Comments on: What are they trying to tell us?

By: Des Temps → Blog Archive → American-Muslim Identity: Advertising, Mass Media + New Media

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:20:39 +0000

[...] most of the message, the message is still a conservative one.” Sobia from Muslimah Media Watch points out that even within this conservative rubric, we see “…husband and wife characters Yaser and Sarah [...]

By: Khadija

Khadija — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 03:07:00 +0000

“People are also naked within their homes, go to the toilet and so on and we don’t see that because it’s not decent.Why must we portray ourselves as a fairytale?It’s simple. Women in tv ads wear hijab in the home – because they’re on tv. Women not on tv will take off their hijab in similar situations.”I think that’s exactly the point. We don’t see people naked in their homes etc… even though we know it happens a woman in her home is probably not dressed nearly as nicely with perfect makeup like a woman pretending to be a woman in her home in a commercial

By: Duniya

Duniya — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 21:22:00 +0000

To Safiya again:The images on TV are supposed to be portrayals of reality – not reality itself. Therefore, if they wanted to portray a realistic Muslim home they should have gotten a Muslim woman who did not wear the hijab. Therefore, she wold be fine showing her hair on TV.

By: Duniya

Duniya — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 21:19:00 +0000

Safiya:Thank you for pointing out the new commercial. It’s good to have a mix of people in them.I know the “hijab as obligation” viewpoint is widespread and that is unfortunate for those of us Muslim women who do not wear the hijab because we truly believe it is not an obligation. This message works well to isolate us. It is from this viewpoint, of feeling ostracized by my fellow Muslims, that I write. I can understand that for you, as a hijabi women (I am assuming) you would feel comfortable with the images I criticized. But for those of like-mind with me such images only further stigmatize and ostracize us. Perhaps there need to be other commercials, like the one you mentioned, which show different types of Muslim women so that we can all feel a part of the Muslim community. Jessica:Thanks for sharing your grievances. It’s amazing how powerful these seemingly minor images can be, isn’t it?

By: Safiya Outlines

Safiya Outlines — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 15:02:00 +0000

Duniya – For most hijab wearing women, it is an religious obligation to wear it. I’m sorry if you’re tired of Muslims sending out this message, but it is a valid point of view and a widespread one.I would feel umcomfortable with a women taking off her hijab being shown on tv. That’s one kind of normalisation I don’t wish to see and I’m sure some other hijab wearers may feel the same.People are also naked within their homes, go to the toilet and so on and we don’t see that because it’s not decent.Why must we portray ourselves as a fairytale?It’s simple. Women in tv ads wear hijab in the home – because they’re on tv. Women not on tv will take off their hijab in similar situations.People get twisted ideas because they don’t know the truth, so lets’s tell them the truth.P.S I recently saw a halal baby food commerical featuring Muslim women of all ethnicities, styles of dress and some with hijab, some without. I thought that was a good compromise.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 05:33:00 +0000

Don’t get me started on commercials! I read an article once that commented on the lack of real people on television. It stated that on American television there are only really African American and White people. I suppose it’s gotten “better” in a sense, but commercials are pretty far behind. If you think of it, why do all cleaning products/household items feature women using them? Especially with the amount of men who stay at home now, or do they think men who live alone don’t use their products?Actually I saw a similar commercial to the Hijabi one. There was a Sikh man in his bathtub with his dastar on. Which I can’t imagine being anywhere near reality. Even though it was directed at the greater Toronto East Indian community. I can see the point of view that if the actress choose to wear a veil in her own life, and thought that she didn’t want to be seen unveiled on national television. But I do think that the commercial should have gone out of its way to make the family featured break the mold. Really all commercials should. God…you have to watch this video about veils. “http://youtube.com/watch?v=H1ZLXbKeL2U&feature=related”I quote the video:”If you’re walking around in public with your face covered up dressed like a giant pepperpot, then I think you’ve got something wrong with you…this is a social issue. This is a controlling device which has been imposed by men…it’s a willful refusal to assimilate” Ugh…

By: Zeynab

Zeynab — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 20:37:00 +0000

Salaam, UmmZaid. I don’t think Duniya’s assertion is that hejabis hold anybody back, and I find that idea personally offensive. She was asserting the idea that hejab isn’t mandatory in one’s own home with one’s family, and so the commercial is portraying Muslim women incorrectly. Many non-Muslims have lots of biased ideas about hejab, like ideas that we sleep in them, shower in them, they’re glued to our heads, etc…really stupid ideas. This commercial may reinforce that idea, despite the fact that it’s targeted to a specific audience.

By: Duniya

Duniya — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 20:32:00 +0000

To umm zaid:I think you misunderstood my post. You may need to re-read it. What I was saying was that the images being shown were unrealistic in all senses. Usually, hijabi women do not wear the hijab when they are alone with their children and husbands. This is an abnormal and unrealistic picture. As far as LMOTP is concerned – the reaction was unrealistic. Muslims showing affection is normal. There is no reason to oppose it being shown on tv. I did not anywhere say that they need to show affection in that way to be seen as normal. I am not sure how you read that into my post.

By: Duniya

Duniya — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 20:25:00 +0000

To Safiya:I can understand what you are saying but at the same time those commercials were aimed at Muslims, who already know hijab wearing women are ‘normal.’ Therefore, the commercials were not necessarily trying to normalize Muslims in the eyes of non-Muslims. This was an ad made by Muslims for Muslims, and personally I’m tired of Muslims sending out the message that Muslim women must wear the hijab.To myhijab:Yes they would have. The commercial was for halal food. Halal food is associated with Muslims.

By: Umm Zaid

Umm Zaid — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 08:14:00 +0000

IOW, we won’t be seen as normal if we’re shown with hijab or *not* pinching our husband’s rear ends in public? rOr, conversely, actresses who wear hijab shouldn’t have the right to be in these commercials b/c they portray “us” as abnormal somehow.So once again, hijabis to the back of the bus. We’re holdin’ ya’ll back.