The former adult actress Sarah Joe Chamoun, better known by the name Mia Khalifa’s under which she performed, is taking a lot of flak for putting forth her public opinion in favour of Palestine during their turmoil with Israel, which led to some very negative reactions in her business dealings.
Mia’s vocal stand with Palestine, in the wake of Hamas’ attacks on Israel, whipped up a firestorm on social media. She posted messages advocating for Palestinian rights and called for horizontal video recording during the conflict. Canadian broadcaster and radio host Todd Shapiro, who was following her tweets, immediately cut ties with her, describing her comments as “disgusting” and “ignorant.”
She went inactive on social media during this controversy. At the same instance, the Israel-Hamas conflict went unabated, with high human casualties and injuries piling up from both sides. She also explained that her statement about “freedom fighters” did not mean to instigate violence but was directed towards Palestinians striving for freedom.
But it was not just on social media that the fallout followed. Playboy, a name synonymous with promoting free speech, distanced itself from Mia Khalifa’s altogether. They termed her comments regarding Hamas’ actions as “disgusting and reprehensible.” Though they are themselves pro-freedom of speech, Playboy reminded everyone that there is responsibility attached to exercising one’s rights.
On perhaps an optimistic note, the militant group Hamas said on Monday that it was open to a truce. This is one bright thing for hope so that this conflict can still be resolved peacefully without any further destruction or chaos.
This shows the sensitive interplay between individual expression and its repercussions, particularly in a long-drawn-out and brutal war.