Mick Hartley

An interesting article in Fathom from German-based Kurdish academic Dastan Jasim – White Feminism – White Orientalism:

A German woman with blonde hair and blue eyes walking beside me – just her presence seemed to transform me into a different person on the streets of Iraq. I received friendly yet respectful looks from drivers, vendors, and esteemed researchers, where usually I received belittlement, disrespect or, at best, a full-fledged ignoring of my presence. It was as if my being was uplifted, even eased, by the fact that a white female companion covered me with the aura of her untouchable purity. They are valuable, worth a lot, and men in the Middle East recognise it….

The average Middle Eastern woman could only dream about the esteem that white skin and blue eyes trigger in the hearts of their compatriots. The white woman, in turn, can now not only claim a privileged status in this new community, but also touch upon claims of being discriminated against. Especially for Germans – who could never find a healthy way to deal with their Nazi past – it signifies a welcome exit ticket from being the oppressor, right into the position of the oppressed….

White female journalists covering Iran often gracefully follow hijab rules, which thousands of women in Iran openly defy every day, acting as if the hijab is a symbol of authenticity on the field. While in the past, the Twitter profile picture with a helmet and bulletproof vest signified courage for white international reporters, now the image of a white woman mingling ‘authentically’ with societies that are arguably some of the most hostile environments for women is a new prestigious symbol.

But yes, read it all.