inclusion of women in the Palestine National Council and policy-making. Sayegh believed the segregation of men and women as a form of discrimination as it prioritized the male component of the movement. In 1968, she took a stand against Fatah's policy of men leading women based purely on their gender and eventually lead to gender equality at grassroot levels.[6] Her bold approach to empowering women has attracted criticism, with one commentator in 1988 stating "she shouts too much".[7] She was a speaker at the 1980 United Nations Women's Conference in Copenhagen where she received "thunderous applause" for her speech on promoting peace, equality and development. She stated that the results of the conference was a success not only for Palestinians but "for all peoples fighting against racism, exploitation and foreign rule".[8]

Sayegh has also written poems about the struggles faced by women in the Palestinian refugee camps.[9] Her poems have been published in prominent Arab magazines across the region such as the Al-Adab magazine in Lebanon, Aqlam magazine in Iraq. She has also participated in poetry festivals across the Arab World including in Beirut, Baghdad, Kuwait City, Oman and Cairo.[5] Sayegh is married to Abu Hatam, a PLO official.[1] They have 4 children.[3]

Recognition

Sayegh received the Ana Betancourt award in the 1980s from the Cuban president Fidel Castro.[5]

She is also the subject of a 2001 documentary film Stories from Gaza (Arabic: حكيات من غزة‎) produced by Mer’ah Media and directed by Lebanese filmmaker Arab Loutfi.[10]

See also

References
  1. Turki, Fawaz (1988). Soul in Exile. NYU Press. pp. 13–14. ISBN 9780853457473. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  2. Pappe, Ed (1999). The Israel/Palestine Question. Psychology Press. p. 220. ISBN 9780415169486. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  3. "The Jerusalem Post Magazine". 1980. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  4. Kleinmann, Elliott (19 December 1980). "PLO is terrorist organization, foe of Israel and United States" (PDF). Daily Iowan. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  5. "مي الصايغ (in Arabic)". www.culture.gov.jo. وزارة الثقافة. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  6. Matos, Christine De; Ward, Rowena (2012). Gender, Power, and Military Occupations: Asia Pacific and the Middle East since 1945. Taylor & Francis. p. 202. ISBN 9781136339349. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  7. "Women in the PLO: rifles, fatigues, but no veils". Christian Science Monitor. 31 July 1981. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  8. "UN Women's Conference a Success for Progress". University of Arizona Library. Kabul New Times. 2 August 1980. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  9. Abdulrezak, Amal (2007). Contemporary Arab American Women Writers: Hyphenated Identities and Border Crossings. Cambria Press. p. 136. ISBN 9781621969570. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  10. "Arab Loutfi". Arab Women in Films. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
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