The negative feedback from her novels in Egypt lead to her being dismissed from her job.Īlthough Saadawi had lived through negative experiences, she didn’t let this hold her back and used loosing her job as an opportunity to go back to school. She did not let this setback keep her from expressing her opinions, to overcome this she began publishing in Lebanon. This enabled her to begin writing which would enrage the Egyptian government by their controversial nature, dangerous effect on society, leading to her works being banned in Egypt. Afterwards Saadawi was employed as Egypt’s Director of Public Health where she met her husband who shared the same views as her and encouraged her to continue her fight for women’s rights.

Overcoming the colonial and religious oppressions of women, Saadawi was able to attending the University of Cairo to obtain her degree in psychiatry. Despite these traditional beliefs, her parents encouraged their children to be educated. She grew up with eight brothers and sisters in a traditional family who had her circumcised at the age of six. Saadawi was born in 1931, in a small village of Kafr Tahla just outside of Cairo. However, Saadawi was not always so different in her beliefs and lifestyle. Saadawi is known as one of the most widely translated Egyptian writers, with works known in over 12 different languages. She still continues her activist movements for women rights, emphasizing the effects of rape, domestic violence, prostitution, and religious fundamentalism. Trained as a doctor, worked as a psychiatrist, then as a university lecturer, and on top of all these successes has written over 50 novels, short stories and plays, also been imprisoned for her political beliefs. At the age of 79, she is considered to be one of the few writers that “grows more angry with age, rather than milder.” By deciding to live as much as she can, Saadawi has been exposed to more life experience than any one can imagine. “Decide not to die young, but live as much as I can.” is Nawal El Saadawi’s response when asked if she could be any more radical with her activism.

Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi