SELF-DEFENSE IS SEXY

Russia's brutal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine was not even a week old when there was a backlash against Western ladies who thought Ukrainian Pres Volodymyr Zelenskyy was sexy. Sure, the comedic-actor-turned-president is charismatic and easy on the eyes in his tight olive T-shirt. But the real reason the Ukrainian leader became an unlikely sex symbol as photos defending Kyiv emerged is right there in the word defending. Defense is inherently sexy. The built-in sexiness of defense contains lessons far beyond foreign policy. In America, social change often comes after a politician or government goes too heavily on offense against individuals wishing merely to stand their ground and assert their rights.