All posts by nedhamson

Activist, writer, researcher, addicted to sharing information and facts.

VDU’s blog: MERS-CoV numbers by week…

why is this happening? It’s not as though hospitals are not well aware of standard infection prevention and control practices for handling patients with respiratory illnesses of unknown origin. Respiratory illnesses make up a big part of hospital business. MERS-CoV is not the only, nor the most frequent, pathogen in this class. I suspect seasonal respiratory viruses kill many people in the region too. But do we know that do or that they don’t when compared to MERS-CoV? Some contrast here would be very valuable. Studies of respiratory viruses, using PCR-based methods to look at cases of pneumonia, from the Arabian peninsula are more rare human cases of MERS-CoV.

What’s more scary than rising case numbers for me is the fact the these hospital clusters keep on happening.

via VDU’s blog: MERS-CoV numbers by week….

Why are veiled women denied entry to bars in Egypt? | Egyptian Streets

Ultimately, it should not matter what a woman wears. Her piety is not sewn into her hijab, nor is her worth. No aspect of her external person defines her character. Fashion trends always carry some message, it’s true, but trends are far more fickle than human characters, and so are their connotations. To limit a person’s access because of their appearance is both ineffectual and short-sighted.

The truth is, I am not a Muslim woman and I did have a drink that night I wore a scarf to Cairo Jazz Club. Neither of those truths had any influence on what was ultimately an aesthetic decision. Covering my head makes me feel a little more enigmatic, a little safer. Mostly, I just like how I look in a scarf. Take it off and I am the same woman with the same morals. The same is true of any woman who does or does not wear a scarf, because a woman is never defined by her appearance. The significance of our look – or our moralities – no bouncer has the right to decide.

via Why are veiled women denied entry to bars in Egypt? | Egyptian Streets.

Why are veiled women denied entry to bars in Egypt?

Must read!

Egyptian Streets

Egyptian women line up to vote in 2012 Egyptian women line up to vote in 2012

By Anya Vanecek, Aswat Masriya

At the top of Ahmed Orabi Street, seven Americans smiled impishly at the Cairo Jazz Club bouncer. Not one was carrying an ID – or over the minimum age of 25; he didn’t seem to mind. From the centre of the pack, I twirled the hanging ends of my Spanish-styled headscarf. He did mind that. Pointing directly at my covered head, the bouncer demanded I show my ID. Adopting a pointed American accent, I replied, “I don’t carry it with me.” The bouncer scolded me, but allowed me to follow my friends into the club. “Bring it with you next time,” he warned.

Cairo Jazz Club is one of many high-end, alcohol-serving establishments which have come under fire in recent years for turning veiled women away – allegedly for morality’s sake. An article published four years ago by Ashraf…

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Natural Woman, Divine Feminine

Caitlin Clarkson, Wolf & Coyote Folk Caitlin Clarkson, Wolf & Coyote Folk

A – Z Challenge – Day 14

Celebrating Our Divinity

“Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” ― Nora Ephron

OK, so it should be pretty obvious that I am a feminist.

If you don’t know the definition, a feminist believes in the equal rights of women. A feminist is not a ‘man hater’ or in any way, shape or form, dissing men.

Let’s be clear. I think women and men are wonderful creatures – different creatures – but I believe that they are equal in their contributions to life on earth and should be treated as such. Equal pay. Equal rights. Sovereignty over their bodies. Access to education and healthcare and emotional support.

Women are rockin’ awesome and helped build this world from the ground up.

Nobody got here without the help of a woman. And nobody got here…

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