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Not Without My Chewing Gum
Parramatta: A Dictionary of Place and Memory - N
In the 90s, I read Princess by Jean Sasson and a relative rolled his eyes.
It seems that most narratives about the Middle East involve women escaping crazed Middle Eastern men, tales of whippings and beatings and imprisonment or a Western woman learning to belly dance.
At every turn there’s a hellish obsession with the bodies of Muslim women and every opportunity is taken to poke the bear of Iran.
These stories would be forgivable if occasionally there were a narrative about something else.
In a mood of dark humour, I vary the title Not Without My Daughter so many times.
Today’s version is Not Without My Chewing Gum.