Aesthetics of Lebanon

Aesthetics of Lebanon 

By Ghina Krayem

Every culture has what is acceptable and what is not. Some cultures are more 

lenient and others remain to the old fashioned customs and societal beliefs 

especially when it comes to beauty. A different definition of beauty becomes 

apparent for every culture and society. Lebanon is a very good example. 

Cynthia Ghazali is the creator of the documentary Copy. Cut. Paste., which 

discusses the reason why plastic surgeries become essential in the Lebanese 

culture. According to Ghazali, “Lebanese beauty has become centered on big 

lips tattooed eyebrows, and small noses” (Ghazali 2013). It is even mentioned 

that about 1.5 million procedures are done in a year with a population of about 

4.5 million people. That’s not to say that everyone conforms to such culture, 

however, conforming to Lebanon’s definition of beauty essentially facilitates 

the feeling of being important. 

This plays a huge role on the Male Gaze. Ghazali talks about how seeing and 

being seen in the Lebanese culture is very important. She states that in the 

span of 25 years of the civil war in Lebanon, people were locked away in their 

household away from the trauma. However, now in contemporary times, the 

Lebanese culture is “making up for lost times,” (Ghazali 2013). She initiates 

the talk by stating how many men are usually sent out of the household to 

study abroad, which leaves a surplus of women and not very much men,

creating a competition. Women feel that they are not deemed suitable or good 

enough in society without the need to surgically alter their physical 

appearances not only for themselves, but primarily for everyone else 

especially men. Education is no longer taken into consideration and it 

becomes a mere matter. “Many women in Lebanon are competing to find a 

husband, even though they are highly-educated,” Ghazali said. “The end goal 

for women is to find a good husband and build a family” (Ghazali 2013). Being 

beautiful is not only a product of their self-esteem, it also becomes a product 

of competition of marriage. 

Self esteem plays a huge role within this matter. Not only is there a struggle 

to find a husband, there is also the issue of successfully achieving this 

competition be able to play the part. In order to play the part, you must dress 

the part. With all these plastic surgeries originality becomes extremely rare 

because self esteem subjugates the idea of possibly seeming different strange 

in the Lebanese society. A girl as little as nine years old within the 

documentary, was dieting and fulfilling a low carb diet, following in the 

footsteps of her mother to be able to fit in society and to look beautiful. She is 

also given makeup as a gift to experiment when she’s younger and start the 

ignition of her inevitable future.

In the past, it use to be difficult to undergo such procedures due to the 

expenses; however, Lebanon has made this easier for the society, thus, 

fulfilling the supply and demand chain. Ghazali explained that The First 

National Bank located in Lebanon enables plastic surgeries to happen by 

allowing people to take out loans for the plastic surgeries. In addition to this, 

the normal cost of a plastic surgery is very expensive, but in Lebanon it is only 

a fifth of the price making it extremely convenient for the society. Ghazali 

also explains how people even spend their vacation time to undergo these 

procedures and have time to heal to their utmost convenience.The main point 

is the fact that the society not only affects the people but the economy as 

well. This shows how even to that extent women must fulfill their desires to 

be seen in the their idea of the most beautiful way possible. 

Another documentary called The Illusionists discusses the different types of 

beauty all around the world. She then mentions Beirut, Lebanon and how 

everyone seems to look the same. That is due to the similar cosmetic 

surgeries that almost everyone undergoes at least once in their life, whether 

it is because they want to or they are pressured into doing so themselves from 

society. Cynthia Ghazali herself is content with her appearance however she 

states that when she visits Lebanon, she feels different. It is as if you are

asically an foreign outsider. People begin to 

look at you different as they did with Cynthia 

regardless of our image of the westernized 

beauty that Ghazali. The Illusionists not only 

describes the way the Lebanese define beauty 

but also the way every other culture defines 

their beauty. It even mentions the ideal 

Japanese look and how they must have a 

certain slender physique. Every conveys their 

own ideal type of beauty but Lebanon seems 

to stand out with being the center of plastic 

surgery according to Ghazali and her 

research. 

