In the context of the tension between universalism and cultural relativism, this presentation will examine how the intersectionality theory can inform new grounds for feminists and sexuality scholarship in the Middle East. The current feminist and sexuality theoretical approach within the western constructed discipline of middle eastern studies is dominated by the anti-imperialist framework emerging from the historical context of the post 9/11 wars and the rise of islamophobia. While this framework has strengthened our understanding of the genealogy of human rights and the dangers of forcing a westernized right based approach to feminist activism, it failed to recognize the challenges of the post Arab Spring era. The anti-imperialist discourse has been relentlessly attacking women rights movements for enforcing a western imperial agenda on their communities. This reductionist view has been confined for decades within the universalism vs culture relativism binary and forgot about the reality of women’s lives in the middle east. The 2011 uprisings demand a reconsideration of the hegemonic understanding of the middle east constructed by several social scientists working within western academia. The idea that the middle east is a static place where traditions are not interacting with time, nor political economy or geopolitics, and where change is an external concept alien to the culture was drastically challenged by the Arab Spring uprising. Therefore, a new generation of middle eastern social researchers invoked the concept of the traveling theory discussed by Edward Said. The traveling theory concept have left many middle eastern scholars and activists wondering if the anti-imperialist theory, intended as a liberation tool, can become a tool for oppression in different geopolitical setting. Looking at the post 2011 feminist activism in Egypt, we can see a new intersectional understanding of gender and sexuality emerging from the social movements and feminist organizations struggle for democracy, social justice and gender equality. While some western academics accuse them of following an imperial agenda, the feminist movements in Egypt are demolishing the imperial vs local culture binary and introducing new grounds of intersectional frameworks and praxis. My presentation will examine theses tensions while drawing on inspiration from recent Egyptian feminist activism efforts.