By Mark Zoarob | Staff Writer
Eastern women are besieged by a patriarchal system that treats them as second-class human beings and strips them of their rights. In our male dominated societies, women are raised from an early age to serve men through cooking and doing other household chores. Immediately after the Eastern woman reaches the age of 20, the search for her husband and “savior of her honor” commences, as if she is solely created to produce children and satisfy his needs. For a woman’s family, being unmarried is a crime that she must not commit. Once wedded, she becomes nothing, and is labeled with the demeaning term “عانس” for the rest of her life.
Some suggest that the solution lies in enacting laws that punish every transgressor, or to change the mentality of men and make them more open. These solutions seem reasonable and feasible. But no matter how many laws and penalties ones enacts, the problem will fundamentally persist. These social issues will remain engrained in our culture and in the minds of the public. The solution to this societal issue is educational rather than legislative. Hence art, for instance, can play an integral role in shedding light on these social injustices.
In the words of Remie Akl, “Art is the only remedy or cure for sunken souls and eyes…. Art has a certain power to move people and push people forward. Art gives me the strength and power to overcome any bad situation and every dark aspect of life. I do believe art can bring about real change.”
Remie Akl, a poet, actress, singer, and visual artist, utilizes her distinct humor as a vehicle to fight against injustices of all kinds. On a list of topics, she has so far covered, patriarchal mindsets, corrupt systems, and social media are at the top. Her works supporting women’s rights have gained her the most notoriety, though. Most notable is her 2020 project, “Baklava Got legs,” a viral film response to sexual harassment in Lebanon that has so far had over 4,000,000 views on her Instagram. Remie Akl has since advocated for several social causes, particularly those affecting women, as well as the ongoing political unrest in her nation.
Most recently, she collaborated once more with ABAAD, a resource for gender equality in Lebanon, to create “Dirty Laundry,” a brave response to the stigmatizing and silencing of rape victims. The performer poetically hangs by her hair on a laundry line with several other ladies as the film begins. Remie depicts how victims of sexual assault in Lebanon are encouraged to remain quiet and cover up their “dirty laundry” because they feel that women are to blame for it, all in the sake of family respect and dignity. Using her signature style, Remie Akl exposes “dirty laundry” for what it truly is: a crime.
Remie Akl has a distinct artistic style and medium of communication with audiences which utilizes the audiovisual medium to relay her messages. Akl’s medium of expression is the supreme vehicle for expressing the worlds of intellect, sensation, and instinct. Her inventive employment of image and music in her film is among the most evocative of any medium of expression. Akl’s lyrics, plainly pronounced and mixed with music, iconographic images, and body movement demand audiences to listen, feel, and resonate with the messages being communicated.
In the age of short attention spans, Remie Akl’s blend of auditory and visual perspectives proves to be an effective medium of championing positive change and communicating her message towards both Lebanese men and women. This highlights art’s cultural significance and its capacity to influence thought and public opinion.
Akl’s works attempt to empower women and emancipate Arab youth through intertwining personal and collective narratives. Akl is one of several rising artists who, via cinema, comics, dance, painting, and other mediums, have been tirelessly advocating and raising awareness about the numerous social, economic, and political stifles that the Lebanese population is encountering. Remie Akl knew that when words fail to change people on their own, music and art can move and pierce through the hearts of an audience. Words and art hand-in-hand have always influenced the societies we live in, and one day ours will change too.