Eltahir/Buzzfeed Video Flashcards
Main idea of article
respectability politics
Why might Muslim Americans subscribe to respectability politics?
To protect themselves and those they love
According to Eltahir, what do Muslims do to seem “respectable?”
Disguise their names, dress more like whites, do things to make white people at ease, adjust behavior to suit critics
Intersectionality vs Muslim women
Gender: They are called to fit the Western image of a modern woman. With all the negative assumptions they face about their religion, they must actively assert their lack of oppression, rather than simply living it out in their daily lives
Culture: Muslim women typically wear a hijab, an obvious symbol of Muslim identity, → leads to discrimination and violence
why do respectability politics not work?
Appearing “respectable” does not challenge society to actually reconsider its perceptions, it simply reinforces them.
Prejudice persists, and the performance hinders black Americans’ ability to exist freely, encouraging not the abandonment of stereotypes but the idea of expectations to the rule.
Muslims’ efforts to blend in is met with rejection and can only bring exhaustion for Muslims. Blending in will result in a loss of distinctive elements of Muslim culture
Goal of buzzfeed video
People can be Muslim and be “normal.” Not every Muslim fits into a box; they are real people with real thoughts, feelings, and perspectives on life
“I’m Muslim, but you can be whatever you want to be”
This video is linked in the Eltahir article. What elements of this do you think Eltahir would criticize?
The Muslim’s need to prove they are “normal;” how many of the muslims in the video aren’t wearing typical muslim clothing
