Maybe Farid-ul-Haq initially missed the “Islamophobia” in “Wonder Woman 1984” because one has to strain so hard to see it at all. What exactly constitutes “Islamophobia” is never defined in this article; it is taken for granted that everyone knows what it is, and it appears that Farid-ul-Haq thinks of it as an irrational prejudice against Muslims. He bases his case that “Wonder Woman 1984” (which I haven’t seen and have no intention of seeing) is “Islamophobic” on its “featuring a Muslim character as one of the bad guys” while not having “a single Muslim character playing the role of a good guy.”
Farid-ul-Haq thus takes for granted that Hollywood must never portray Muslims as “bad guys,” despite the existence of Islamic jihad terrorists all over the world, or at least must not do so without a balancing Muslim “good guy.” Why must Hollywood act as a PR service for Islam? Farid-ul-Haq would likely say that it is because Muslims are particular targets of “hate and discrimination in the real world,” but this is actually not true. The FBI listed 995 anti-Jewish “offenses” in 2019, and 219 anti-Muslim “offenses.” Even one is too many, but 219 offenses against Muslims in a year in a country of 330 million actually shows that such offenses are quite rare, as they should be. Would Farid-ul-Haq agree that Hollywood should show four and a half times more Jewish “good guys” than Muslim “good guys,” so as to combat “hate and discrimination” against Jews? Must Hollywood always balance portrayals of “bad guys” who really exist in the world with “good guys” from the same group? Would Farid-ul-Haq want every movie that features a neo-Nazi to feature also a good German for balance?
Farid-ul-Haq is also enraged at “Wonder Woman 1984” because a character was depicted as “swatting away a pendant, inside a taxi, with the name Allah and Muhammad (P.B.U.H) written on it.” However, a commenter on his article states: “Thanks to this article, I’ve re-watched this scene over and over, and it looks to me that Steve is swatting the rear-view mirror to get it out of the way so he can climb out of the taxi after crashing it into the armored vehicle. Watching it frame-by-frame, it’s obvious he’s aiming for the mirror and not the pendant. The other issues brought up I can see, but I don’t see the pendant one.” Even if the character were swatting away the pendant, must Hollywood also abide by Sharia provisions mandating absolute reverence for Islamic religious objects? Has Hollywood ever shown similar deference toward Christianity, the cross, the Bible, the name of Jesus, etc.? Here again, why should Muslims and Islam be singled out for special consideration?
“Addressing the Islamophobia in ‘Wonder Woman 1984,'” by Farid-ul-Haq, The Geekiary, December 27, 2020:
Turns out, along with being problematic when it comes to consent, Wonder Woman 1984 also features Islamophobia. Sigh! At this point, if you’re out there supporting Wonder Woman 1984 while ignoring or excusing certain narrative issues, I don’t know what to say to you.
This piece contains minor spoilers for Wonder Woman 1984. Consider yourself warned.
Full disclaimer, while I rolled my eyes at Wonder Woman 1984 featuring a Muslim character as one of the bad guys, I didn’t pick up on the blatant Islamophobia during my initial viewing. I got to know about the implications of the scene in question after I decided to head on over to the Muslim side of Twitter.
An action sequence during Wonder Woman 2 occurs in Cairo. Maxwell Lord goes to meet Emir Said Bin Abydos and take over his oil empire. The Muslim character’s wish is to construct a wall and regain control of his ancestral land.During the final moments, the movie also had a character in mujahideen-looking garb wishing for nuclear weapons.
Yes, it felt weird this movie didn’t have a single Muslim character playing the role of a good guy, especially after the first Wonder Woman had a Muslim character be one of Diana’s friends. But it is what it is. I would like Hollywood to do better, of course.
Now, coming to the most problematic and Islamophobic scene that involved Steve Trevor (Chris Pine). I was surprised when I saw tweets about said scene and how blatantly Islamophobic it was to show Steve swatting away a pendant, inside a taxi, with the name Allah and Muhammad (P.B.U.H) written on it.
Turns out, my mind didn’t even register such a moment. Instead of realizing what had transpired onscreen, apparently, my brain did something and I thought Steve had quickly placed the pendant on the dashboard before crawling out of the taxi to help Diana.
I rewatched the scene and was quite disappointed to see the scene for it was. In my opinion, there was no reason for such a scene to exist. It served no narrative purpose other than Steve being shown throwing away the names of two beings held in high regard in the Muslim community.
Such artistic content uses fictional Muslim characters to challenge the “interpretations” of Islam that continue to be used to encourage hate and discrimination in the real world….
Bad Penguin says
People who want to find racism will find it everywhere they look. I’m surprised that they were not upset about a scantily clad woman beating the bejesus out of a bunch of muslim men.
Jayell says
‘People who want to find racism will find it everywhere they look’…….usually because they’ve projected it from inside themselves. ‘It takes a thief to catch a thief’, as the old saying goes, and likewise ‘racism’, except the nature of ‘projection’ is to create an image where nothing existed in the first place. Likewise ‘islamophobia’, which is an unintelligent hysterical defensive projection based on the subject’s lack of self-awareness and ignorance of the correct definition of a ‘phobia’ – plus a fundamental disrespect for the freedom of opinion of others.
Down Under Observer says
Determined to be offended. Determined to be victims. Clutching at straws.
Honest Ali says
They are only emulating Muhammad. All of Mo’s grievances were manufactured too.
“Meccan law enforcement is coming to arrest me for robbing their caravans, they are persecuting me!!!!”
gravenimage says
Yep.
And hilarious, Honest Ali!
Chuck Martel says
Just replying here to take credit for getting the comments shut down at the Geekery. They’re cowards.
GreekEmpress says
I smell a CAIR lawsuit.
gravenimage says
Wonder Woman 1984: ‘I didn’t pick up on the blatant Islamophobia during my initial viewing’
……………..
This is what happens when a group *wants* to be constantly offended.
Add to this Wonder Woman being played by Israeli actress Gal Godot, and Muslims can be offended all day long…
Keith O says
Does this Mudslime go through movies frame by frame to find something to whinge about?
GET A LIFE!!!
These cretins can’t find any so called islamaphobia in the real world so they have to invent some or go to the ultimate fantasy land, Hollywood, to find some.
What an oxygen thief!
Ronald Joseph Lorette says
Hi. As the story of Mohammad goes ,He was getting Allah,s blessing and carrying out partial judgement when They were brutalizing ,robbing ,murdering, beheading all those Caravans. They did absolutely nothing WRONG or EVIL. They were just following Allah,s orders and being well rewarded in booty and as much sex as they wished. Great diety ,that appeals to the pure animal in man. Hopefully soon to be brought to full ZERO!!
OLD GUY says
Islamophobia is the act of knowing and recognizing the truth about Islam. The reason Muslims are so concerned about what is said and written about Islam is they can not stand to hear the truth about their evil, male dominate hateful religion. In other words the truth HURTS. The male islam follower loves it because it gives them power. The female in islam is scared to death literally.
Bonnie AlexanderAvila says
Old Guy, thanks for stating the facts! GrannyA
anonymous says
Interesting that Farid-ul-Haq’s only gripe with the movie is that it may contain “islamophobia”.
NPR did an interview back in 2014 about Wonder Woman. According to the guest, Harvard professor Jill Lepore, Wonder Woman is none other than Margaret Sanger – the founder of Planned Parenthood.
Wonder Woman’s costume was inspired by the creator’s “intense interest in erotic pinup art”, according to professor Lepore.
Some more snippets from the interview:
“Wonder Woman’s backstory has to do with Amazon culture. