Throughout Arab history, women have played an integral role in many independence movements and at times of wars, and in the process defied social stereotypes and traditional constrains. However, the moment the situation started to normalize, the old social norms and traditional perceptions of women’s roles have tended to reassert themselves. The same can be said about women’s visible participation in the Arab popular uprisings of 2011: participation was followed by a conservative backlash. This paper will narrate the pattern of women’s political participation that was then followed by exclusion, offering concrete examples. It will highlight the argument that this backlash may not be surprising after all. Nevertheless, despite the backlash, the flux now taking place in the region is unsettling gender perceptions and roles. Whether these changes are sustainable remains a matter of speculation.