Groundbreaking Lebanese-born porn star prompts mix of admiration and scorn

A Lebanese-born porn star living in the US has stirred fierce debate back home after her rise to fame split social media users in liberal-yet-conservative Lebanon.

Mia Khalifa, 21, who was born in Lebanon but lives in Miami, last week became the most-searched star on adult movie site Porn Hub, with more than 1.5 million views, prompting a mix of scorn and praise from Lebanese commenters.

“You are unworthy. You are only a sex object,” posted one Facebook user, alongside an image of the half-naked Khalifa.

“You don’t represent Lebanon!” another commenter said on Twitter, where the buxom brunette actress has attracted more than 78,000 followers.

Others lept to Khalifa’s defence, albeit with reservations.

“Mia Khalifa hasn’t harmed anyone. It’s her body,” said a post on the Lebanese blog Philaz. But “we are also free to say that what she is doing isn’t ‘liberalism’ but an attack on freedom.”

“You have to admire Mia Khalifa for her audacity,” wrote a Twitter user.