Women writers: Arab women’s literature deserves celebration

Many female writers affirmed that despite the many challenges they face in terms of publishing, criticism and readers’ opinions, women’s literary works have made a new addition to Arab and humanitarian libraries, noting that today’s literary women deserve to be celebrated and respected. This was received during a dialogue session titled “Celebrating Women Writers in Contemporary Literature” held at the 42nd Sharjah International Book Fair event, moderated by Dr. Aisha Abu Al-Ghais and novelist Sarah Al-Nims.

Dr. Aisha Abu Al-Ghais began her talk by delving into her past and her story of how she started writing from the beginning, saying, “I started writing stories when I was in primary school, Arabic classes inspired me, but I think I (tried) to write during this period, but over time, I started to develop my writing through constant reading and cognitive engagement with writers who came before me, from my country, from abroad, and from countries around the world.

On the challenges faced by Arab women who choose writing as a path in life, Dr. Aisha Abu Al-Ghais said: “The biggest challenge for me when I was young was the fear of my family, but as I grew older, that fear disappeared. As for the other challenges I faced at the beginning of my career as a real writer, they revolved around questions like: What am I going to write about, who am I going to write specifically for, and how am I going to get published?

Dr. Aisha spoke about the achievements of the Emirati female writer with the continuous support of women in various cultural and educational institutions in the country, and confirmed her words with the awards of the Sharjah International Book Fair 2023. Best Novel Award, Best Poetry Collection Award, Best Book Award in the Field of Research.

Sarah Al-Nims, author of the novel Jem, which is in contention for the 2021 Booker Prize, said: “Arab women have been expressing themselves with strength and courage through their writings since the 1960s. Look at the books of Nawal El-Saadawi, for example, and how these books have stirred up stagnant waters, as well as the works of Ghada Al-Samman and many others, so I think it is very logical that we have a meeting today to celebrate what the Arab writer has achieved, and that she must continue until she achieves total freedom to write.”

Sarah Alnimus stressed that women writers still face many challenges, and regarding the most important of these challenges, Alnimus said: “Today, many readers regard women’s literature as second-rate literature, always comparing it to men’s literature. This is a great injustice to women’s creations and stems from a limited mentality. The biggest challenge for women is to continue writing until one day, all those who belittle them know that women’s literature is literature, and that is enough.”