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Veteran White House reporter Helen Thomas (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)
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Yaaaaay! Rima Fakih, an Arab-American, has won the crown of Miss USA. Now young Arab American girls everywhere have something to aspire to: strutting in skimpy bikinis and winning pole-dancing contests.
I'm not denying that many Arabs, including myself, thought it was really cool that an Arab American won the Miss USA pageant. But should this really be looked at as a groundbreaking moment? I even saw one facebook post equate Rima Fakih's win to Barack Obama becoming the first African American President. If a beauty pageant win is our breakthrough moment, we are in a lot of trouble.
I don't recall Arab Americans being this excited about the success of other American women from Arab descent. Why can't we get this excited over women such as Diane Rehm, the exceptional and adored public radio host that has over two million listeners across the country. Broadcasting five times a week, Rehm hosts some of the most engaging and fruitful discussions among the nation's most prominent politicians, policy makers, and analysts.
Or what about the architect, Iraqi born Zaha Hadid? She was one of the first women to design a major American art museum, The Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati.
And how can we forget about the most famous White House Press Corps. member, Helen Thomas? Helen Thomas, who is of Lebanese descent, has covered the White House under every President since John F. Kennedy. She's actually one of the few that still does the job of a White House Press reporter--she holds the feet of all administrations to the fire.
Below is a slideshow of some American women of Arab origin that I look up to.
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Veteran White House reporter Helen Thomas (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)
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These are the kind of women we should be proud of and go crazy over on facebook. These are the kind of women our children should aspire to be.
Congratulations to Rima Fakih on accomplishing her goal. And I hope she uses her success to make a real difference in this world. But until she does, let's keep things in perspective. We, in the Arab-American community have a great deal of work to do.
An inspiration for me
It's as if many who blog think that their viewpoint is somehow graced with being *the* valid viewpoint rather than *a* valid viewpoint. And then they roll out the oh so tiresome "we should be"
IMO Fakih's win is significant because one strong perception of Arab women in the Western media is of very conservative women who play down any potential attractiveness. The fact that some sought out way to attempt to invalidate her win seems to suggest the significance is tangible.
"now young arab girls everywhere have something to aspire to" ... get off your high horse. some arab girls WANT to win pole-dancing contests in skimpy bikinis ... do you have a problem with that?
thank you! thank you for reminding me that arabs just can never be happy for other arabs' success.
The author was clearly making a point that Arab girls have MANY other role models who don't rely on prancing around half naked to make money. Unfortunately, women who are willing to be sexually objectified and merely valued for their beauty are pushed into the limelight. I think the author's point is well taken and it's that Arab Americans should be excited about the full spectrum of women doing amazing things and beauty is rather superficial and says nothing about one's contribution to the world.
And don't forget Huma Abedin.
No.
performance was not being watched by thousands of Persian and Arab women (via satellite) you are sadly mistaken.
Soooo, why do these young women matter? First they matter because they are each amazing in their own rights. They have fought hard to gain whatever accomplishments they have achieved.
Second, they matter because they show that in some cultures that women of any background can
move to the highest levels of their endeavors. Could she have risen to this level in Iran? NO Would she have been on the streets protesting the government. Probably Will she do more for all women as a bold and strong tennis player from France. YES
Please let us not take away from the success and lovliness of both of these women. Let us also compliment the cultures that allowed them shelter so that they could flourish.
maybe a few of them are red blooded rah rah americans that normally would vote for the republican advocating more death in the middle east....
and now maybe some americans will think twice when a rightie politician gets on tv and says he wants to nuke all middle easterners
not exactly an intellectual understanding, but i'll take anything that helps avoid death for innocent people
eitherway, she has done nothing wrong. she never claimed a philosophical leadership position. she doesn't have to do anything (other than continue to be gorgeous)