Artistic Authenticity
True authenticity selects words of truth
rather than protecting its own interest. It chooses to honor the ideas of
the speaker rather than only what others want to hear. Authenticity for an
Arab-American writer is often a pain staking struggle to find just the right
definition of the chosen word…a meaning that is not easy to the tongue…chosen
words that most often boomerang back in a twisted echo of malformed meaning.
Being an Arab-American Lesbian Author who
maintains authenticity is an artistic challenge when others do not want to hear
what is being said. Being authentic emotionally in my work has been a lifetime
struggle because authenticity does not include external or internal censorship.
Even well thought out words woven together
to create a beautiful authentic tapestry, may stream off the tongue only to enter many different worlds….pushing
through filters that only echo intended meaning. Echoes…twisting my words instead of
listening to them…. playing with the meaning to suit their needs and to meet
their stereotypes. They assign meaning vocabulary in order to defend
their already immovable positions. Never once thinking that what I am saying
is about me…my authentic thoughts…not about them or what they need to justify.
My words are not anyone’s justification.
Justifiers cannot bury me underneath their own words to build a foundation for
their feet; my words were care-fully chosen and are not to be dug down to create
a path under their shoes. What I have to say…. may be sometimes unexpected and unwelcome; may
be truthful and hard to hear; may point out the suffering of others that many do
not want to see; and may require
fixed minds to be patient and flexible in thought.
The intention behind my words is to
increase understanding and compassion between those inhabiting the space of
opposition. I think authenticity is a journey that creates a richer artistic
work, deeper and more understanding human relationships and that our authentic
voices can out-speak the echoes to inspire others to be authentic as
well.