Growing Up Arab

Misrepresentation Isn't Cute

*Sees a story about 3arab here on Wattpad and becomes excited*

*Starts to read the story with a grin*

*Becomes confused why the names are so bizarre—names we'd never ever even name our kids*

*Notices the characters' practices aren't things we do even though the narrator explicitly says the characters are 3arab*

*non-3arabi words and phrases we'd never even heard of are used*

*habibi and habibti are used in every sentence*

*realizes the story wasn't even written by a 3arabiyy(eh) but probably by someone who's obsessed with us because we're so "exotic" as they claim*

*Closes app in disappointment at the misrepresentation and cries in a corner*

Maybe that last point was exaggerated 😂 but them feels get real sometimes, fam. Also, I can't 'til the day I rule the world so I can illegalize "habibi" and "habibti." :) :) :)

Shout out to every 3arabiyyeh who's written a story with 3arab characters. Tell ArabLiterature about it so your story can be added to a reading list!

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