Lebanon protesters search for their revolutionary crushes

For more than a week, hundreds of thousands of Lebanese have taken to the streets in what has been dubbed the “October Revolution”, to call for the fall of the government.

The sudden movement erupted after the government’s plan to tax the use of internet telecommunication applications Whatsapp, Facebook and Facetime.

Frustrated by decades of corruption, mismanagement and sectarianism, citizens are participating in the dissent calling for the government to resign, and coping using satire, humour and lots of dancing.

This thawra, or revolution, has witnessed all sorts of humorous incidents, from an elderly lady dancing alone through the protest to a popular children’s song “Baby Shark: Doo Doo” being sung in unison to calm a toddler caught in the midst of a boisterous crowd.

READ: Lebanon protests enter 10th day with no end in sight, army tries to open roads

The unique antiques have moved on to the web with Instagram account “thawra crushes” being set upto help participants identify potential partners they may have seem during the protests.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4KE4n1l-Ch/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4JGOwulIMu/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

https://twitter.com/BooksAndBurgers/status/1188580601835728896

With almost 6,000 followers, Twitter users are claiming the account has become the new Tinder.

https://twitter.com/HodaMoussa9/status/1188224024507228162

In case of a Lost crush #thawracrushes pic.twitter.com/c7uJcT8BFd

— Chimène Zouki 🇱🇧 (@chimene_zouki) October 26, 2019

16- The Insta page of "Thawracrushes" 😅 #Lebanon #Lebanon pic.twitter.com/0iiv3fGPTY

— Luna Safwan – لونا صفوان (@LunaSafwan) October 27, 2019

However, as images and videos of Lebanon’s anti-government protests flood social media platforms, many have also taken to Twitter and blogs to objectify the women of the Lebanese Revolution.

A number of Arab media outlets and high-profile Arab figures have come under fire for their objectification of the movement’s women females.

https://twitter.com/DrWalaaQuisay/status/1185974225728872449

https://twitter.com/LanaNotLanah/status/1186408008785506306

STOP FETISHISING LEBANESE FEMALE PROTESTERS#Lebanon #LebanonProtests https://t.co/ELQjF6inSp

— Charline BM (@charline_bm) October 28, 2019

With images being classed as sexist and symptomatic of the gender inequality in the region.

سؤال:
ألحين هذولا متظاهرات أو حلويات سعد الدين؟#لبنان_ينتفض#لبنان pic.twitter.com/ilTniOntNl

— لافي الحربي (@60337788) October 18, 2019

ايش الفرق
بين متظاهرات لبنان
وبين متظاهرات اليمن ? pic.twitter.com/tw4SwsbFsJ

— هيموو (@adobbb6) October 20, 2019

To the ignorant one out there who have nothing to do with their petty existence other than objectifying our brave patriotic women,get some history to educate yourself!!
Stop attacking the women of the Lebanese revolution! (She_in_politics)#lebanonprotest #لبنان_ينتفص #جويس_عقيقي

— sarah (@sarah_elfarraji) October 24, 2019

The Saudi daily Okaz on Tuesday led its coverage of Lebanon’s protest movement with a piece entitled “Lebanese babes: All the beautiful women are revolutionary“.

The article itself was mainly a montage of pictures of those protesters the paper deemed “attractive” and “not just beautiful, but also revolutionary”.

https://twitter.com/alameer_rasheed/status/1186604220994215947

Lebanese media and social media users were quick to slam the paper in response. Critics condemned Okaz‘s coverage for objectifying women, for being unprofessional, and for seeking to reduce the importance of a movement that many are now considering a watershed in Lebanon’s recent history.

READ: 170,000 form human chain across Lebanon