Guest: Rep. Stephanie Bice is Iranian American. Where's the representation?

Since the 1970s, the Iranian American community of Oklahoma has grown substantially and has made tremendous strides socially and economically. With Stephanie Bice, the daughter of an Iranian immigrant, serving in the Oklahoma state Senate and becoming the first Iranian American elected to the United States House of Representatives, it shows just how far the Iranian community has come in the past 40 years.

However, in her time in Congress, Bice has been a disappointment to the Iranian American community. Many of her constituents do not know she has Iranian heritage, and if they do know, they can only assume she is ashamed of it, as she does not show any pride in being a member of our community. A former leader in the local Iranian community shared that he finds it rather appalling and opportunistic for her to forget her roots in order to appeal to a segment of conservatives. Regardless of her political motivations, as an Iranian American woman in politics, one might think the current inhumane treatment of women in Iran would at least trigger some solidarity within her.

For months now, protests are raging both in Iran and around the world, sparked by the murder of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian-Kurdish woman who was targeted by Iran’s morality police for not wearing her hijab correctly. Iranians are calling for justice and change in Iran. It is important to note that this is not a problem related to the religion of Islam, but rather a government forcing their narrow interpretation of religion onto its people. The movement in Iran is an important piece of a larger problem: Women are too frequently the victims of men who wish to exercise power and control over those they see as inferior.

The movement for women’s liberation is alive and well here in Oklahoma. On Oct. 13, Iranians and non-Iranians gathered to show their support for the women and girls of Iran. One of the keynote speakers of the rally was former U.S. Rep. and current Senate candidate Kendra Horn, who was Bice’s opponent in the 2020 race for Oklahoma’s 5th District. So, while Kendra Horn was on the stage talking about the importance of women’s rights, all I could think was: Where is Bice? This is Bice’s community, and yet she is not here; Horn is not of Middle Eastern heritage, and yet she has shown up and been willing to listen and talk to the Iranian American community. I spoke with Horn after the speech, and I told her that it meant a lot to see someone like a candidate for the U.S. Senate here with us. She simply said, “Of course, people need to show up for important things.”

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Horn is right; people need to show up for important things, and whether she likes it or not, Bice is a part of our community. So the question remains: If Bice does not show up for her community or even for a debate, why should she earn our vote?

Regardless of what happens this November, as an Iranian American, I long for the day when we see authentic representation from our elected leaders.

Mikayla Maiahy is an Iranian American and a student at the University of Central Oklahoma.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Rep. Stephanie Bice is Iranian American. Where's the representation?