Lavin Exclusive Speaker
In Sex and the Citadel, TED Global Fellow Shereen El Feki sheds light on a highly sensitive and still largely secret aspect of Arab society: the sexual lives of men and women. Linking sex to political, economic, social, and religious trends, El Feki opens a window on the greater landscape of the Arab world. In engaging and deeply personal talks, she uncovers how what’s happening behind closed doors can give us profound insight into the past, present, and future of a rapidly changing part of the world.
Shereen El Feki is the author of Sex and the Citadel: Intimate Life in a Changing Arab World. “A fascinating survey of sex that is rich in detail … Shereen El Feki is a brave woman.” (The Economist) El Feki started her career in medical science, with a doctorate in immunology from the University of Cambridge, before going on to become an award-winning healthcare correspondent with The Economist and a presenter with Al Jazeera English. She is the former vice-chair of the UN’s Global Commission on HIV and the Law, as well as a TED Global Fellow. Shereen sits on the board of a number of civil society groups working in the Arab region, among them Meedan and the Arab Foundation for Freedoms and Equality. She also contributes to a number of publications, including The Huffington Post, International Affairs, and The Independent, and has written and spoken widely on women, sexuality, and HIV in the Arab region.