Within its campaign “Towards Changing Women’s Image in Media and Ads”, implemented by Fe-Male in partnership with ActionAid Arab Region Initiative in 2015, Fe-Male’s members performed in a flash mob live on air in cooperation with the prime time “7kiJelis” program on LBCI- a Lebanese local TV station. 7kiJelis, presented by Joe Maalouf a program that tackled issues in the society that the marginalized and the weakest people suffer from, was one of the talk shows that had the highest ratings of audience in Lebanon. In this particular episode, the aim was to challenge beauty standards and women’s objectification in media and ads, where he hosted five Fe-Male members who bravely shared their stories of suffering in a patriarchal society that condemns them based on their looks and imposes certain beauty standards for them to get accepted in their communities.
“My breasts are small, according to them; I should have an implant in order to be seen as whole” said one girl. Another expressed how the society perceives her as a boy just because she is a bit tough in her actions. Those girls explicitly came out and spoke about certain behaviors imposed on them by their communities and obliging them to have particular looks in order to be accepted. “No matter how skinny I am, I always see myself obese; I am even scared to drink water so as not to gain weight” says a third one.
During this episode, the presenter spoke to those girls, in addition to consulting with psychologists and social experts who elaborated on the patriarchal norms that pressure women and girls in the society, molding them to become people unaccepting of themselves, and recommending a whole new system of education that promotes self-confidence and acceptance of the self.
