If there is one thing I can say with certainty, it is that British Asians of all religious persuasions feel more uncomfortable than others at satire regarding their faith.
A short clip from a new BBC2 show called Revolting has gone viral online and sparked controversy, not only for its title (The Real Housewives of Isis), but because it depicts their members alongside the kind of biting satire we rarely see.
One clip shows two women trading nasty looks because they’re both wearing identical-looking suicide vests on a day out. Another one has difficulty keeping track of how many dead husbands she has been through.
There’s a lot to unpack here, including the fact that I still can’t find the Isis emoji on my phone – and also whether using it might get me arrested by MI5. More seriously, I can see why the programme is being criticised. At a time when Muslims face stigma and racism, especially from vindictive tabloid newspapers which have been found guilty of smearing Muslim families, such humour can make things worse.
But the case for uncomfortable satire like The Real Housewives of Isis is far, far stronger. [The Independent] Read more
