My Identity and What Media Tells Me is My Identity

                

            I am a female, Muslim, Palestinian New Yorker. My name is Eman, before I am anything I am a human and then I am woman and then I am Palestinian... (which itself is complicated label). I've been at Hunter for 3 1/2 years now and I've lived in New York City all my life. My family is fairly large and made up of my parents, four sisters, my one brother and myself. 

           So much of myself is my Palestinian female identity, I am everything the media does and does not portray about Palestinian women. I am strong, resilient, I am a fighter- these traits that were instilled in me at a young age by my mother. There is often the assumption that sexism plays a role in a female Arab girl's upbringing, I've experienced a bit of that deeply instilled sexism but I also had parents who drove me to be an independent woman who put her education and happiness before any man. 

             So much of my life is greatly influenced by the media, everything I am is viewed negatively in the public eye, however, I don't see my female identity as a weakness. Being a woman provides me with strength, being Palestinian gives me pride. My identity as a Muslim woman often brings up negative connotations involving terrorism and oppression, but my religion is my peace- it is where I can connect with God spiritually and not violently. 

Female Palestinian protestors stand up against the oppressors.

             Media today forms my the way I am viewed in the public eye, from Donald Trump's rants on muslim ethnic cleansing, to posted hate comment quotes on Instagram said by Joan Rivers. I am quite active in voicing my option for peace and equality for Palestinians on social media. I cannot stand the ignorance on other social media sites, so I tend to stay away. 

                    As I grow older and more mature, I am more embracing of the aspects that distinguish me as a person--regardless of how the media portrays them. Through simply educating people about Islam and Palestinian culture through Instagram posts, I believe the least I can do is to encourage people to do their own research on issues that are so distorted by the media. Palestinian women are powerful, independent and they certainly do not get enough positive recognition. 

                     http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/palestinian-women-resist-expand-rights-through-all-female-cooperative-672461057
          

             News outlets, like Fox News, The Post etc... will always push their ideologies and spew hate onto anyone who will tune in. Politicians use fear mongering and terrorism as an excuse to discriminate against all Arab and Muslim communities. To put it simply, I do not respect mass media, nor do I trust it, my trust is put in those who will speak out for the oppressed and serve as humanitarians.