Disclaimer: I am neither a religious scholar nor a sociologist. I’m just a guy who’s tired of the current status quo.

Kumail Nanjiani and Aziz Ansari are at the top of their seekingarrangement discount code game right now. With the release of The Big Sick and the second season of Master of None, both have reached a level of success in their career that few South Asian actors have come close to. Yet, as these stars continue to rise, they’ve had their fair share of criticism come their way about their choice in romantic partners on the big and small screen. The gist of the critique is that both of these South Asian actors from Muslim backgrounds chose white women as their main love interest, and by doing so, they perpetuate the idea that those with fair skin, and more specifically white women, are the epitome of beauty and desirability. While I agree with this critique about the way Hollywood and the Western media generally depicts beauty, I am also inclined to reflect on how some of the same groups of people that are critical of such unfair depictions of beauty can also be guilty of the same racial biases. Specifically, I’m referring to the dynamics of dating and relationships within the Muslim American community and how my community has absorbed some of the standards that Nanjiani and Ansari are accused of perpetuating in their craft.

Nowadays, dating sucks for everyone. Even though there are vastly more opportunities to meet people now than there ever were in the past, it’s still hard to connect with others. For those like myself who choose to limit their selection, the possibilities exponentially decrease. I am a Nigerian-American Muslim, and now that I am older and more serious about settling down, I have restricted myself to only dating other Muslims. Currently, there are over one billion Muslims worldwide; however, the numbers are far lower in the U.S. with Muslims only making up an estimated one percent of the population or about 3.35 million people. ادامه مطلب …