Aliaa Magda Elmahdy Blog Nu-de Photos Spark Controversy

Egypt | Aliaa Magda Elmahdy Blog | Aliaa Magda Elmahdy Egypt: Aliaa Magda Elmahdy apparently thought she was striking a blow for sexual equality and free expression in Egypt when she posted nude photographs of herself on a blog. Some liberals feared that the posting by 20-year-old university student Aliaa Magda Elmahdy would taint them in the eyes of deeply conservative Egyptians ahead of Nov. 28 parliamentary elections in which they are trying to compete with fundamentalist Islamic parties.

Aliaa Magda Elmahdy’s photos netted 1.5 million views on her blog since she posted them earlier this week, saying the pictures are “screams against a society of violence, racism, sexism, sexual harassment and hypocrisy,” the Associated Press reported. Aliaa Magda Elmahdy, only 20 years old and a student at the American University of Cairo, defines herself as "Secular, Liberal, Feminist, Vegetarian, Individualist Egyptian".

The New York Times reports that the blog contains a written explanaton of the protest:

"Try nude models who worked in Fine Art Faculties in the early 1970s, hide all art books and smash naked archaeological statues," read the statement, alluding to some recent protests staged here by ultra-conservative Islamists known as Salafis. "Then take off your clothes and look at yourselves in the mirror, then burn your body that you so despise to get rid of your sexual complexes forever, before subjecting me to your bigoted insults or denying my freedom of expression."

Ms. Elmahdy — whose boyfriend, Kareem Amer, spent four years in jail for writings deemed insulting to Islam and Mr. Mubarak — posted the photographs with a statement declaring them an act of rebellion against Egypt’s conservative culture and “sexual complexes,” in the spirit of the revolution.

Elmahdy’s Facebook page had posts for and against her. She had posted a poll asking, “Do you agree with Aliaa Magda Elmahdy?” There were 662 “No” votes and 261 “Yes” votes. The April 6 movement, one of the most prominent liberal activist groups that led the 18-day uprising against Mubarak, issued a statement denying claims by some on the Web that Elmahdy is a member of the group.