Aaliyah Amrohi (Stephanie Nur), one of the protagonists in Special Ops: Lioness (2023), is an Arab woman with Saudi roots, raised in privilege and tied to the strict expectations of her cultural upbringing.
Raised under the strict norms of Muslim culture, she is set to enter into an arranged marriage orchestrated by her father to secure business alliances and ensure the continuity of his interests. Though she appears to live a life of luxury and tranquility, Aaliyah secretly harbors a deep desire for freedom and independence — longings suppressed by tradition and societal expectations.
While traveling to Baghdad, Aaliyah meets Zara, who is actually Cruz Manuelos (Laysla De Oliveira) working undercover. What begins as a friendship between them soon evolves into a romantic and physical relationship, marking Aaliyah’s first experience of emotional attraction with a woman.
Aaliyah’s relationship with Cruz triggers an intense internal struggle, as she grapples with how her bisexuality fits within her Muslim faith. Her fiancé, aware of her relationship with Cruz, dismisses it as a passing phase, expecting it to end after their marriage. This highlights Aaliyah’s longing for a deeper, monogamous relationship with Cruz, even though societal and religious expectations restrict her from fully embracing her bisexuality.
Throughout the series, Aaliyah is forced to live her love for Cruz in secret, reflecting the experience of many bisexual women in conservative societies, who often conceal their true identities and repress their desires for fear of rejection and discrimination.
