Words You Should Actually Read
Thesis Exhibition
For the past 20 years, there has been an explosion of hatred towards Arabs, Muslims and Middle Easterners by the western world, and especially by the United States. The latter has painted these communities as barbaric, violent, and uncivilized, which has become very dangerous. This has allowed for Americans to perceive Arabs and Muslims as “less than human.” This ideology has not only created harmful stereotypes but has also provoked the emergence of hate crimes against these minorities. The language used by American media outlets, such as newspapers and news headlines, has manifested in social biases that stereotype and marginalize Arab and Muslim communities in the United States.
Problem
Words You Should Actually Read is my response to the stereotyping that I have encountered as an Arab American Muslim woman since moving from the Middle East to the United States in 2020. The booklet I have created showcases words that have been said to me or words that have been used by American media outlets to describe an Arab, a Muslim, or a Middle Easterner. I respond to these biased assumptions with Words You Should Actually Read as a method to take control of the narrative and debunk the common stereotypes. The inclusion of the Arabic language in the booklet counters the American perception of that language being a symbol of terrorism. I added my native language as a tribute to my identity and to further prove the lack of knowledge Americans have regarding Arab culture and Islam. This project was inspired by a previous project I created in 2020, where I also explored Western stereotypes of these marginalized communities. It’s called Arabic Time and it’s found on my website.
Reflection
This body of work reflects American media and American society and how the two have played a role in forming a negative image of Muslims, Arabs, and Middle Easterners. Words You Should Actually Read reminds my audience to check their sources, listen to stories from people in the Muslim community, Arab world, and/or the Middle East, and practice self-awareness. It is not my job to educate them. It’s their job to educate themselves. The only way we can prevent atrocious crimes from taking place, such as the genocide in Palestine, is if my audience takes a moment and looks at Arabs, Muslims, and Middle Easterners as human beings, equal to them and everybody else. Only then can we truly create change that will make a better world for future generations, starting with ending the Israeli occupation.
