For a couple of weeks now, several Egyptian hijabi women have taken to TikTok and Instagram to share their experience of not being allowed access to beach clubs on the North Coast for the sole reason of wearing a hijab.
Many thought that the issue was resolved before, as hijabis were allowed access for some time. Yet, recent events indicate that the issue is resurfacing.
How Did It Resurface?
On TikTok, several Egyptian hijab women began sharing their experiences of not being allowed inside Sahel’s beach clubs. One of these women is Hana Amr El-Dash, who recently shared a video in which she described her experience at Marassi’s Sol Beach.
Even though she made a reservation, when she got to the gate, they did not allow her inside and said that the rules indicate that hijabis are not allowed inside.
The last time a hijab ban sparked this much controversy was in 2023 when a video by an Egyptian woman named Ahoud Mohammed went viral.
She spoke out about being kicked out of ESCA, a restaurant in Cairo’s 5A, after being seated with her friends solely because some of them were wearing hijabs.
This was back in 2023, and today, once again, the hijab ban resurfaced.
How Are People Responding?
An onslaught of backlash streamed through the moment that El-Dash’s video was shared, especially as she herself said that Sol Beach, for a certain time, did allow hijabis inside. The fact that they are once again disallowing their entry is re-igniting a wave of disappointment across the Egyptian community.
Some people are calling for a boycott of Sol Beach, while others suggest filing a lawsuit against the beach club. Some even recommend that El-Dash report the incident to the tourism police so they can handle the matter accordingly.
On the other side of the coin are individuals who support the beach club, including a user called bkk11b, who commented: “It’s literally called Sol Beach BAR—people go to drink alcohol, listen to music, and dance… Literally everything that’s against what you are wearing and what it stands for.”
The hijab ban phenomenon in Egypt is the kind that tiptoes on a very thin string. Below is the Egyptian community, with some on the supporting side while others on the opposing side. As more time passes, do you think the issue will ever get resolved, or will it remain an intrinsic aspect of Egypt’s restaurant and club scene?