"Why is the veiled woman in Lebanese drama reduced to a single role, while she succeeds, outside the script, in presenting diverse narratives about herself?"
"In this grey area, the real question begins to take shape: Why does the recognition of her full humanity seem easier off-camera and more difficult on it?
غياب العدالة التمثيلية
Lebanese actress Sara Kassir speaks on the fair representation of veiled women in Lebanese drama: 'The veiled woman represents more than half of the women in Lebanon, or at least half. In every Islamic sect, there is the veiled woman, and even in Christian denominations, we see the modest and covered nun—which is a form of veil. Here, the question arises: Does Lebanese drama or TV series reflect this reality and these numbers? Certainly not. Even when a veiled woman is present in these series, her presence is timid, appearing only as an "extra," while lead roles are given to non-veiled women. From this perspective, the question of fair representation for veiled women can be answered. The greatest fear today lies in the policies and agendas followed in some dramas, especially when they are funded by "Petro-dollar" groups.
Here we must ask: Is portraying the veiled woman, who represents a specific environment, in a negative light an innocent act?'
The issue is not about the hijab itself, but rather the meaning loaded onto it and the stories built around it. It is about who owns the authority of the narrative and who is left out of the tale. When an image is told from only one angle, it turns into a constraint; and when it is repeated without accountability, it becomes a system.
صناعة "الرأي العام"
An image is not formed in a vacuum; it requires a frame to embrace it, a context to interpret it, and connotations to express it before it is broadcast to society in a different form—which is nothing but a 'stereotype.'From this standpoint, the media is no longer a neutral conveyor of what exists, but a partner in producing this meaning, crafted through a well-controlled plot to suit societal implications. From the choice of angle to the framing, the dialogue, and even the accompanying music—all are elements that contribute to manifesting this image while excluding others that might carry different meanings."
"Dr. Ali Makki points out that the media is not always a mirror of reality; rather, it is a system capable of proposing ready-made models for understanding this reality. These models are presented in a 'packaged' and 'pre-set' manner—through series, programs, podcasts, and sometimes even comments on a woman's actions. These models are the result of conscious or unconscious decisions, governed by commercial, political, or ideological considerations. From this perspective, stories are not merely told, nor are they presented in an innocent or transparent narrative; instead, they are rearranged to fit other pre-determined narratives."
"When an image is repeated, it is no longer a narrative choice or a mere work of art; it transforms into a model and then into ready-made templates, presented to the viewer as part of 'reality.' From one image to another, and one character to another, the names change, but the result remains the same. Thus, the problem is no longer the presence of the veiled woman in drama, but rather how she is presented to the audience and the space granted to her through these roles.In Lebanese drama, specifically between 2020 and 2025, this stereotype emerges clearly. It is not evident through a single work, but through series that have formed a collective visual memory, presenting the veiled woman within a nearly fixed trajectory: it begins with restriction and ends with rebellion, and sometimes with a punishment akin to death."