ABC’s “What Would You Do?” creates controversial scenarios using actors, filming and then analyzing the resulting responses of bystanders to the situations unfolding before their eyes. Host John Quiñones stands by as people react to morally questionable situations by stepping in or backing out, catching them at the last moment to ask them to explain their reactions, whether heroic, shameful or passive. The show is usually entertaining and thought provoking, but the latest episode was simply offensive.
The latest scenario, entitled “Too American: Teen Berated by Fundamentalist Father” featured—surprise, surprise—a Muslim family. ABC details the synopsis here:
“To find out, “What Would You Do?” set-up hidden cameras at the American Dream Diner in Orangetown, N.Y., and hired four actors to play a Muslim-American family. We dressed the father, mother and older daughter in conservative Muslim clothing, contrasting them with the typical American teenage garb of Mira, the younger and more rebellious daughter who was running late to meet her family.”
As Mira rushes in to the restaurant, listening to music and texting on her cell phone, her Muslim father begins to scold her for her “typical American teenage garb” consisting of jean shorts and a pink tank top, asking her to wear something more “acceptable.”
The situation escalates when Mira says loudly, “Why did we come to America if we can’t wear what we want? … I want to be a normal teenager. I want to wear what I want to wear.” To which her “fundamentalist father” responds, “You look like a whore!”
When Mira continues to ignore her father, sticking her headphones back in her ears, the father reaches over the table and rips the headphones off her, shouting, “This comes off now!”
A screenshot from the "What Would You Do?" episode?
Then, in a stern voice, the father warns Mira, that she will receive a punishment similar to that “which her sister received” if she continues this behavior.
Though giving shocked looks, most bystanders did not intervene. Some later told Quiñones that it was simply none of their business; a father has a right to tell his daughter how to dress. Others said that they were too “scared” to intervene, fearing that cultural differences might make the situation hard to handle. One patron even expressed fear that Mira might have suffered more serious consequences later, such as an “honor killing,” at which point ABC took it upon themselves to remind viewers of the 2009 murder of Noor Almaleki by her father.
For starters, the use of the terms “conservative Muslim clothing” and “typical American teenage garb” is so Juan Williams that it has me vomiting in my mouth. As if the question hasn’t been asked enough, what exactly is “conservative Muslim clothing”? Is it the same thing as “Muslim garb”?
The use of the term “typical American teenage garb” suggests that these “others” in “conservative Muslim clothing” are not “typical Americans”…whatever that means. Yet ABC describes them (the actors) as a “Muslim-American family.”
Another problematic term is the use of the word “fundamentalist.” Last time I checked, a father telling his daughter what to wear is not “fundamentalist” (see: “typical American” father for a more accurate description). Most people would agree that what a father or mother sees as appropriate for their child (minor) to wear is usually deemed a personal family issue, not to be decided by anyone else—in fact, many of the commenters on ABC’s site agreed. If we were more honest with ourselves, some of us would admit that if we talked to our parents in such a rude manner, a verbal attack and a yank of the headphones would hardly suffice as an appropriate punishment.
I also find it convenient that ABC saw this as a perfect time to plug in their thoughts on “honor killings.” As if to say, if you witness this, especially from a Muslim father, then beware! An “honor killing” may follow shortly!
Comments on the show’s site indicate that other viewers felt similarly about the fierce stereotyping that was taking place. Here are just a few:
“I’d be more annoyed that ABC felt the need to do a show that shows the Muslim’s in a bad light just for ratings. This is ridiculous. They could have made this any father.” Posted by: SecondLook Nov-7
“That was not “experiment” at all but a horrific act of hate propaganda against muslims, which would be absolutely unthinkable against more powerful minorities (Jews, Blacks, even Latinos).” Posted by: alexLRS Nov-6
“With many Americans harboring prejudices against Muslims, why would you create a scenario that, despite its contrived nature, is undoubtedly going to reinforce people’s negative attitudes towards the religion and its followers? This is disrespectful to the different cultural and familial values held by many people living in the United States. If you wanted to see people’s reaction to a volatile parent, virtually any situation would suffice–there was no call to base the situation around Muslim values and traditions?”
Posted by:BioMajor3 Nov-5 [sic]
So why didn’t ABC’s “What would you do?” pick any parent, without specifying their religion? Perhaps they were hoping for more sensational reactions, assuming that by standards responses would reflect the current overwhelming anti-Muslim sentiment and Islamophobic climate in America.
