​​​This article engages with the common narrative that the Arab feminist movement is in crisis, ineffective, and has failed to bring about radical changes in women's lives. It argues that many of the movement's goals have been achieved despite the obstacles imposed by post-independence nation-states to undermine social movements, particularly feminist ones, and despite their attempts to co-opt and instrumentalize the movement in the service of broader political agendas. The article highlights cases in which feminists contest and negotiate with power—sometimes losing, sometimes succeeding—yet they persist. It provides an overview of key Arab feminist currents, focusing on Egyptian feminism as a movement that, despite significant differences, intersects in many ways with those of other Arab countries.​