Gender Binaries and Sexual Violence in Adult Comics During Post-Revolutionary Egypt

Abstract

This article examines whether the male-centric production of adult Egyptian comics in post-revolutionary Egypt challenges and subverts gender stereotypes and the binaries of femininity and masculinity, with a particular focus on two comic magazines, Al Shakmgia and TukTuk. It presents the work of some of Egypt’s comic artivists that attempt to fill an analytical gap when it comes to the visualization of women’s sexualities, whether in Egyptian adult comics or in media more generally. This article consists of four main sections. The first section elaborates on the importance of studying comics and the considerable obstacles that the circulation and development of comics face inside Egypt. The second section provides a short backgroud about the history of adult comics in Egypt. While the third section explores and revisits the concepts of femininity and masculinity in the comics, the fourth focuses on sexual violence and redefining consent. Finally, the last section addresses the question of the scarcity of women comic artists, highlighting the pervasiveness of hegemonic masculinity, whether materially or in comic representations.