Narrow stereotypes of Arab Australians ignore the complexity of who we are | Oula Ghannoum, Nouha Francis and Mariam Maatooq

"Time and time again, the story of the Arab migrant appears in the media in narrow and damaging ways: victims in their homelands, shootings in the suburbs, demonstrations in the streets, arrests linked to terrorism or crime. These images have become shorthand for Arabness in Australia. What is rarely seen is the complexity of who we are. Occasionally, a success story surfaces, but it is framed as an exception rather than part of a broader, vibrant community."

"For most Australians, Arab voices remain invisible. The everyday lives of Arab Australians, growing up between languages, caring for family, excelling in business, academia or the arts, barely register in public imagination. This silence has consequences. When only stories of crime circulate, prejudice flourishes. Arab Australians face accusations of extremism, scrutiny for political views, and hostility when speaking about Palestine, Lebanon, Syria or Sudan, even when their concerns are humanitarian."

"For a country such as Lebanon, marked by long-term conflicts including civil war and multiple Israeli invasions, it is hard for the average Australian to grasp the complexities behind such bloody and seemingly endless crises. It is even harder to reckon with the multiple displacements endured by Palestinian refugees: born in camps outside Palestine, children of parents and grandparents forced out, raising children who may never see the land of their ancestors."

Media often portray Arab migrants as victims, criminals or extremists, creating narrow and damaging stereotypes. Public imagination rarely registers everyday Arab Australian lives: growing up between languages, caring for family, and excelling in business, academia and the arts. This invisibility enables prejudice, scrutiny of political views, and hostility toward humanitarian concerns about Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Sudan. Silence can feel safer but erases histories and disconnects younger generations from family heritage. Complex conflicts and repeated displacements, such as those affecting Lebanon and Palestinian refugees, require nuanced storytelling. Essays, novels, poems and plays can weave human lives into forms that invite understanding. Arab Australians increasingly reclaim narratives through literature and performance.

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