By: Vivona Xu

‘Ms. Marvel’ is a new superhero show created by Marvel Studios. We are introduced to Kamala Khan- a 16-year-old Pakistani-American growing up in Jersey City. We learn Kamala is an avid gamer and superhero fan, and in particular, a fan of Captain Marvel. But, she struggles to fit in at home and school, until she gets superpowers.

Many TV producers portray characters from underrepresented backgrounds with negative stereotypes, and hardly any research is being put into the character’s ethnic background. Rifat Malik, who runs American Muslin Today (a non-profit news outlet that challenges negative stereotypes about Muslims), said, “For too long Hollywood and the media have relied on reductive, one-dimensional monolithic characters, as well as lazy sign-posting.”

However, ‘Ms. Marvel’ is different.

A common lazy shorthand is showing a Muslim with a hijab. Not all Muslim women wear hijabs, in fact, it’s a private choice.

Kamala does not wear a hijab which speaks to about a million other Muslim women in the U.S. that don’t wear one as well. It shows Marvel Studios created a character that for once, is not absorbed over their faith and they don’t need white friends to free them from it.

Another misconception that shows up in too many films about Muslims is that the parents are too controlling and strict, while the children are rebelling against them.

Kamala Khan and her family show a warm, three-dimensional relationship. For example, Kamala’s father, Yusuf, is kind; he tries to connect and engage in a relationship with his children rather than being a stern stereotypical immigrant.

In all, Kamala is portrayed as an everyday American teen. Like many kids, she has posters of her interests stapled to her wall. When Kamala asks her parents to go to AvengerCon, her parents tell her they trust her, but it’s other people that they don’t. That scene and many others hit hard to many different ethnicities since many parents are confident their child will be careful, but the world can be a dangerous, uncontrollable place.

Sources:

Ms. Marvel | Disney+ Originals

‘Ms. Marvel’ treats being Muslim as ordinary — and that makes it extraordinary | Boise State Public Radio

Muslim Women Finally Positively Portrayed With Ms. Marvel | Opinion (newsweek.com)