Media's Impact on Empowering Middle Eastern-American Women

This delves into the long-standing issue of how mainstream American media have portrayed Middle Eastern women as voiceless victims devoid of agency. However, it goes a step further by shedding light on the thoughts and emotions of Middle Eastern-American women concerning these problematic representations. It explores how these women actively engage with media to challenge stereotypes and seeks empowerment across various media platforms, including digital, alternative, and social media. The research employs qualitative methods, conducting interviews directly with Middle Eastern-American women, to uncover the structural hurdles and cultural barriers they confront in their quest for empowerment and equitable representation. Ultimately, this study argues that while digital media play a crucial role in fostering social change, addressing the structural and cultural issues within mainstream media is equally vital for the empowerment and improved representation of Middle Eastern-American women.