2.1.5 Sebou naming ceremony
Parents and their daughter at a Sebou, an Egyptian naming ceremony. The ceremony is the child's official introduction to society. Jehan, at right, her life partner, Dwora, and their daughter Anjoum. Her name means Stars in Arabic.
In many families, special celebrations are held after a baby is born. This picture was taken at the naming ceremony for Anjoum, the daughter of Dwora and Jehan, in Los Angeles in 1994. The caption for the photo says Anjoum means “stars” in Arabic. Have you ever been to a special celebration after a baby was born? What was it like? What about your name? Do you know why your parents gave it to you? Does it have any special meaning to you or your family?
The family pictured here is a lesbian couple and their daughter in Los Angeles in 1994 at a special ceremony following their daughter’s birth. At that time, gay marriage was illegal in Los Angeles. In 1999 California adopted a domestic partnership law; same-sex marriage temporarily and briefly became legal in the state in 2008. In 2015, same-sex marriage as a constitutional right was made available to all Americans. Students may wish to make observations about the importance of baby-naming ceremonies and family structure when viewing this image.
