Abstract
This paper examines Rania Al-Baz’s memoir, Disfigured: A Saudi Woman’s Story of Triumph Over Violence (2007). Al-Baz, a pioneering Saudi television journalist, recounts her life before and after a brutal attack by her husband that left her physically disfigured. The analysis explores how the memoir transcends a simple narrative of victimhood. Al-Baz’s unflinching portrayal of domestic violence is considered a cornerstone in the Saudi feminist movement, serving as a powerful testament to the courage and perseverance of women fighting for their rights. The memoir highlights Al-Baz’s resilience in navigating the Saudi medical system, the challenges of public scrutiny, and the social stigma surrounding domestic violence. The paper argues that writing and publishing Disfigured functions as a form of activism, raising awareness about domestic abuse within a conservative social context. While not identifying as a feminist herself, Rania Al-Baz’s story has become a rallying point for the Saudi feminist movement. Al-Baz spoke out on behalf of abused women and represented their plight exposing the harsh realities faced by women in Saudi society. This, in turn, empowered Saudi feminists to push for legal reforms and a more responsive judiciary. By examining Al-Baz’s personal story, the paper sheds light on the complex realities of domestic violence and women’s empowerment in contemporary Saudi Arabia.
Author Information
Rasha Osman Abdel Haliem, Higher Technological Institute, Egypt
Paper Information
Conference: ECAH2024
Stream: Humanities - Literature/Literary Studies*
This paper is part of the ECAH2024 Conference Proceedings (View)
Full Paper
View / Download the full paper in a new tab/window
To cite this article:
Haliem R. (2024) From Victim to Voice: A Study of Rania Al-Baz’s “Disfigured” ISSN: 2188-1111 – The European Conference on Arts & Humanities 2024: Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 289-300) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2188-1111.2024.24
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2188-1111.2024.24
Comments
Powered by WP LinkPress