Editor's note: Gaza has highly religious, conservative society, which is exacerbated by the Israeli and Egyptian blockade–keeping most Palestinians from leaving and internationals from entering, thus exposing residents to other cultures. The discriminatory patriarchy described by our writer below exists in many families and neighborhoods. However, there are enlightened men and famiies as well. Please keep that in mind.

Dedicated to Oprah Winfrey, a role model for women,
encouraging us to stand up for ourselves:

It's time for Palestinian women to say ‘time’s up,’
Especially in Gaza.
We have electricity for only four hours.
We rush to do all of our housework.
Still, tired as we are, our husbands ask what we did the whole day.

Men still can control
what we wear,
what we buy,
what we put on our faces,
and whether we use birth control.
We aren’t allowed to decide
whether we’re done having kids.

Society still regards marriage as
the only real accomplishment of women.
Many jobs are considered shameful for those of the female sex;
our jobs, men say: have kids and cook.

Well, time’s up.
It’s time to end this second occupation, by men.
We want a new day on our horizon.