Marieme Helie Lucas

“Describes sexual liberation as ‘served on a plate’”

““You are probably right, but if we try and fail, we can at least tell our daughters we tried but could not change the conditions, now it is your turn to try. But if we do nothing and just watch the rights that our mothers and grandmothers fought to secure for us wash away at the whims of fundamentalist and corrupt politicians, what do we have to tell them?””

“I realized failing is still better than doing nothing to regain one’s rights and human dignity.”

“Reactionary forces have always sought to govern in the name of God. Secularism, defined as the separation of religion and state, is the most effective way to prevent them from directly wielding political power. Historically, progressive religious interpreters and liberation theologians have been marginalized and defeated within their own religious traditions.”

“Secularism is the legal and administrative principle that separates the state from organized religions. It was established during the French Revolution and later formalized in the 1905-1906 laws on separation. Article 1 of these laws guarantees individuals the freedom to believe and practice their faith. Article 2 states that the Secular Republic neither recognizes, engages with, nor funds religions, their representatives, or institutions. In a secular Republic, all citizens are equal and have the same rights under the law.”