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The Revolution is a Woman
On October 17th 2019, protests erupted in Lebanon after a WhatsApp tax was announced by the government, a policy that further demonstrated the evergrowing mismanagement of the country by its rulers.
Although the uprising remains leaderless, women have been giving the revolution its tone by keeping it peaceful. Leading marches, organizing open-mics, setting up tents, holding meditation sessions, giving flowers to soldiers, forming human shields between protesters and riot police and calming agitators down are a few ways they have influenced the revolution.
Following other gender-equality movements worldwide, the revolution originally intended to fight the political elite turned itself into a space where Lebanese women are fighting for their place in a society which ranks 140th out of 149 countries on the Global Gender Gap Index 2018 by the World Economic Forum. Amongst their demands, is the implementation of a non-sectarian civil state abolishing the country’s current 15 different religions each having their separate personal status laws which, according to the Human Rights Watch, all discriminate women.
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Thousands gather at Martyrs' Square to express their anger with the current political establishment.
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Two friends embrace each other after an intense confrontation.
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Women at the front line of the revolution. On this day, military and police personnel blocked the road leading to the presidential palace, stopping the protesters from voicing their discontent to Michel Aoun, president since 2016.
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A protester wrapped in the Lebanese flag calmly reads while being surrounded by riot police.
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The "Revolution is a woman" slogan is often chanted by men and women alike, acknowledging and celebrating the women's role in the uprising.
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Portrait of a student skipping school to protest in the streets of Beirut's downtown area.
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Riot police attempt to talk a protester out of blocking the road. Various tactics are used to block Beirut's main arteries such as sit-ins, football matches, cars, furniture and fires.
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Women have been crucial at stopping the revolution from escalating to violence by physically stopping men from hitting police officers or pushing fences.
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A woman in a wheelchair shares her dissatisfaction with the current government to the riot police stopping protesters from accessing the parliament.
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Riot control officers try to divide protesters who have organized a human chain to block deputies from accessing the parliament and passing a controversial general amnesty law that would prevent corrupted politicians from being prosecuted.
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An elder's emotions overflow at the end of a walk organized by students to denounce the political elite.
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A protester stares at the fire blocking the road while firefighters discuss with police officers.
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Daughters, mothers and grandmothers alike actively participate in the uprising.
