The Misrepresentation of Muslim Women in the Media

Every time I hear of a show or movie that has a Muslim woman in it, I prepare myself to be disappointed. Rarely do we see Muslim women or Muslims in general represented on screen in American media, and when we do, that representation is almost always inaccurate. On screen Muslim characters are riddled with stereotypes that diminish and dehumanize them, and whether intentional or not these flawed representations have significant consequences.

The Muslim woman, according to American and, more broadly, western media, is defined as a victim of oppression. The source of that oppression is usually her counterpart, the Muslim man, who uses Islam to justify his restriction of and control over her behavior. She is limited and in need of liberation, which can only be provided to her by an American hero, the white savior. Her freedom is often equated with the removal of her hijab if she wears one, because that act represents a deviation from Islamic values and shows her moving towards assimilation to a western society.

The idea that Muslim women are in need of saving perpetuates negative stereotypes about Islam and Muslim societies. These stereotypes are then used to portray the Middle East and Muslim countries as barbaric, oppressive, and backwards, specifically in comparison to the so called progressive and liberating West. Thus western colonialism and imperialism become justified as necessary acts for liberating the people of these countries, especially the powerless Muslim women. The portrayal of Muslim women as weak and oppressed is a product of colonialism and aids in perpetuating views that fuel modern day colonialism. 

With all this misrepresentation, sometimes I forget that accurate, positive representation of Muslim women is possible. What I really want to see is Muslim women being unapologetically Muslim, while also having layers to their personality, so that they are not limited to being just Muslim. I want to see Muslim women who I can relate, who feel real, and who I can look up to, but who also struggle in different aspects of their life and learn to develop strength. I want to see Muslim women who fight against forms of oppression, like racism, islamophobia, and misogyny, and use their faith to fuel their activism and use Islam as a tool for liberation. But most of all, I want to see Muslim women, not a Muslim woman. The biggest lie media tells us about Muslim women is that we are not diverse. There is no one way to be a Muslim woman. We all look different, think different, and act different, and that I want other people to see that. I want to see individuals but also communities of Muslims shown in the media. 

More accurate portrayals of Muslim women would combat negative stereotypes of Muslims and Islam, as well as reframe the Middle East and the Muslim world in a more positive light. Positive representation also helps Muslim women feel seen, and can impact the way people in the US view and treat Muslims. Islamophobia affects the everyday lives of Muslims in America, and influences the policies and laws we create in this country, which go on to have global consequences.  Muslim representation in the media is meaningful for us Muslims, because it gives us a voice, and helps us fight against our oppression. 

I want to end by giving an example of show that I enjoyed that I felt had good representation of Muslim women. We Are Lady Parts is a British TV show about a group of Muslim women who are in a punk band. Each of the women come from different walks of life and have different relationships with their faith, but they are all connected by a love of music. The depth that each character has is what I admire most about this show, and it's what I hope I will continue to see in future representations of Muslim women.