What the world is reading

“The women of Lebanon have waited years for a high-profile woman from their country to take the world stage. And now it’s happened: in the form of 21-year-old Mia Khalifa, a porn star,” writes Rebecca Reif for The Telegraph. She adds that Khalifa is now not only the world’s most popular porn star after just three months in the industry, “but she’s also got a BA in history from the University of Texas, her own car, her own apartment and two dogs, is supporting herself financially”, making her “the millenial dream”.

But she’s not the “influencer” people want. Juliana Yazbeck wrote for Now Lebanon: “Really? Of the very few Lebanese women who are making global headlines, it has to be a porn star? The general excitement and support Mia has been met with, especially from the ‘liberal’ male population of Lebanon, is understandable. After all, the more sexual liberty Lebanese women find, the easier it will be for the average Lebanese male youth to copulate.”

She goes on to add that it pains her “to see a fellow Lebanese woman — or any woman really — turn to sex when she finds it nearly impossible to use her brain in such a patriarchal society.”

As the Daily Mail noted, one of the biggest sources of outrage is a video in which Khalifa performs sex acts while wearing a hijab. She’s also been berated for her tattoos, one of which is the opening lines of the Lebanese national anthem.

Khalifa has been taking the criticism and the death threats in her stride. On her Twitter page, @abdallahbakrr wrote, “ur head will be cut soon inshallah”. Khalifa responded: “Doesn’t the Middle East have more important things to worry about besides me?”

And @tumezey writes that “am a Palestinian patriot and what you are doing is shameful.” To which Khalifa replied, “Aren’t you not supposed to be on my page? Haram. Sinful.”