Womany Irene Lei

Have you ever envied the body of an AV actress who has big boobs or a thin waist? However, even AV actresses have body complexes and are not treated well.

On September 5, 2019, former adult video actress Mia Khalifa gave an interview to the BBC about her experiences and impressions as an AV actress. I was 21 years old when I was approached by someone in the industry to enter the AV industry. She was complimented on her beauty and asked to become a nude model, but she was misled by the other party and signed the contract without knowing what was going on.

Despite Khalifa becoming so popular that it has more than 100 million views and has generated millions of dollars in revenue for the company and the video platform, her remuneration as an actress was only 12,000 US dollars (about 1.3 million yen). This kind of unequal compensation is not uncommon in the AV industry.

Asked by the show's host if he was only seen as a tool to make money for the company, Khalifa nodded without hesitation.

Even a nice body has a complex

With large breasts, thin waists, and an upward-pointing buttocks, Khalifa is undeniably the quintessential beauty. However, it is her body that also brings her fear and trouble.

"When I was a kid, I was always worried about my weight, I didn't think I was attractive at all, and I never thought that men would turn around."

And Khalifa began to go on a diet, but when she lost weight, her breasts became smaller. She was very distressed.

"Breasts are my number one complex."

She tried different ways to get her breasts back to their original size, "and then I started to get a lot of attention from men, and I just couldn't get used to that kind of gaze."

"I feel like if you don't stay the way you are, do what you're told, and live up to expectations, you're not going to get noticed."

Like Khalifa, there will be many women who have complexes about their bodies.

You've heard and experienced a lot of how women are criticized for their appearance, right? One of the reasons why women are teased in this way is the image of women created by the media.

In her book Teaching Yourself Women's Studies, Joy Magezis points out that "the media usually does not depict the inner life of the woman as the subject, but rather the woman as the object from the perspective of the man."

On August 6th, we took to Facebook to solicit "Criticism of appearance that you have encountered" in a few words, and we received about 1,000 comments. From the comments, you can see that there are many people who have had the experience of being teased for their appearance.

"I think no matter what kind of family you grow up into, there is a lack of self-confidence."

It was my decision, but I couldn't say no

Even now, after quitting the AV actress, Khalifa can't get out of the past. You will still be able to watch the video you take, and you will not have the right to request its removal. Moreover, they will not even receive the compensation and compensation they deserve, and they will be crushed by the great wounds that have formed in their hearts. Especially in public, I feel frustrated and afraid.

"The stares around me are like being undressed, which is terribly embarrassing, and I feel like I've lost all my privacy. However, if you google it, it will come up with me, so I certainly lost it."

She was criticized in AV for playing a woman wearing a hijab. However, at that time, I thought that this was an incitement to Muslims, and I certainly refused.

"I told the staff that I was going to be killed, but they just laughed out loud."

When I tried to talk about my thoughts, I was so scared and nervous that I didn't know how to say no.

Photo | Instagram

From "shutting up" to "talking". Difficult but must be done

"I don't think of myself as a victim, I don't like that word. It was the worst decision I made, but it's certainly my decision."

It seems like everything has passed, but the wounds still hurt. She decided to stand up now and give her voice against the AV industry to give women the courage to speak out and stand up for it.

You may have had the experience of feeling creepy or something different at a certain moment, but you can't say it because you're worried that you're just exaggerating. I long for women to be able to speak up and open up about their opinions and feelings.

Khalifa's story shows how the world and the gender system affect people.

Personal is political. Physical complexes, male gazes, and the inability to muster the courage to say no are all difficulties that anyone can face. I hope that women will not care about criticism, they will love their bodies wholeheartedly, and they will have the right and the power to refuse.