do you plan on writing an arab/middle eastern character? here are some stereotypes you should avoid, brought to you by your local iraqi arab!

ps. if you would like to add anything i may have missed or correct me please do so!!

this should go without saying, but any implications of terrorism and such should be pretty obvious. writing your arab character as such is insanely harmful and feeds into the false stereotype that every arab is inherently a terrorist out to get you

writing your female characters as exotic/portraying them as belly dancers comes off as insanely fetishistic. there is so much to our culture than just that. and even then western portrayal of belly dancing is NOT accurate!

assuming all middle eastern woman are oppressed by nature and are unable to do anything which is NOT the case. yes, sexism exists like in much of the world, but it is not as rampant as westerners like to pretend it is. there are some cases where countries such as +

+ saudi arabia have strict policies pertaining to woman, but a majority of the middle east looks down on their treatment of woman.

also, not every middle easterner is muslim! there's a very good amount of christians and jews in the middle east too!

this ties back to my first point, but anything that pertains to oil is harmful as it comes off as insanely stereotypical. especially since the us has ruined countries for the sake of oil, portraying arabs as greedy when it comes to it is offensive and insensitive.

middle easterners are not inherently violent or barbaric, and portraying them as such is insanely offensive and inaccurate! in fact, we advocate for peace on many levels.

i myself have nothing to add, but if any fellow arabs/middle easterners have anything to add please please do so! and if i misspoke, let me know as well!

this is my first time articulating a thread, so if you want to rt you should! i apologize for the poor formatting as well!

OH OH ALSO!! if you come under my post being blatantly racist that's how you get a free block. i absolutely appreciate any questions seeking to be educated, and y'all know who you are and i love ur respectful selves <3