A decade ago, Arab youth searching for sexual health information in their native language were often left in the dark. Platforms like Love Matters existed, but only in English, leaving non-English-speaking communities without access. Recognizing this gap, Abeer Sarras and Ramy Metwally launched Love Matters Arabic, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at educating young Arabs on their bodies, sexual health, and rights—topics that are still considered taboo in much of the Arab world. The platform provides users with unambiguous and reliable information on sex and relationships: talking honestly and openly about sex while also considering cultural and religious contexts.
Love Matters Arabic made accessing sexual health information in Arabic revolutionary. In a region where such information is often scarce, the platform became a lifeline, offering guidance in a language people understood. While Western media has long provided this type of information, thanks to more relaxed social norms around shame, the Arab world needed a resource that addressed its unique cultural sensitivities.
Translating content from English was just the beginning. The team realized that many sexual terms in Arabic carried connotations of shame. They had to rework the language itself to be more pleasure-positive, while staying mindful of cultural boundaries. For instance, the term ”self-pleasure“ was traditionally translated as “el ‘ada el sereya,” or “the secret habit”—a phrase steeped in secrecy and shame. Love Matters Arabic replaced it with “el emta’ el thaty,” normalizing a more affirming language. Similarly, the term “partner” was introduced instead of husband or wife, signaling a more inclusive approach to relationships.
Over the past ten years, Love Matters Arabic has expanded its reach across digital platforms, offering content in various formats—articles, videos, and even alternative text for visually impaired users and sign language for those with hearing impairments. They also launched Love Matters Ar Junior, adapting international sex-ed videos for a younger Arabic-speaking audience. Every day, new users find the platform, gaining access to vital sexual health information that can help keep them safer and more informed.
Love Matters Arabic operates like a library—a basket where anyone can find what they need. Not everything is meant for everyone, but the platform strives to reach as many people as possible. Video campaigns targeting parents have further broken down barriers, showing children asking basic questions like “What is a period?” and “What is sex?”—questions often met with shame-laden or inaccurate answers. The initiative carefully avoids blaming parents, acknowledging that these responses, though misguided, often stem from love and concern. The role of Love Matters Arabic is to offer the correct information that parents and children alike can trust.
As a pioneer in sexual health education in the Arab world, Love Matters Arabic has witnessed a shift in public perception over the last decade. The community has grown to trust the platform, with less resistance to topics once considered taboo. This change is especially evident in discussions around issues like sexual assault and female genital mutilation (FGM). Conversations have evolved from questions of necessity—”What would we do without it?”—to questions of recovery and support—”How do we help those affected move forward?”
Looking ahead, Love Matters Arabic aims to further broaden its reach, focusing on the sexual education of people with disabilities and creating content on platforms like TikTok to connect with Gen Z. The initiative also hopes to increase in-person outreach by collaborating with organizations in underserved areas, particularly in Upper Egypt.
After ten years of challenging societal norms and reshaping conversations about sexual health, Love Matters Arabic remains committed to making meaningful change in the Arab community. And their journey has only just begun.
