SEPT 27 — Major Mariam Al Mansouri pilots the most advanced F-16 in the world and rains bombs on terrorist targets in Syria. They call her Lady Liberty. The 35-year-old fighter pilot is the woman of the moment.

An electrified social media this week hailed Mariam’s “epic display of woman power” following her lead role in the coalition airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) targets in Syria.

Mariam, the first female air force pilot in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), commands a squadron of F-16  Block 60 Desert Falcon jets which led the first round of coordinated raids by the US and five other Arab nations on IS militants earlier this week.

The most advanced F-16s in the world aren’t American. That distinction belongs to the UAE, whose F-16 E/F Block 60s are a half-generation ahead of the F-16 C/D Block 50/52+ aircraft that form the backbone of the US Air Force, and of many other fleets around the world.

Photos of Mariam in her jet sent the Internet into a spin with many praising her involvement in the attacks on IS militants — and even proposing marriage. As expected, news of her mission angered IS sympathisers who denounced her “criminal act”.

The story of stunned US tanker pilots during the air raids made top news: They called in for air refuelling and asked for the UAE mission, and when they heard a female voice on the other side, they actually paused for about 20 seconds, radio silence. It was Major Mariam.

Then, stories of the UAE — a largely conservative state — allowing women to occupy top jobs began to take centre stage.

That brought Yousef Al Otaiba, the UAE ambassador to the United States, on a morning show over MSNBC. In that interview, Yousef said it was imperative for moderate Arab and Muslim countries to step up and say: “This is a threat against us.”

He said the fight comes down to: “Do you want a model or a society that allows women to become ministers in government, female fighter pilots, business executives, artistes — or do you want a society where, if a woman doesn’t cover up in public, she’s beaten or she’s lashed or she’s raped. This is ultimately what this breaks down to.”

If stickler UAE has seen pioneering efforts to give women top positions in traditionally male-dominated jobs, why are certain countries including Malaysia handling gender equality like they are pulling a fridge?

Why did men scoff into their sleeves when Emma Watson — in her capacity as Women’s Goodwill Ambassador — told men at the United Nations that they must engage in the debate for gender equality?

These are the same men who display gruff agitation, hostility and impatience toward gender equality. The same men who treat women empowerment advocates like children caught in a lie, grilling them on every minor point of their argument while dismissing their logic as idiotic.

Major Mariam is a strong woman and probably one of the right persons to deconstruct perceptions of the label “feminist”. Not Emma, “the Harry Potter Girl”.

If Major Mariam said that the “feminist” label has acquired the unfortunate implication of being “anti-men”, men would be encouraged.

If she said the United Nations programme, HeForShe — which invites men to campaign for gender equality alongside women — was for the entirety of humanity, men would listen.

If she said the divisive feminist cause must be detoxified and replaced with mainstream concern for gender equality, men would listen.

As it is, feminists are seen as a cranky, radical pressure group of hecklers who are indiscriminately aggressive towards men, making enemies where they could have made allies.

Clearly, Emma Watson was the wrong person to talk about gender equality at the United Nations General Assembly. She is a mere celebrity living a glamorous life — out of touch with the ground.

Gender inequality is an affront to humanity and holds back both men and women. It has always been a touchy subject and anyone who spearheads a movement to detoxify the feminist and unite the gender equality campaign must gain the trust of men.

With Major Mariam, you will not have an ideological scuffle because she has given us one of the best stories about women — more so because she’s from a Gulf state.

*This is the personal opinion of the columnist.