Aside from how this relates to the male gaze, it also ties in with the idea of 

Patriarchy. According to bell hooks, “Patriarchy is a political social system 

that insists that males are inherently domineering, superior to everything 

and everyone deemed weak, especially females, and endowed with the right 

to dominate and rule over the weak and to maintain that dominance through 

psychologically terrorism and violence” (hooks 18). As mentioned earlier, it is 

a competition for women because looking beautiful ties in with the achieving 

the man. Women must appear in a perfect state at all times in the eyes of 

men. Otherwise, they potentially will not be considered worthy of friendship 

or even marriage in the Lebanese society. Education is no longer in the 

equation as a matter of aesthetics except for the man because he is allowed to 

travel abroad to receive his. This unfortunately deems men more superior as 

hooks mention and thus the weaker sex. The men can choose as they please, 

but the women must have to compete like savage animals to be chosen. Now,

this is not true in all case, however, Arabic people have a certain culture in 

Lebanon and men are just considered with more dominance. They are 

considered to support the family and handle the monetary aspect of things; 

thus, they are deemed more worthy and superior in society giving women no 

choice but to try and be seen rather than be invisible, attracting the male gaze 

essentially. This is where Ghazali’s idea of seeing and being seen comes into 

play. 

One woman who defines beauty and the 

superiority of women that also happens to be a 

Lebanese born Palestinian is Mona Hatoum. 

Mona Hatoum centers her artwork with 

oppression, violence, and voyeurism. Her work 

greatly reflects what women go through in 

Lebanon possibly reflecting her own lifestyle 

during the time she was there as well. 

A famous piece of hers happens to 

be Measures of Distance created in 

1988. This is a short film of her 

mother and her that shows arabic 

letters are being written on the 

screen reflecting the distance 

between them, since Hatoum was 

sentenced in exile in London due 

to the civil war in Lebanon. In 

these letters, Hatoum explains 

that she “was also trying to go against the fixed identity that is usually 

implied in the stereotype of Arab woman as passive, mother as non-sexual

eing … the work is constructed visually in such a way that every frame 

speaks of literal closeness and implied distance” (Hatoum 140). Hatoum 

basically breaks though the stereotype of Arab women only being a “passive 

mother” according to the men. However, there is more to women than just 

that according to Hatoum and she describes it through her artwork rather 

than conforming to the society as everyone else does to fit in. 

Another artist that exceeds the barriers of being a 

woman is Huguette Caland. She began her 

artwork in the 196s. Her artwork centers around 

very erotic images that she essentially creates 

earning her the title of a feminist because she 

chose art as her field and became successful for 

it. In addition, she broke the taboo in the Arabic 

culture by creating such images not caring what 

everybody else thinks, which is a huge concern in 

the Lebanese culture. Reputation and 

somebody’s image is heavily considered in 

the Lebanese culture. It is also what a groom 

considers when choosing his mate, aside 

from her looks because that is what attracts 

him first according to Ghazali. Caland’s 

reputation has not tarnished in her eyes and 

that was what mattered to her, aside from 

the fact that she was doing something she 

extremely loved and that was her art. She just pursued her dreams and 

aspirations and continued doing what she loves best.

Moreover, although Lebanon is considered to have the most plastic surgeries, 

it is due to the high standards and competition. However, not all Lebanese do 

this and are still successful in their future like Mona Hatoum and Huguette 

Caland for example. This may be due to their advantageous locations, 

considering the fact that they did not reside in Lebanon all their lives. 

However, they were able to break from the societal expectations and peer 

pressure of not having to “compete” for anyone according to Ghazali. Many 

things are also taken into consideration as well like self esteem. Ghazali adds 

how the plastic surgeries are fed by the self esteem of the nation, which is 

why it is a lucrative and prosperous business. A better economy leads to 

better stability for the nation and so on. Lebanon’s definition of beauty 

essentially facilitates the feeling of being important and raises the self 

esteem, which is why it is prominent. Overall, the art of one’s beauty is causal 

of one’s cultural ideals.

Works Cited 

"Huguette Caland." Please Note. Lombard Fried Gallery, n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2015. 

Manchester, Elizabeth. "Mona Hatoum, 'Measures of Distance' 1988." Tate. Elizabeth 

Manchester, Feb. 2000. Web. 21 Apr. 2015. 

McKay, Hollie. "Real Housewives of Beirut? Filmmaker Says Plastic Surgery an 'epidemic' in 

Lebanon." Fox 411. Hollie McKay, 13 Mar. 2013. Web. 21 Apr. 2015. 

Riggs, Terry. "Mona Hatoum, 'Measures of Distance' 1988." Tate. Terry Riggs, Nov. 1997. Web. 

21 Apr. 2015. 

Vartanian, Hrag. "The Colorful Past of Huguette Caland." Hyperallergic RSS. Hrag Vartanian, 

16 Dec. 2014. Web. 21 Apr. 2015. 

Zeilinger, Julie. "The Disturbing Effect Our Beauty Standards Have on Women Across the 

World." Mic. Julie Zeilinger, 27 Feb. 2015. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.

Aesthetics of Lebanon

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