Even though Abu Aita comes from a conservative family that followed the stereotypical gender norms, she was lucky to grow up in a household that did not put a cap on women's ambitions and instead encouraged them to chase their dreams.
Born and raised in Gaza, Palestine, Iman Abu Aita considers herself as an educator, scholar, human rights activist, artist, graphic designer, and above all a feminist, who lives to resist the patriarchal rules imposed on women in Gaza restricting their freedom. When in high school, Abu Aita earned a scholarship to study in the United States for one academic year, which did not bode well with her extended family.
“My parents were criticized a lot by friends and family members, but they didn’t seem to care,” Abu Aita told Kayani. “I learned from them the meaning of going against the flow and being authentic to one’s self despite what others say.”
To Abu Aita, traveling alone at such a young age despite the society's disapproval was an eye-opening experience which inspired her to go further and pursue not just her bachelor’s degree, but also graduate studies in the United States.
“I studied Biology and English literature at Columbia College, South Carolina. By doing so, I was trying to challenge several ideas: I wanted to defy the idea that science is a place for men only," Abu Aita stated. “I also wanted to use my love for languages and literature as a tool for analyzing the world and challenging any ideas that oppress me as a woman.”
Abu Aita's parents served as her source of support and motivation to get an education. Her mother was not allowed to pursue higher education while her father managed to study and work abroad. Their collective experience allowed them to prioritize their children's education -especially daughters- to help them become independent and strong individuals.
Unfortunately, they could not live to see their daughter become the brilliant woman she is since in 2014, the Israeli artillery shells destroyed Abu Aita's house in Jabalya which took the lives of her parents, two brothers, and nephew. This came as shocking news as Abu Aita was still in the U.S. finishing her undergraduate studies. After graduation, Abu Aita went back to Gaza and started working to support her sisters, which sparked the disapproval of her relatives.
Nevertheless, Abu Aita did not give in to the criticism and decided to pursue a Master’s in Women and Gender studies once her sisters were fine on their own. Like her late parents, Abu Aita had a knack for art and drawing, which started as a hobby then turned into a cause and a cathartic release.
“I want to use art to celebrate and create positivity when it comes to females’ bodies that society has turned into shame,” she said.
Such a concept came to her as she was introduced to femisnt icon Nawal El Saadawi, so it inspired both her paintings and writing. In fact, Abu Aita says that Nawal’s writing forces the reader to see things from a completely new perspective and challenges everything the society has set as the norm.
Shifting to her art pieces, one of Abu Aita’s many oil paintings is special for it resembles the vagina.
“I called the painting ‘Origin’ because a woman’s vagina, which is used as a source of shame and insult, is the origin of life,” she explains. “The painting was my way of saying that women must reclaim their bodies and own them.”
Currently, Abu Aita is the Director of Student Affairs at the Leonard Education Organization. Now that she has completed her graduate studies, she is looking forward to pursuing her Ph.D. while she raises awareness about the oppressive nature of patriarchy.
“I hope that through art and education, I can contribute to helping younger generations emerge as critical thinkers and creative individuals as early as possible before they are brainwashed to lose their authentic selves to be accepted in a society that is built on unjust hierarchies and discriminations,” she ended.
Follow Iman Abu Aita’s Instagram page to know more about her art work: https://instagram.com/imanjameeladesigns?igshid=1pmdgios7gkso