The Internet: From a Feminist Haven to a Patriarchal Trap

In recent years, virtual spaces have emerged as platforms that bypass the rigid patriarchal restrictions imposed on the public sphere, becoming arenas for challenging patriarchy in all its political, cultural, and economic dimensions.
The internet, as an open and accessible domain, has provided a strategic refuge for oppressed groups to resist and confront the systems of oppression that dominate their lives, filling the void left by public spaces that are under the control of patriarchal authorities and institutions.

A Liberated feminist space

The emergence of these virtual spaces is inherently political. Feminists have reclaimed them as hubs for amplifying militant voices against patriarchy and other oppressive structures. These spaces have become sites for feminist knowledge production, advocacy, and resistance to patriarchal violence in all its forms.
For centuries, repressive regimes have censored knowledge and communication, filtering what could be expressed and persecuting dissenting voices. Against this backdrop, feminist platforms have risen, enabling access to literature and articles dating back to the earliest feminist movements. Translation efforts have flourished, rewriting history from feminist perspectives. Concepts and ideas are now disseminated with the simplicity and immediacy of tweets and posts, circumventing traditional censorship mechanisms.
The online feminist movement has evolved in phases, revolutionizing virtual spaces, normalizing women’s presence within them, and simplifying feminist discourse. This progress has resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of feminists across the Arabic-speaking world.
Campaigns denouncing patriarchal violence—such as those highlighting femicide and sexual assault—have gained traction, with solidarity hashtags challenging patriarchal narratives about women and marginalized groups.
It is no longer easy to isolate and silence a woman in court or in public, as opposition to patriarchal values now emanates from multiple voices across diverse contexts.
In this realm, collective feminist storytelling has emerged as a powerful tool, connecting personal and political experiences. It humanizes the feminist struggle by moving beyond abstract theories of patriarchy to highlight lived experiences of violence and resistance. These narratives defy stigma, victim-blaming, and oppression, declaring unequivocally that such experiences indict the patriarchy itself.

From participating online to creating content

The feminist revolution within virtual spaces is deeply intertwined with real-world realities. Women’s increasing online presence and reclamation of their historical roles as creators of discourse have reshaped both digital and physical landscapes.
By rewriting history, challenging oppression, and advocating for systemic change, women have made the virtual sphere more accessible and flexible. Despite varied content and goals, this feminist struggle has allowed women to benefit from a parallel world, albeit a virtual one, where they can exist without the constraints of patriarchal authority, albeit at personal and psychological costs.
Many women have taken the risk of appearing online, sharing their daily lives, and subverting traditional public norms. Social media platforms have also seen the rise of “fashionistas,” women who use these tools for self-promotion and visibility. Whether this phenomenon serves or hinders the feminist agenda, it undeniably breaks long-held patriarchal norms, including those surrounding public appearances, dress codes, and gender roles.
While it may be premature to declare a complete dismantling of gender roles in the digital realm, women’s activism in this space has undoubtedly challenged patriarchal traditions and binaries.
For instance, content featuring couples sharing household responsibilities, women dancing or applying makeup, and men cooking reflects a shift in social dynamics. This content defies conventional roles and showcases a burgeoning new social class that transcends traditional economic and societal hierarchies.
However, these changes do not signify the collapse of societal classes and hierarchies. Rather, they indicate an expansion of societal frameworks to include unconventional paths to visibility and success, often driven by the rapid monetization of social media.

Arrest, murder, and defamation: tools to reassert patriarchal control

This evolving digital landscape, coupled with shifting social realities, has unsettled patriarchal and capitalist systems, leading to intensified repression. Composite violence targeting women for their online activity has become a stark manifestation of this backlash.
Over the past two years, Egypt has witnessed mass arrests of TikTok users, predominantly young women, on charges such as violating “family values,” spreading immorality, and human trafficking. These arrests have disproportionately targeted women from impoverished backgrounds who achieved rapid online fame, defying patriarchal and class-imposed constraints.
In Iraq, violence against women online escalated to murder, with high-profile assassinations of women celebrities on public streets since 2018. In recent years, these acts have evolved into organized killings, further entrenching patriarchal violence.
This violence extends beyond imprisonment and murder to include relentless campaigns of defamation and incitement, both online and offline. These tactics mirror the patriarchal mechanisms historically used to silence anyone challenging its authority.
The feminist digital space, painstakingly carved out through years of struggle, has become a patriarchal trap, targeting those who appear in defiance of patriarchal norms.
While the internet has never been free from patriarchal violence, the systematic effort to reclaim control over this space underscores its significance as a site of resistance. For oppressed groups, this space remains a vital battleground for challenging, exposing, and dismantling systems of oppression.