The sex appeal of Lebanon’s liberation: Beautiful women as symbol of political freedom

Are all Lebanese women gorgeous? Glenn Reynolds over at Instapundit has been running photos of the demonstations for Lebanese independence and freedom, and most of the pictures have focused on incredibly beautiful babes.

Reynolds now points out that it is not only he who has been drawn to the feminine face of freedom. The magazine covers of Newsweek, The Weekly Standard and The Economist are graced with photos of lovely women rallying the democratic spirit in the streets of Beirut.

The pictures follow a proud tradition. Artists have long cast freedom in the form of a woman. In 1830, Eugene Delacroix painted "Liberty Leading the People" as a bare-breasted woman carrying a musket in one hand and the flag of France in another.

Since Delacroix, we’ve seen the Statue of Liberty, designed by another Frenchman, Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi, in 1871 and erected in 1886. In the Middle East, Mahmud Mukhtar’s sculpture "Nahdat Misr"  in 1920 depicted the unveiling of an Egyptian woman as a symbol of liberation.

And no one will forget China’s 1989 statue of liberty, the Goddess of Democracy, in Tiananman Square.

It’s an attractive image, the fair sex, the sex that delivers life, leading the way to liberty. By subliminal contrast, the symbolism adds to the ugliness of the dictators, almost all of whom are men.

Frank Warner

SEE ALSO: So much for women as symbols of democracy.

SEE ALSO: Wiz Bang’s “Babe Theory of Political Movements.”

SEE ALSO: Why do the pro-Syrians in Lebanon look so nasty? Compare pictures of the two crowds.

Comments

[robin]

hola
lebanese beauty and politics can be joined in thaly boustros person. shes hot and a real turn on when she works in politics next to general secretary of the united nation. yummy thaly grrrrrrrrrrrrr

[salwa]

YES THEY R THE BEST WOMEN
and ure right robin THALY BOUSTROS is yummy hehehehehe

[Jumana]

YES of coarse lebanese women are gorgeous!! Look at Shakira And Salma Hayek!!!I am also Lebanes and Mexican and it is a beautiful combination!!!

[jj mollo]

I was interested in your reference to Mahmoud Muktar and followed it up a bit. I couldn't find an image of "Nahdat Misr", except from very far away. I did find some of his sculptures and paintings. Here's a page with 19 of his paintings. I'm interested in how you know about him Frank.

It seems to me that information on "Nahdat Misr" might be sparce because of its use of unveiling -- as a symbol for freedom -- has become sensitive now that religious fanatics are willing to kill to enforce such practices. I wonder what Muktar would think of the Middle East today.

[Frank Warner]

I had done some research on the woman as freedom, and found that reference Mahmound Muktar's unveiling. I, too, was unable to find a picture of it.

[Cyber Identity Patrol]

THALY BOUSTROS does not exist. This is a virtual cyber false identity. The person going under that name is pretending to be the daughter of Carlos Slim Helu. This is not real. She uses Alicia Machado (ex-miss universe 96) pictures as her cyber identity and pretends to be an Elite and Victoria Secret model. This woman is located in the Ottawa region. BEWARE!

[Cyber Identity Patrol]

This is silly... Thaly Boustros is well known