Dr Heba Kotb

Born in 1967 in Egypt, Dr. Heba Kotb initially pursued a career in surgery, attending medical school at Cairo University. Her path shifted during her master’s thesis on the ‘Medicolegal Implications of Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Sexually abused Children,’ where she identified a significant gap in public understanding of healthy sexuality. This led her to extensive research, which revealed that the Qur’an discusses sexual relations between husbands and wives, emphasizing women’s sexual rights. This discovery inspired her to focus on sexology.

In 2003, Dr. Kotb became the first licensed sexologist in Egypt, earning her degree in clinical sexology from Maimonides University in Florida. She continued her education, completing a Ph.D. in 2004 with a thesis titled ‘Sexuality in Islam.’ Her career progression included starting a sex advice column in a Cairo newspaper in 2002 and establishing a private practice where she offers medical consultations, family counseling, and various training programs such as ‘Mum and Dad to be,’ ‘Mom and Baby,’ ‘Premarital Programs,’ and ‘Post-Marital’ courses. By 2017, she had published four books on sexual relationships. She also serves as an assistant professor of psychology at the American University in Cairo.

Dr. Kotb gained widespread recognition as the host of “The Big Talk,” a weekly call-in show on Al Mehwar, an Egyptian satellite channel, broadcast across the Arab world. On the show, she addresses common sexual topics within the framework of Islamic teachings, contributing to open dialogue on subjects traditionally considered taboo. Her work emphasizes that sexual gratification within marriage is an important component of Islam, challenging cultural norms that suppress such discussions. Her influence is also evident through her large online following, with over 2 million followers on her Facebook page as of 2021.