By: Nina Gupta

Recently, Marvel has been making an effort to include superheroes with more diverse backgrounds. Some examples of this include the films Black Panther, Shang-Chi, and Eternals. Now, a new Disney+ show has been added to the list: Ms. Marvel. This movie features a teenage Pakistani-America girl who becomes a superhero.

Historically, South Asians and Muslims have been portrayed as villains in Western movies. Especially after 9/11, South Asians across America were being discriminated against, and movies have always portrayed them as terrorists and villains.

Ms. Marvel, which was released on June 8, 2022, breaks down a lot of the stereotypes surrounding South Asians.

There are many stereotypes about South Asians. According to an article published on NPR, some of the most prevalent are that Muslim women wear a hijab, and that “parents are closed-minded or controlling” and “children rebel against stifling tradition”.

Many movies use hijabs as an easy way to label a person as Muslim. However, an NPR article by Asma Khalid stated, “There are about 1 million Muslim women in America; 43 percent of them wear headscarves all the time, according to the Pew Research Center. About 48 percent — or half a million women — don’t cover their hair, the survey found.”

In Ms. Marvel, the Muslim protagonist Kamala Khan doesn’t wear a hijab, which contrasts against this stereotype. Furthermore, the familial dynamic in Kamala Khan’s household is very warm and loving, as opposed to the strict, closed-minded feeling that is assumed of Muslim families. Rifat Malik, who runs American Muslim Today, said, “It was so heartening to see the humor and familial love that pervades so many Pakistani Muslim households being depicted with such warmth and levity.”

Through this new Disney+ show, Marvel has succeeded in bringing more diverse protagonists to the screen, motivating more people from underrepresented groups.

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