Iman Ali supports the LSAs and that has sparked a controversy
The Lux Style Awards have attracted quite a lot of controversy this year after multiple nominees have started withdrawing because someone accused of sexual harassment has also been nominated. Right off the bat, model Eman Suleman asked for her nomination to be removed. Since then, clothing brand ‘Generation’ and makeup artists Saima Bargfrede and Fatima Nasir have asked for their nominations to be removed. In music, Meesha Shafi and ‘The Sketches’ also distanced themselves from the award, and so has model Rubbab Ali.
To all concerned. #LSA2019 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/nfoHUlTf4W
— MEESHA SHAFI (@itsmeeshashafi) April 23, 2019
Some people in the industry are also raising their voices against the apparent support for an accused person, like directors Jami and Sarmad Khoosat. Maheen Khan, a major name in Pakistani fashion, has also decided to not support the LSAs given the current situation and discourse around sexual harassment.
As with everything, this entire discourse has received significant backlash.
Pakistani model, Iman Ali shared her thoughts on the matter last night. According to her, social media has allowed some people to defame others only to benefit themselves. She also called the current protest against the awards ‘childish’.
A lot of people descended on this post to express their feeling about Iman’s thoughts.
There were quite a few people who understood the actress and model’s point of view and appreciated her
While there were supporters of Iman, there were those who disagreed with her as well.
Initially, Iman Ali was accused of censoring a lot of comments under her post, however, she could not stop the onslaught
She was being called out on her sense of entitlement.
Such a post does equate to ‘enabling’, and a lot of people were letting her know that.
The argument that people accuse others of harassment for fame is just getting old now.
Amidst all the comments, Iman Ali tried to ‘steer the conversation’.
Last night the ‘Film Jury’ for the LSAs released a statement defending their stance and their nominations.
This statement has only increased the scope and the vigor of the movement against the awards. It is important to remember that last year the LSAs championed the #MeToo movement and launched a Pakistan centric campaign called #MeinBhi. Clearly, the involved parties have the sensibility to understand why a certain nomination would create an issue, however, the fact that they still went ahead with it begs the question if it all was a farce, to begin with.
Frieha Altaf, one of the people associated with the awards, and the #MeinBhi movement has also added her voice to the discourse.
— Frieha Altaf (@FriehaAltaf) April 25, 2019
As it stands currently, 7 nominees have backed out and there is a growing swell of support for them and the #MeToo movement, in general. This issue is now too large for the industry at large to ignore. While the actual case is still in court and the final decision is yet to be announced, there is an important need to address incidents of accusations with a different lens as we have used until now.
Director Jami Just Dumped His Lux Style Award On The Street Over Recent Harassment Controversy
Cover Photo Courtesy: dawn.com