Playing Petty Politics

(Warning: The following piece contains uncomfortable content. Read at your own risk.)

This is Mia Khalifa.

Mia Khalifa, until recently, had a cushy job as both an OnlyFans actress and an Instagram influencer. Born in Lebanon, she made a name for herself by being as provocative as alluring. She also quickly racked up controversies that propelled her into the spotlight. And now, as quickly as her rise to fame, she’s squandered her reputation. Life’s funny like that, huh?

This past while has been tense for Jews globally. Beginning on Simchat Torah, exactly 50 years to the day of The Yom Kippur War, Hamas and Hezbollah infiltrated Israel and began abducting, raping and beheading civilians in large numbers. To date, over 1000 Israelis have been murdered, with even more badly injured or missing. In response, the Israeli government declared war on Gaza, firing missiles at proposed terrorist sites and levelling the strip to rubble. It’s scary and frustrating.

Personally, this has been really trying. Ignoring how depressing Simchat Torah was, especially since I didn’t have access to any news feeds, the aftermath has made my anxiety skyrocket. It didn’t help that social media was abuzz with misinformation and ignorance, with public figures, like Mark Hamill and Tara Strong, being scrutinized for expressing concern for Israel. And then there’s Mia Khalifa, whose behaviour was a whole other beast.

Khalifa’s made her political beliefs known many times. This itself isn’t an issue, she’s allowed, but many of her stances have provoked people without cause. Whether it was criticizing Caitlyn Jenner’s transition with the N-word, or calling Gal Gadot “Genocide Barbie” for being Israeli, Khalifa’s a known troublemaker. And now that’s cost her job.

On October 7th, right as the invasion of Israel began, Khalifa Tweeted:

“Can someone please tell the freedom fighters in Palestine to flip their phones and film horizontal?”

This wasn’t her only statement, but it was enough for her employer to drop her after calling her out. It’s easy to see why: despite referencing Horizon Mode on phones, which makes it easier to film something, Khalifa’s statement was tone-deaf. Since she represents a larger organization, regardless of whether or not she wants to, it’s reasonable to assume her statement would land her in trouble. It’s a decision I agree with, honestly.

That said, I also think the reactions online were inappropriate. On one hand, Khalifa’s not innocent. There’s no conspiracy against her, her life wasn’t threatened, and she’s not a martyr. Like actress Gina Carano, Khalifa had a cushy career and lifestyle that I envy. She had it made, and she threw it away because she lacked tact. If anything, she should’ve been fired three or four controversies ago.

On the other hand, people shaming her profession aren’t helping. Yes, Mia Khalifa was a porn actress. But so what? Sex work is work, and unlike most service industries it pays quite well. It also has job security, something many service jobs lack. And while it can be dangerous, for many reasons, it’s no-less valid.

Besides, sex workers aren’t inherently unintelligent. They enter the field for many reasons, and some do it as a side-hustle to pay bills or complete post-secondary/graduate school. Some even have PhDs! But above everything, sex workers often have interesting lives by the sheer nature of their clients.

The amount of sex shaming and misogyny that’s stemmed from Mia’s remarks is quite concerning. I get it, it’s easy to look down on her job. It’s “dirty” and “lesser”, and there’s still a heavy stigma surrounding the occupation. But while understandable on some level, there’s no excuse for it. Nor is it fair to mock her over it.

And yet, that’s exactly what’s happening, with detractors piling on her not because of her politics, but rather her occupation. It’s upsetting, as it both detracts from her lack of remorse, and ignores plenty of sex workers who aren’t nearly as tactless as her over sensitive political matters. You want to criticize her as a person? Go ahead, she’s not exactly making that difficult. But do it with tact, not with disdain.

On that note, I’d like to address the complaint that Khalifa’s boss, Todd Shapiro, fired her “because he’s Jewish”. Firstly, plenty of people in the industry aren’t Jewish, and they hold far more power than him. And secondly, so what? Shapiro’s decision to fire her was a PR move, as she was a loose cannon that was hurting the company’s reputation. If Shapiro had the influence people claim, he’d have fired her a long time ago.

I get that The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict brings out intense emotions in people. I’m not immune to that, as I’m sure you’re aware. But this isn’t merely a skirmish between states. This was an unprovoked attack with civilian casualties. I don’t care if you think Israel’s a demonic country, civilians don’t deserve to suffer because of it. Besides, Hamas and Hezbollah are designated terrorist organizations! What good comes from glorifying them like that?