A Middle Eastern Memoir: Head Above Water

Abstract

Life narratives are rare in the Gulf region due to many issues. Khaleeji women writing about their lives, bodies, illnesses, and disabilities is almost unheard of. By writing about their illness and disability, authors re-claim their voice and agency, writing their silenced bodies as Helene Cixous urges women to write through Écriture feminine. This presentation considers the genre of illness narrative through using my memoir on Multiple Sclerosis (MS), teaching, and academia. I will read excerpts from the memoir to contextualize the work in order to stimulate discussion. Head Above Water: Reflections on Illness was published on 30 May 2022, the World MS Day. I will share excerpts from the work with the audience and point out relevant issues of the medicalization of the body. Head Above Water considers the intersections of sexism, racism, and ableism. It calls for a destigmatization of disability and illness in our personal lives and in the academy. It is my hope that the presentation is accessible, creative, and inspires discussion.