Zahra Hankir Traces Eyeliner’s History, Politics and Culture

KQED's Forum

KQED

News, Politics, News Commentary

4.2 • 726 Ratings

🗓️ 20 November 2023

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

People of all genders have rimmed their eyes with pigment for thousands of years. But as Zahra Hankir explains in her new book on the history of eyeliner, its use goes far beyond aesthetics. Eyeliner has also served as a vehicle for identity, self-expression, empowerment and protest. Bedouin men in the deserts of Arabia have worn it to repel the sun – and attract potential mates. Egyptian Queen Nefertiti’s celebrated beauty centered on her perfectly winged lines. In modern-day Iran, women wear eyeliner as a form of resistance against an oppressive regime. Hankir joins us to discuss “Eyeliner: A Cultural History.” Guests: Zahra Hankir, author, "Eyeliner: A Cultural History," and "Our Women on the Ground: Essays by Arab Women Reporting from the Arab World" - Hankir is a Lebanese-British journalist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Support for Forum comes from Rancho La Puerta, a wellness resort in Baja, California, just an hour from San Diego,
0:07.4	recently voted the number one destination spa by readers of travel and leisure magazine.
0:12.8	Summer retreat packages of three, four, or seven nights including hiking, water classes, mindfulness,
0:19.9	spa therapies, and culinary adventures with
0:22.8	farm-fresh ingredients. Learn more at Rancho LaPuerta.com.
0:27.3	Switch to Comcast Business Mobile and save hundreds a year in your wireless bill.
0:31.4	Comcast Business, powering possibilities.
0:33.9	Restrictions apply. Comcast Business Internet required.
0:36.0	Compar as two unlimited intro lines and lowest price 5D plans of top three carriers. Tax on fees extra, reduce speeds after 30 gigabytes of usage. Data thresholds may vary. From KQED in San Francisco, I'm Leslie McClurg in today for Mina Kim.
1:05.0	People of all genders have rimmed their eyes with pigment for thousands of years.
1:09.4	But as Zara Hankear explains in her new book on the history of eyeliner, its use goes far beyond
1:14.3	aesthetics.
1:15.2	Eyeliner has also served as a vehicle for identity, self-expression, and protest.
1:19.7	From Bedouin Min to Egyptian Queen Nefertiti to modern-day Iran.
1:23.9	Hankeir joins us to discuss eyeliner, a cultural history.
1:26.9	That's next after this news.
1:51.3	Welcome to Forum. I'm Leslie McClurg in today for Mina Kim. Okay, so I admit,
1:57.2	eyeliner completely intimidates me. I look more like a cartoon character than anything else when I try to line my eyes. But eyeliner devotees say it not only transforms how they
2:02.2	look, but also how they feel and how they carry themselves in the world. Whether you prefer liquid,
2:07.2	gel, pencil, powder, or handmade mixtures, eyeliner enthusiasts span the globe. In this practice
2:13.4	dates back millennia. Author Zara Hankear turned her love of eyeliner into a very comprehensive
2:19.2	book called Eyeliner, A Cultural History. And she is here to discuss it with us today. Welcome to
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from KQED, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of KQED and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.