Quote by Fatima Mernissi: “The Harem is a space. It can also be a state of mind.”

This quote means the idea of a 'harem' isn't just a physical place where women are confined. It can also represent a mental cage, limiting women's thoughts and aspirations through societal norms and expectations, even without physical walls.

In the 1990s, global discussions around gender equality expanded, and Mernissi's work continued to challenge simplistic views of 'the East,' emphasizing the complex internal and external constraints on women's lives.

Moroccan feminist sociologist and author whose work examined Islamic societies, gender, and power with scholarly rigour and personal candour. Her 1994 memoir Dreams of Trespass explored the harem as a metaphor for all systems of confinement, and her writing continues to influence feminist thought across the Arab world.