Can Muslims be white?

[JA]

Well, what, exactly, is "White?" Historically, the Irish, Italians, Slavs, and so on were not technically "White" in America. Today, White seems to be based almost exclusively on whether your physical appearance resembles that of a person with an obvious ethnic background from Europe. If that is the criteria, then yes, Muslims can be White - whether they are converts or ethnic Bosniaks. After all, Islam is not a race - it is a religion, despite the common association of Middle Eastern and even South Asian people with Islam. However, if White is based on possession of the structural and cultural benefits associated with being White in America, then White Muslims are at a disadvantage and are generally "otherized," albeit to a lesser extent than POC Muslims; therefore, I do not believe they can be fully White in that sense.