#MyMothersNameIs

The movement campaign I researched is UN Women – ‘Give mom back her name’.This is a heartfelt and fascinating campaign founded in 2015 in which Egyptian men are “encouraged” to say their mothers name in efforts to assist in the battle for gender equality in Egypt. BBDO Dubai sponsored a short movie to be put out on Mother’s Day to share on Facebook and Youtube. As a result, the movement received a lot of attention and in less than 24 hours, the video was viewed over 25,000 times. The men interviewed refuse to share their mothers name for reason for a multitude of reasons.  Some men did not know their mother’s name and elaborated by saying that it is something that is never shared. One of the interviewees said, “Father’s name is okay, mothers name.. No way.” Another man stated, “We feel like it could bring us ridicule and embarrassment.”

The fact that sons would deny to say or even learn their mother’s name is preposterous and problematic to me as an American. One man utters a statement that emphasized the need for the moment even clearer for the viewer when he says that if someone knew their mothers name they would sob. At the core of this issue, men are bothered conceptually that a woman can move beyond the established role of women in Egyptian society. Knowing the mother’s name implies an individuality that distinguishes the female from her maternal identity challenging the patriarchal system that explicitly defines the woman’s place. Men are subject to mockery and teasing if one of their friends becomes aware of their mother’s name. For example, a boy being called the “son of” his mother is unbelievably rude and the video illustrates how this can lead to intense interpersonal conflict. Therefore, over time their names are forgotten and they are belittled by society. Women are only called by “mother of” followed by the name of their eldest son explicitly stressing the woman’s designated role in Egyptian society.

In the first week alone, the video had around three million views coming in from all around the globe. The interviewer in the film asked a single question, “What is your mother's name” and every man either couldn't respond simply because they didn't know or refused to share it. Additionally, the video ends with a call to action that implies the first step towards truly honoring and respecting one’s mother comes from the acknowledgement of her name. Even more, there was a hashtag created in order to stand in solidarity to support the women of egypt saying, “#MyMothersNameIs” creating a direct channel for people from all over to participate in the movement.

Living in America no one hesitates when asked their mother's name. Almost immediately by reflex, one would respond accordingly with the name their mother were assigned at birth or changed later on in life after marriage. In America, no one is solely referred to as something other than what the individual designates as their preferred choice of name. This highlights how important what a person is called is to identity and self worth. People choose to be called the name they feel comfortable and confident with. In contrast, these women in Egypt are never given an opportunity to be called by their own name assigned at birth because it is “embarrassing” or “ridicule” to the men in their family let alone the rest of the country. The personal feelings of the male population restrict the individuality of the women in their country.

The purpose of this campaign movement ultimately is to help women in Egypt gain equal rights and not live in the shadows of their fathers, husbands, and sons. The Middle East region has many examples of the unfortunate impact of living in a highly religious, patriarchal culture for women. Despite this, the fact that it is so simple makes it so powerful since the woman is denied something as commonplace as her name. Identity in Egypt is patrimonial in that it is handed down to women through their fathers. This is a norm that needs to be confronted and changed in order to achieve progress in gender equality. Some of the tweets that came out of the creation of the previously mentioned hashtag were, “Moms in Egypt aren't very visible. #MyMothersNameIs hopes to fix that. @UN_Women.” Despite the large role that mothers play in raising children, maintaining the home, and helping their husbands, they are continually denied any form of equality even when it comes to how they are referred to in a public setting. Stripping them of their given name has a dehumanizing effect that establishes women as subservient to men. This campaign looked to move the country in a positive direction by first giving woman something every human being on Earth has: a name.

Link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FF4ZslUqgDY