At a time when we are seeing such polarized actions and attitudes towards the American Muslim community, ABC played into people’s misconceptions and fanned the flames of Islamophobia by enacting a scenario that further reinforced prevailing stereotypes of Muslims. Not to mention the use of ambiguous terms that further marginalize American Muslims, suggesting that they are not “real” Americans.
Hats off to you, ABC’s “What Would You Do?” Instead of asking the audience to question their biases, you’ve revealed your own.
Editor’s Note: The ABC site has removed video of the episode from its archives.
As if it wasn’t hard enough. sigh
Eid Mubarek!
Is it an illusion or does the veiled sister expose her entire arms on that still from the show shown at the ABC info site for this emission?
On another note: I do believe there is some justification in showing “traditional Muslim” parents forcing their daughters (emphasis added) to wear certain type of clothing. A tiny minority of Christian parents, even of religiously practicing Christian parents, in Europe care one bit about whether their teen daughters’ arms or legs are exposed. Let alone hair or neck. They MAY bring in some opposition when more is exposed, like belly-free Shakira style tops, but not even a large majority of Christian parents interferes there, and also of diverse backgrounds including Hispanic, Central European, even Asian.
A large majority of Muslim families do care, and their limits are far tighter. As I said, it is often whether legs can be shown at all, whether jeans can be tight or several sizes too large (or skirts only can be worn), whether arms can be exposed.
This is a fundamentally different quality, and I think it merits a place under public scrutiny. Of course public debate does not equate sensationalism, which much of US TV is well-known for. And this show seems quite sensationalist, with a good agenda oftentimes though. Who can deny the episodes where hijabis are insulted are not important?
@Dina: I think that your statement ” A large majority of Muslim families do care, and their limits are far tighter.” is based on perception rather than fact and is an unfair blanket statement.
The question about what is acceptable dress for children, and for girls in particular, is a huge topic in the U.S. (if not in Europe), as evidenced by protests, articles, and television programs. Muslim families are like other families in that they care about what their children wear–in some cases, the standards of “decency” may be different, but the logic and rationale behind it is the exact same.
I believe that ABC could have put any family in this scenario, but its use of a “traditional” Muslim family was skewed and inflammatory.
Barf.
Um, Eid sayeed!
Eid Said everybody!
I guarantee you if you conduct a study of churchgoers and mosque attendants, firstly the dress code you find will be very different. If you then produce a questionnaire for churchgoing and mosque attending families and individuals, as you say yourself you will find absolutely different standards of decency on what the daughters/sisters should wear (exactly what I meant with “tighter limits”).
Ask them if they like their children to wear revealing clothes. A certain percentage of christians will say “no”. Then ask what they consider revealing – short-sleeved shirts, skirts above the knees will most likely not be part of it, but be perfectly fine for a majority of Christians (at least in Europe, where I spent all my life so far) today.
Btw I come from a Muslim community where knee-length skirts were a SCANDAL 15 years ago when I was a teen. spaghetti strap tops still are a big no-go for most, as are mini skirts, although standards have loosened some.
That was the same time the christian girls in my country wore britney style cropped tops. Parents would not let them go to church dressed like that, but upon returning home at noon all those gals wore those outfits quickly, and i am not aware of any parents who refused them to dress this way (I am in central Europe).
Need I say I never ever in my life met a Christian who believes women should not wear trousers for decency reasons? these voices are to be found in my community quite dominantly.
One major difference between the US and Europe in its immigrant populations from Muslim background is poor and uneducated ones overwhelmingly went to Europe, to their former colonizers in the netherlands, england, france, or as labourers needed for industries after WWII (germany, scandinavia etc.). North America, on the other hand, has always selected who they wanted in the country, on average more educated immigrants turned out what they wanted. So you will find massive differences between Arab, Turkish etc communities in Europe and in the US, just fyi…
This is so messed up of them. No, doing a show on discrimination against hijabis does not give license to do this. I wish they had went the wrote of their relationship violence show (where they had women meant to look how prostitutes/call girls in that area dress) and tested bystanders reactions based on if the woman being abused was white or black. hey could have maybe really addressed something if they tested people’s reactions to a family meant to be Muslim and one meant to be non-Muslim as well as had different races of families.
I do not agree with authoritarianism, including telling people what they can’t wear or what they have to wear, done by the state or individuals. But like it or not most of us live somewhere where parents can and do make the decision of what minors wear and while a lot of parents may not say “You look like a whore” in public, they are most certainly saying it or at least thinking it while making their daughter’s go change. Same with telling their sons they look like thugs or punks. I’ll venture a guess that if this had appeared to be a white non-Muslim family bystanders wold have been shocked at the language used but not the sentiment and would not have jumped immediately to threats of violence.