The connection between the Huffington Post's use of a veiled woman's face and the rising death toll in Syria is a little confusing. Mysterious, provocative, gaze, and taboo are a few of the words that come to mind when describing this image. According to the AP, "Syrian security forces opened fire on a funeral procession for slain anti-government protesters Saturday, pushing the number of people reported killed in a two-month uprising to more than 900 and making it one of the deadliest of the Arab Spring." To use an image that is little more than "eye candy" suggests a couple of things. First, the editors want to down play the importance of the story by running "soft" art to illustrate the unrest? Plausible? Secondly, the editors do not wish to offend the viewers, so they "toned" down the visual. Finally, the editors were just too lazy to find more appropriate art. The image itself is a stereotype and if placed withing the context of feminist theory, it represents the "male gaze." In this reference, the relationship between men and women is asymmetrical. In other words, the concept refers to the imposition of a man's unwanted or objectifying gaze upon women. What does any of this have to do with death in Syria? It's a stretch to be sure, but it is also emblematic of how such images become iconic in Western media.It takes about 10 seconds on Google to find videos and still pictures from Syria relevant to the unrest. Here's a good example from Al Jazeera showing protesters throwing rocks at the police.
