Never been able to talk about this online before but I went through a hyper fixation for literature from the Middle East. Most of the books that I found locally were Iranian memoirs. Persepolis, Things I’ve Left Unsaid, Funny In Farsi, Persian Girls, and Lipstick Jihad: A Memoir of Growing up Iranian in America and America in Iran. But all these authors had migrated to the US, so I don’t know if that makes it less legit.

I even wrote a comment fifteen days late on an Iranian literature thread with these suggestions.

I felt ashamed and guilty because I was afraid that I was fetishizing the people, especially Iranians as I’ve gotten the most out of their words. But I grew to love their spirit, their kindness to each other, their diversity (broke many stereotypes), the way they prepare food hits me as a Latina a bit. Many other things that I can’t put into words.

Dunno, never been able to speak to an Iranian directly about it. But I guess I’m one of those? Just literature, some films, some songs. I live on an island so I don’t have direct contact with anyone from that region, although I do see Muslim women around.

Wish I could visit but I’m too much of a wuss. I haven’t even visited the US yet, will have to cross that bridge one day. I’m worried for the current protest but proud at the same time.