Representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib are the first Muslim women to be elected to Congress. Media tropes against Muslim women limit Muslim women to being victims, terrorists, and un-Patriotic, denying Muslim women’s agencies. In my paper, I explore how Omar and Tlaib forge a new construction of Muslim identity by analyzing tweets during the time period of Jan 6 - Feb 6. My analysis looks at how these women use humor, break through social politeness, and are unafraid to show their emotions in response to three events that happened during this time period: the Capitol insurrection, the Biden inauguration, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's Islamophobic comments. I find that these women represent themselves through brashness, wit, and emotional vulnerability.
