The Woman's Voice on Radio Lebanon

Miss Marie Sabri delivered this talk from Radio Lebanon on the program "The Woman's Voice" on February 8, 1947.

During these past two weeks, a batch of letters has reached "The Woman's Voice." And how great was our pleasure in these letters, for two reasons: first, their quality of combining seriousness with charm, and enjoyment with profit — and second, this feeling on the part of listeners and readers that "The Woman's Voice" is not so much a pulpit for preaching and guidance as it is a help in solving some of the problems that confront a person in facing the affairs of thought and of life.

For this reason, we extend the warmest welcome to the questions that reach us and to the problems that the listeners and readers of "The Woman's Voice" lay before us. And this time I have found myself resolved to devote my talk to you to presenting some of these letters and commenting on them as the case requires and space allows.

Before me is a letter from a Lebanese soldier who apologizes for not signing his name "for fear of punishment."

He complains, on behalf of his fellow soldiers, of the injustice done them by the marriage law in the Lebanese national army — the law that forbids a soldier to marry before six years have passed since his enlistment in the ranks. "Upon my life," says this soldier, "is the poor soldier fated to spend the prime of his youth alone, with no one to share his dreams and his hopes?..." Then he tries to draw forth pity when he says: "There are more than a thousand Lebanese soldiers liable to be abandoned by their fiancées as a result of this law... So have mercy on the condition of these men."

"The Woman's Voice" thanks this soldier for his confidence, and appreciates his directing this complaint to it. And it promises him to take the matter up with the responsible authorities.

Before me is another letter, from a girl who asks about a phenomenon she finds strange. She has noticed that a plain friend of hers wins the admiration of men more than she herself does, although she has an ample share of beauty. She wants, therefore, to understand this secret. If beauty does not move a man to admire a woman, then what does move him to it?

This girl, in her questioning, is quite within her rights. And we answer her that there is no such thing as an ugly woman in the absolute sense. Every woman is in origin beautiful. Tallness or shortness, stoutness or thinness, largeness of feature or fineness — none of this is of any account so long as the girl is able to bring out the places of beauty in herself. How many a coarse nose has had its coarseness hidden by a smiling mouth, a soft eye, or a smooth cheek; how many a large mouth has had its charms brought out in a face radiant with femininity, intelligence, and sweetness; how many a pair of bowed legs has been made straight and harmonious by a pleasing walk, an enchanting gait, and an elegant dress; and how many a plump figure has turned graceful through charm of conversation, lightness of spirit, and gentleness of presence.

And before me is yet another letter. It is from a girl who gives only the first letters of her name — and how could she disclose her name, when the problem she puts to us is personal to the last degree? And is there anything more personal than the problems of love? This girl has fallen in love, but she cannot be certain of the sincerity of this love and its freedom from falseness; and she wishes to marry no one but a man in whose love she can be assured of sincerity and truth. Here we help her to make certain of that, and we put to her the following questions. If the answer to them is "yes," then her love is a true love with no falseness in it:

First — Do you talk together of many things you would like to do together?

Second — Do you feel pride and glory when you meet the one you love in the company of another person?

Third — Do you feel restlessness and longing when you are far from him?

Fourth — When you quarrel, do you incline, in spite of it, to remain together?

Fifth — Do you truly wish to marry this young man?

Sixth — Does the one you love have all the qualities you would wish to see in your children?

Seventh — What is your parents' opinion? Do they approve?

And finally, ladies and gentlemen, before me is a fourth letter, perhaps worthier of attention than its fellows, and I shall read it to you in its exact words:

"Last week one of our men of letters gave a kind of lecture concerning the qualities of the lady, or what we mean in English by 'Lady,' and he showed the difference between her and the woman ('Woman'). Among the things he said was this sentence: The lady listens to Beethoven and Bach and Chopin! But the woman listens to Abdel Wahab and Umm Kulthum. Is it, then, a fault or a disgrace that we listen to Abdel Wahab and Umm Kulthum? Does it lower our worth, as they say — and what is the secret of it?

"And can you give me the qualities of the true lady?

"Signed: M. A."

I say that this letter deserves attention because it touches on two important subjects, which I wish to place before our honored listeners, leaving it to whoever wishes to take them up. And I request that the answers be sent to the magazine "The Woman's Voice." Later, from this station, I shall read you the best of the answers. Until we meet again.

Note: (The answers will be given at half past seven on Saturday evening, March 8.)