Stereotypes Don't Even Scratch the Surface

Wow, you must be really bored to read this. Oh right your hear to read not to be insulted well let me introduce myself. clears throat and stands up as if in a support group hi everyone, my name cannot be pronounced by 90 of the population of the earth so I won't bother and I'm a female Muslim teenager living in Texas. Yippee! My parents just had to choose a very Christian region to live in.

I have lived in America for almost 9 years. I moved her when I was six so if you have ever attended a math class you know I'm fifteen. Well ha your wrong! I'm 14, 15 in February, you forgot to factor in the almost 9 years. Ha! Right, okay sorry got distracted there. I'm from a region in Palestine where while we eat breakfast we hear guns and tanks but hey that's normal. I moved here because my father is a very active Muslim who goes to the mosque a lot so naturally they assumed that he was a terrorist, damn bastards. My dad was put into jail because he carried money around and helped out some needy families (he was a doctor). He finally had enough and moved to Florida where my mom, sister, and I joined him a year later. Florida is not a state where you go one you just emigrated from another country so we moved to Texas where almost all of my dad's side of the family lives. Don't ask how many because the number is too large. We lived in a pretty run down region where I know that if I stayed there I would have probably been in a gang. My childhood friend who I used to like, a lot, is now in a gang. One where you have to sleep with 13 people to be in it, I know he did not sleep with that many people because his mom is pretty strict which brings me to question how the hell he is in a gang! He is muslim too. I know live in what is the rich side of town where my mom watches me very closely because I used to act a bit slutty in 5th grade.

I go to a pretty strict private school. Did I say strict, I meant they choose when to be strict. But hey that's fine because I'm the one they all love. Innocent on the outside, but such a bitch otherwise. This school has uniforms that I swear were designed by those factories where they make potato sacks. If you read my profile then you know I will be holding a bon fire where I will burn the uniform. Please do join me. The worst part isn't even the uniforms. I am in high school, which means I should be in a big building being called fishy and other names upperclassmen call freshman. Nope. I go to a private school where all my classes are online and I'm basically isolated. I blame my parents who won't send me to public school because of their over protectiveness. But my parents promised my sophomore year will be in a public school. I hope so, for my sanity.

I have a lot of friends each blonder than the next (sorry if your blonde it's just a term my friends and I got into the habit of saying). They do stupid things all the time that should get us in trouble but we are too careful to get caught. Like the one time we threw shoes at people on the bottom floor of the mall. Lol, one of my friends hit an old lady and had to apologize while trying not to crack up. Too bad I missed the apology because I was laughing hysterically on the floor. My best friend is exactly like me yet so different. We both use sarcasm to no end and we always use big words to make other people feel dumb. Ah, the beauty of actually having a brain. We both like the same music except she is more into heavy rock and I like more of the softer stuff. She can be a real bitch sometimes which provides for some really comedic moments. Like the time she almost made a guy cry because he butted into our conversation. Yup, she is insane but hey insane people make the world go round, oh wait that was love.

Even though I'm Muslim I am no different than anyone else. I just have to work harder at going out with my friends and it means that I don't date. Yeah probably everyone is gasping right about now. I see no big deal. It just means that I won't have to question my looks when I'm unattached and it saves a lot of heartache. Don't think that not being allowed to date stops the guys. I still get asked out occasionally which is really flattering as long as I'm not with my mom. You guys are probably thinking how I would get married. Arranged marriage of course. Another collective gasp, I hear. It isn't that bad. Guys come and ask for your hand in marriage and you meet them. It's a lot like the Bachelorette. I get to choose who I marry, not my parents but they get a say in elimination but I overrule. God, it sounds a lot like government. Whatever, marriage is pretty far off. You guys probably think that this is not a good way to get married but have you noticed that in America where people freely choose their spouse, 50 of marriages don't last. Go to the Middle East and you will find that the divorce rate is the lowest than anywhere else in the world. You guys probably think that's because women don't get a say but damn would you be wrong. Women can divorce their husbands easily they just choose not to. If women are oppressed than it is a cultural thing, not a religious thing.

Ahh, a touchy subject, the scarf that Muslim women wear. First a little background because no one can judge without the facts. In Islam once a girl reaches puberty she is required to wear a scarf and to cover her body except for her hands and face (some extremists think also the face but they are extremists). This is done out of modesty. Women are a man's greatest weakness. To make sure that men aren't distracted from their religion the women are covered but that doesn't stop them much. The scarf is also a protection for a girl from giving in to lust. Adultery is major sin in Islam, so if you avoid all the temptations than you are most likely to not commit adultery. I think that's a pretty good argument, want to debate me about it, email me.

I wear the scarf because well it's been commanded. Yeah sometimes I just want to pull the scarf off in public but I stop myself. Sometimes I think I should have waited to put it on, especially in summer. But when I see how little Muslim girls look up to me as a role model it makes it worth it. That and also I gave in to peer pressure. Weird, huh? Once I was out with my friends and I was the only one without a scarf on, so I decided to be like them. I'm glad I did though. But don't think all Muslims are like me though. You have your three groups of Muslims. You have your extremists who go to one mosque, the averages who go my school and mosque, and you have the reeeeeeaaaallly lenient Muslims whose children go to local clubs and are in gangs. I'm practically related to all the lenient Muslims by marriages and some by blood. My family is really strict compared to them. Its weird how at the local school, the school slut is Muslim.

9/11 is still fresh in everyone's minds. I remember when it happened and my teacher turned on the TV after getting of her cell phone (I was in the private school I hate at that time). We saw the planes crash and I thought it was one of those TV shows like MAD TV. Boy was I wrong. We were sent home that day because they were afraid someone would come into the school and shoot us. We were off for a week and then when we returned to school police always were there at all times. During that week off I did not go anywhere to afraid to be targeted since I wore my scarf during that period. That Friday no one went to the mosque as we did every week. Even after that week we went rarely because those looks they gave us were just too much to bear. One friend of my mom was beaten up pretty badly when she ran errands. I remember the nightmares I had of being killed or abducted. God, I need therapy. I told you I was was not good in 2001 and 2002. We got used to it though and began to talk back to anyone who looked at us weird. I remember one lady who glared at me and I struck up a conversation with her about the weather. She was absolutely terrified that I didn't run screaming.

I'm really sick of being ignored anytime I go to a public event. A fair, six flags, a workshop, SAT's testing center. I just want to tell everyone that maybe you should get to know that Muslim girl (the guys always find a way to entertain themselves) in your geometry class and go and talk to her. We aren't that crazy. Oh some of the Muslims might be a bit snobby though.

A/N: Well, I finally wrote this. I've wanted to write something like this for a while. It's insightful and it tells people a little about is since all Muslims always hide in their holes and never come out. No wonder we have bad reputations. I'm going to change that because I don't give a shit. People can't make me change myself just because they can't accept me. So anyways tell me what you think and depending on the response I receive. I wonder if I will actually write another installment?