The portrayal of a pre-school female child wearing a hijab was most obviously offensive, because it is commonly accepted that Muslim women – if they choose to wear a hijab – do so in adolescence or after puberty because of the link to the growing sexuality of a woman’s body. But all the characters were lazy stereotypes. Political correctness gone awol, you might say.
The images were only dropped after a Muslim mother’s complaint, and an investigation by a Times journalist brought them to the attention of the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.
There is a dangerous element to this that activists like Gina Khan and other women’s rights and equality campaigners are right to highlight. A minority of very vocal hardliners within Muslim communities are pushing a narrow version of what constitutes an “acceptable” Muslim woman. One who is veiled, compliant and modest in all her actions. [Guardian Cif] Read more
