Nike

On February 24th, Nike released their newest ad video titled, “Dream Crazier”, featuring and narrated by professional tennis player,聽Serena Williams.

The video commercial also features some of the biggest female sports stars in the world in different sports. Such as聽gymnast Simone Biles, fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, the US women鈥檚 national soccer team, Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to run the Boston Marathon, and several other leading female athletes.

What is the message behind “Dream Crazier”?

The message this video is trying to send is that women can do whatever they set their minds to, no matter how ‘crazy’ it may seem.

It shows all these powerful women conquering all the molds, rules, stereotypes and adversities put in their way with pure passion and precision.

In just 1 minute and 30 seconds,聽this video managed to convey the struggles millions of women go through and validate their pain. All while celebrating their victories and milestones.

At the end of the video, Serena Williams is heard sending a very important message loud and clear to all strong women out there saying, “So if they wanna call you crazy, fine.聽Show them what crazy can do!”聽

This type of empowering message is not only important, but it is also necessary for these times we live in.

Women need to feel supported, accepted and seen for who they truly are; strong, powerful and beautiful warriors.聽

Why is this kind of message NEEDED here in Egypt?

Egypt, especially, needs this type of eye-opening message now more than ever. It is true, many strong Egyptian women aspire and strive to break the centuries-old molds others try to force them to fit in.

Which is why they need all the help they can get.聽

Even though it is 2019, and all the misconceptions and stigmas made about women should be well behind us,聽they聽are sadly not.

Sexism is still alive and thriving! Inequality, injustice and unappreciation are all things Egyptian women still have to “casually” deal with in their day-to-day lives.

We are in the 21st-century and somehow sexism against women is still considered the “norm” here; some even go as far as to brag about it.聽As proven by聽Toyota Fortuner‘s latest ‘ad campaign’ which is not only dripping with sexism, but also pride of that sexism!

Women in Egypt need to be encouraged聽to find their inner bravery to say聽NO to this stigma and demand their equal rights.

Is there hope? Yes!

Thankfully, some young women were enlightened and courageous enough to speak up on behalf of all of us.

A new video titled “A Girl In Egypt” has been recently published on Facebook by media production聽platform “Sawarly”.

This video managed to shed some light on the centuries-old stigmas and stereotypes women everywhere in Egypt are drastically suffering from. Like domestic oppression, work inequality, and sexual and physical harassment.

The video features several young Egyptian women describing what it feels like for them to be a “girl in Egypt”.

Their emotional聽responses were so painfully true and authentic that some of them even cried.

They go on talking about being deprived of rightful opportunities in their daily lives just because聽they are women!

Some woman even says “I wish I wasn’t a girl”…

Some start sharing their personal experiences with the “casual” sexual harassment they face every day on the streets or public transportation.

We see them opening up about their frustration along with their desire to end these rotten molds.

We hear them聽pleading for the most basic of their rights; their freedom…

This video, which was released less than two days after Nike’s ad -ironically enough- proves just how badly women in Egypt need this type of encouragement and rebellion.

How much we need to start dreaming and be crazier…

The young brave women in the video found it in themselves to open up about how hard it is to be a “girl in Egypt”, to speak for all of us fully knowing the risks of public criticism and even more sexism they are exposing themselves to. All to grab attention to the problems we are ALL facing.

The least we could do for them in return is to say NO. Be brave, strong, and loud in demanding what is rightfully ours.

Being a “girl in Egypt” doesn’t have to feel this hard, nor should it be. We聽no longer聽have to nod and accept less than we deserve.

It is time now for us to start “dreaming crazier”, to stand our own ground tall and proud. It is time to show them what our crazy can do.