Sexuality and eroticism in Islam
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Interview with the Yemeni author Ali al-Muqri
″Sex is the origin of all life″
The novels of Yemeni author Ali al-Muqri are well-known to Arab readers and a few have already been translated into other languages. Al-Muqri often deals with subjects like sex, war and religion. His novel ″Hurma″ (French: ″Femme interdite″) won him the French prize for Arabic literature. Interview by Amida Sholan
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Prostitution in Tunisia
The big reveal
An art project exposes just how much the state controls sex workers in Tunisia. Such women not only have their freedom of movement restricted, they also face social isolation. Several brothels have been closed down since the Jasmine revolution. A report by Christina Omlin
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Introducing Dhee
Bangladesh's first lesbian comic strip heroine
Homosexuality is a taboo in Bangladesh, a predominantly Muslim country. To foster awareness about the rights of homosexual people, the country's largest gay rights group has launched a lesbian comic strip
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Male belly dancers in Turkey
Shimmying, swaying and gyrating to the beat
In Turkey, men are conquering the stage in the world of belly dance. The increasing popularity of male dancers is based on more than just the apparent novelty of their performances. In Istanbul, Cigdem Akyol met two belly dancers and spoke to them about their profession
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Abla Fahita: an Egyptian media phenomenon
The taboo-challenging puppet
The TV puppet Abla Fahita is causing a furore in Egypt. On her new show, "Live from the Duplex", she frequently and unashamedly addresses taboo topics – a fact that divides opinion in Egyptian society. Elisabeth Lehmann reports from Cairo
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Nabil Ayouch's film "Much Loved"
Sinner or saint?
Screenings of Nabil Ayouch's new film "Much Loved" have been banned in Morocco. Described as "an insult to all Moroccan women", the drama focuses on the lives of three prostitutes in Marrakech. It was a big hit at this year's Munich Filmfest. By Susan Vahabzadeh
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Mona Eltahawy: "Why do you hate us so?"
The Middle East needs a sexual revolution
As long as there is no true revolution, women in Islamic countries will remain second-class citizens, believes the controversial Egyptian journalist Mona Eltahawy. Claudia Kramatschek introduces her recent book
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Book review: "What Makes a Man? Sex Talk in Beirut and Berlin"
An honest and painful cultural exchange
In 2003, two authors – one from Germany, one from Lebanon – spent time in each other's company and countries as part of a cultural exchange programme. Twelve years on, a book resulting from this encounter has been published: one section of the book details the Lebanese author's reaction to meeting a homosexual; another is devoted to the German author's rebuttal of this account. According to Nahrain Al-Mousawi, it is an unsettling read on many levels
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Female genital mutilation in Egypt
Using comedy to combat a cruel tradition
The group "HaraTV" in Egypt uses theatre to try to enlighten people about female genital mutilation. Elisabeth Lehmann attended one of their performances
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LGBT in Islam
"Islam does give us leeway to think"
Muslim and gay? Most scholars consider homosexual acts unlawful – not so Muhsin Hendricks, who says that the Koran does not say that homosexuality is a sin. Jannis Hagmann spoke to the South African imam about Islam, homosexuality and Koranic interpretation
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Tenth anniversary of the death of Mohamed Choukri
The "White Nightingale" of Tangier
The Moroccan writer Mohamed Choukri may have died over a decade ago, but the debate surrounding his controversial work continues in conservative Morocco to this day. Aziz Dariouchi on the discourse surrounding Choukri's literary legacy
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Interview with Joumana Haddad
"I don't believe in female solidarity"
The Lebanese journalist and writer Joumana Haddad is considered one of the most courageous women's rights activists in the Arab world. In this interview with Ceyda Nurtsch, she talks about the erotic magazine "Jasad", feminist stereotypes and why the "Arab Spring" was just another winter