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Some true some not

Reader comment on item: Advice to Non-Muslim Women against Marrying Muslim Men
in response to reader comment: women here bash MENA men but seem to want to be a part of our culture

Submitted by Jordana Ghannam Rateb (United States), Jan 21, 2020 at 22:07

Not all women here are this way, however of course as in any cross culture situation there will be naive and ignorant women who ignore the advice they get from others with experience or someone like myself who is a MENA Muslim woman. I have come on here for many years to help and advice women who are not familiar with the culture and save them from hardship and heartache and inform them and educate them on the culture and the differences. I don't like to discourage cross cultural or interreligous relationships or marriages but the truth is, they do not often work and are more often than not, destined to fail. But this is not always the case a which is why I try to give detailed advice and information as to how to judge a mena man which is much different from the way one would judge a western man.

As a mena woman and one who has been married for many years happily and successfully I am familiar with things within the culture not often discussed outside the culture and sadly, many of the stereotypes are rooted in truth. It's hugely embarrassing for decent mena men that there are scammers and low rent men out there but they exist in any culture it is just harder to weed them out when you are blinded by cultural differences and desire. There are vulnerable and codependent women out there too in all cultures. I have tried to help many women and have even developed a couple close friendships as a result of my activity on this forum with younger western women and girls who became involved with unsavory mena men. I have never come from a place of disdain or to put down western women for they face cultural stereotypes as well, but rather I try to bring information to them woman to woman that they can understand and not end up a victim or without any sort of backbone and ability to discern good from bad

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