Wait—then who am I?
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After I read the chapter from Maghbouleh’s The Limits of Whiteness, I literally zoned out for a solid 10 minutes rethinking everything I have ever known about my identity and my race.
Growing up, I was always told about the great Persian Empire, of Cyrus the Great, and that it seems as though everything we know from mathematics and medicine, to wine and even the invention of refrigerators somehow involved a Persian thinker, philosopher, physicist, or what have you. I always tried to look behind these blanket statements of history trying to understand what is this over-obsession of Iranians with their race and history and why do they constantly have to prove themselves as ancient, learned, cultured, and civilized?
Maghbouleh references Iran’s history as a declining power, with a “traumatizing loss of territory and self-determination” and in a way, Iran’s sentiments towards their own kind had to revive following these insecurities. I believe that is still very much the case today. In a world where Iran is villainized, has lost the respect of the international community, and its people are suffering, Iranians remain in a state of melancholia for what was before the Islamic Republic, or even what was 2500 years ago in the glorious days of the Persian Empire.
“There is a hierarchy there, and Iranians feel that they are hottie patotties and better than everyone else.” There is certainly a negative sentiment against the Arab community within the Persian community. Iran under its current regime is seen by many Iranians as plagued by Islam—ignoring the fact that Islam has had its influence on Persians’ lives, including their scientific discoveries and their literature more than a millennia ago. And as immigrants, Iranians push the narrative upon themselves that they are the model immigrant who is white-presenting, similar to the European, civilized and well mannered.
And yet, I personally never quite felt welcome and fully included in white spaces. Only when I am with other South Asian or Arab friends do I truly feel seen, heard, and comfortable. It may seem strange to some Iranians, because, well, I must be closer in ideas, culture, and identity to the white person. Yet, my experience defies that.
I was completely dumbfounded when reading that my identity as an “Aryan” is a fabrication by Europeans and pushed by an overthrown dynasty.
So who am I? What is my real history? Who can I even trust to tell me about me and my history?
I always heard the phrase “history is told by the victor” or some variation of the phrase, but never did I ever feel this and understand this phrase as I do now.
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Guialtieri also touches upon the limits of whiteness . When many Syrians were fighting for the right to naturalization in the United States they used a myriad of arguments including cultural history. Much like what you describe with Iranians occurred. Syrians referenced their contributions to civilization as if to “prove” they were worthy of being/ living among the white race.
Interestingly however this differs from Iranians and Maghbouleh’s argument because their “brag list” of cultural achievements are not melancholic but rather they are evidence. A means to an end that supposedly secures their whiteness. Gualtieri argues Syrians don’t want to prove they are better than everyone else, just that they are good enough to be considered white, or at least superior to those who are certainly non-white, such as black people. WEB du Bois describes whiteness as more alluring with“wages of whiteness” which is the psychological compensation of being “not black” in a racist, exploitative society.
Another similarity I found is the “model immigrant” narrative. Gualtieri describes that when Syrians weren’t granted nationality they interpreted this to mean they were deemed uncultured and unwelcome by white society. This is why their arguments revolved around contributions. But to further this they also became closer to Christianity which was inextricably linked with whiteness and colonialism. I think this was a method to remove Islam from the narrative, and with it, all associations to Orientalism. They chose claim their genetic roots and not their culture, even though the culture technically shaped so much of who they are.
Honestly this was a sad read, as I assume Maghbouleh’s was as well. It’s mindblowing to comprehend the internal racism and the extent individuals were willing to go to “fit in” even if realistically a legal ruling doesn’t change much in the challenges of daily life. As you mention the collective whiteness is what matters when feeling including in white spaces.