Saturday, February 25, 2023

Neswen el Furn - when women appropriate (and beat) stereotypes

Please meet Neswen El Furn (here and here).... What's so special about it?

Well, just for you to know "neswen el furn" was an insult. Heck, I even heard a Lebanese minister of culture saying it when speaking of something that made no sense. So yes, "ladies (who frequent) the oven" or where things like bread, manushes etc are made used to be a way of insulting a woman who would speak of anything and everything.

The Lebanese language is full of idioms to insult women (see here and here) and that's just the tip of the iceberg. So calling a women-led bakery or furn as "neswen el furn" is a super gutsy move. Not only you appropriate the stereotype you actually flip it on its head and beat it. The ladies open from 7 A.M. to 2 P.M. daily except Tuesdays!