Iranian online reaction to Egyptian Aliaa's photos

Some Iranian users have supported Aliaa Magda Elmahdy, Egyptian feminist who published nude photos of herself to "express her freedom".

Mohammad Salemi, an Iranian blogger based in North America, published his nude photo in support of Aliaa.

He writes [Fa]:

By publishing my nude I am supporting this Egyptian girl and criticizing this beautiful young female blogger.

He quotes his female friend, Mina, on Friendfeed says [Fa]:

Aliaa fits to main-stream beauty standards and publishing nude photos of such a body is not so extra ordinary. If some aged women with non-mainstream beauty has done the same, that would be revolutionary; but nude artistic photos are not conflicting the market nor the patriarchy and sexism.

Mohammad's photo received reactions [Fa] in his Friendfeed page.

Some Iranian bloggers are supporting him as an "appropriate" reaction and support to Aliaa' photos, and some are criticizing his act as a "ridiculous" one.

Another male Iranian blogger, Arash Daklan, posted his own nude photo, suggesting that Aliaa doesn't need support.

This Paris-based blogger writes [En]:

Aliaa does not need to be defended. She has made her words. From now on this is the intellectual who should defend herself/himself. If Aliaa is executed or anything bad happens to her, this is the intellectual’s action whose action is ethically under question.

Mahshid Rasti, an Iranian women activist, shares Mina's idea about supporting Aliaa.

She writes in her blog Zananeha [Fa]:

Aliaa did a venture act... and she has done something extraordinary and unique.opposing Arab world fundamentalism.

But this Europe-based blogger asks:

If she was a woman in her 60s with 40kg overweight was she welcomed like this?

Mahshid believes:

Most of those who are sharing Aliaa's nude pictures are not actually supporting her act, but they have an approach toward her like an object.

This Iranian women activist writes:

As long as our society is interested in women bodies, not their ideas, we should oppose such a society and its values.

According to her Twitter biography, Aliaa identifies herself as “Secular, Liberal, Feminist, Vegetarian and Individualist Egyptian”. She also wrote on her Facebook page that she was “echoing screams against the society of violence, racism, sexism, sexual harassment and hypocrisy”.

"God's Warriors", the Jews

Tonight I watched Christiane Amanpour’s “God’s Warriors” first part which has been made about Jewish fundamentalist people and organizations. I think that was excellent and a little late!

As an Iranian student in Sociology and a freelance journalist, I should deeply thank Christiane because of her brilliant work with which I saw new horizons in my studies and in my interest. I got exited by watching the scenes she got portrayed and the quotes she made documented. If we agree that there would not be any story or documentary which would be really objective and wholly true, her Jewish “God’s Warriors” would be one of the best documentaries which have got close to be objective and true, ever I saw.

The documentary has truly represented the real nature of fundamentalism which leads to terror; the nature which is multi-religious rather than being Muslims', Jews' or Christians'. I believe that she have truly managed to show the obscure line between being faithful to a religion and being so fundamentalist to let call yourself a terrorist so easily that those people in her documentary could.

Terrorism which originate from religious fundamentalism in some part, is the final synthesis of lots of trends; the point which lots of people – even decisive ones – could not realize. Such works like hers would be watched globally and I believe she would take part in shaping the future world by doing such documentations.

Although her documentary was almost the first one in its field with such an in-depth view, I can tell that it's quite late for such a documentary. Maybe there are some concerns and observations which she have to take care and might step slowly forward because of them, but I’m sure she would do agree with me that sometimes it would be too late to talk and make documentations about a trend. They do not wait for us to pull together and make such brilliant works like she did. But I insist she were the first and that’s what she’s been called as Christiane Amanpour!

Considering the sharpness and the objectivity of the first part of “God’s Warriors”, I would follow the other two parts. My image of her has aways been a Zionism-friend! Although I still could hardly imagine her as a Muslim-friend journalist yet, but what she have done in the Jewish part of the documentary made me to reduce her position in my mind to an Israel-friend and may be truly a Zionism-foe.

Christiane and journalists alike her, are teaching me great by their lessons as I am virtually in a distance-class. I hope to be such a journalist; even with more objectivity, curiosity, and intelligence.

P.S.:
Christiane Amanpour responded to me:
"Many thanks for your comments and I am so pleased you enjoyed the report. CNN won the ratings and we are pleased that the message seems to be: serious news wins!"

Best wishes,
Christiane"

P.P.S.:
The Other two parts on Muslim God Warriors and Christians, were as shocking and brilliant as the first part.
Don't miss them!