Egypt's Answer To 'The Vagina Monologues' Confronts Sex, Violence And Daily Life For Women

During the first months of 2011, Sondos Shabayek often found herself at the front lines of Egypts revolution in Tahrir Square, where clashes between protesters and security forces marked the last days of Hosni Mubarak's regime. It was a chance to experience fear firsthand, she says now.

Shabayek joined thousands of Egyptians throughout weeks of demonstrations that began on Jan. 25, 2011, as they shared in their frustrations and chanted demands for bread, freedom, social justice and the downfall of the Mubarak government.

Driven by "incredible adrenaline," Shabayek quit her job as a journalist to start a theater project that honored the personal experiences of Egyptians who joined the protests. With a passion for storytelling and a firm belief that the revolution was affecting individuals differently, Shabayek staged "Tahrir Monologues," featuring stories of fear, courage and hope from the revolution.

"Tahrir Monologues" particularly focused on the first 18 days of the revolution -- a period Shabayek has described as "utopian" -- when Egyptians believed that overthrowing Mubaraks regime would also end police brutality and oppression, and expand personal and political freedoms. But the leaders that followed -- the Supreme Council of Armed Forces, Mohamed Morsi and now Abdel Fattah El Sisi -- have left many Egyptians feeling dispirited and disenfranchised.

Overcome by disappointment in the post-revolution reality of Egyptian politics, Shabayek found it difficult to think about, let alone continue to stage stories from, Tahrir. It was "purely painful," to revisit these memories, the artist says.

Soon after coming to this realization, and still deeply enthralled by the power of the stage, Shabayek picked up "BuSSy ," a storytelling theater project she had been working on before the revolution. The term "BuSSy" comes from a translation of the Arabic word for "look," and is a play on a slang word used to refer to vaginas. It's a storytelling platform for Egyptian women and men to share and explore stories on gender issues, including topics such as sexual harassment, domestic violence and masturbation -- all of which are still largely taboo in Egypt's conservative society.

Despite censorship and clampdowns on free expression , Shabayek is courageously taking "BuSSy" performances to venues across Egypt.

Shabayek spoke with The WorldPost about the revolutions imprint on her life and career, and the hopes she has for her latest project.

Youre known for "Tahrir Monologues" and now the "BuSSy" project. Can you describe what they have in common, and what youve been trying to accomplish with each?

I was working on "BuSSy" before the revolution, and I think the reason I decided to go full-time with theater was "Tahrir Monologues." But until 2011, I was working on "BuSSy" in parallel. I was doing it on the side, with my full-time job as a journalist and editor. Working on "BuSSy" before the revolution is what gave me some insight about storytelling generally. I was unintentionally going around recording stories. Obsessively. So I think that the fact that I was doing that motivated me to start "Tahrir Monologues."

What have you learned from "Tahrir Monologues" or the revolution at large that you were able to carry over to your work with "BuSSy"?

I think the biggest lesson for me was that I discovered that I wanted to be working in theater and that I didnt want to be doing anything else. I don't think this would have happened if the revolution hadnt happened, and if "Tahrir Monologues" hadnt happened. As stupid and adolescent as this will sound, because it was, I literally dropped everything in 2011 and decided: No. I want to do "Tahrir Monologues." And there was no money in that. And it wasnt logical. I decided I didnt want to write. At the time, I was freelancing with [Egyptian newspaper] Al Masry Al Youm. I stopped responding to calls. I had another job as an editor at a magazine, which I also quit two months later. It wasnt just that I wanted time off, I was completely giving it up. And this seemed very illogical to me, because for 15 years, I wanted to be a journalist.

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