Time and again, the Arab world stands its ground to debunk some false and overused stereotypes.
Not all women are bellydancers and we don't bathe in money while camels guard our desert tents.
Indeed we are Arabs, but the following myths are far from being accurate.
1. Not all Arab men pluck their eyebrows
Whether or not a man chooses to pluck their eyebrows, it remains a personal preference.
But in general, Arab women don't find men with perfectly shaped eyebrows that appealing.
2. Not all Arabs are located in Saudi Arabia
Even though Algeria is technically the largest Arab country by area, the Arab league consists of 22 countries, 22 cultures, and 22 accents.
Would you be able to let that sink in?
3. Not all Arabs are rich
7.4 percent of Arabs live below the poverty line; 90 percent in Gaza and around 12 percent in Saudi Arabia. So, let's not get carried away with the whole "Arabs are rich" myth.
Incessant wars and conflicts are also causing poverty rates to spike... Keep that in mind.
4. Not all Arabs are Muslims
Not all Arabs are Muslim. The region is rich with minorities that include Christians, Jews, Druze ...
5. Not all Arabs smoke shisha
But we definitely know at least one who does. It is our most favorite toxin and it is indeed part of our identity.
6. We don’t raise tigers and leopards as pets
This is a funny question non-Arabs tend to ask.
Dude, we can barely afford a cat, let alone wild animals.
7. You can gives us nicknames like: Jo, Jim, Sam, Dani or whatever you want
We don’t often mind those alternate names if it helps Westerners communicate with us without complications.
But it wouldn't hurt to try and pronounce our names right, no?
8. We are Arab, not Arabic
We hope you're ready for this one: Arabic is actually a ... language.
9. Sometimes we say no to falafel
And sometimes we even say 'no' to shawarma too. Our cuisine is extremely diverse and there are tons of other dishes that are definitely worth trying!