Narratives also migrate, along with prejudice: How Islamophobia affects Muslim women in Mexico

Abstract

This text seeks to show how the narratives of the hegemonic media of the global North, specifically the United States, migrate and are reproduced in our country and how these Orientalist-Islamophobic narratives affect Arabs and Muslims in Mexico. The discussion will focus especially on the perception of Muslim women in Mexico and how the “obsession with the veil” makes them a flank of prejudice. The text will also show that, despite this uncritical reproduction of stereotypes, there is a genuine interest of some Mexicans in Arab-Islamic culture. The text aims to invite reflection on the meaning of mestizaje and Mexicanity, since it seems that belonging to Christianity is still an important element of our national identity.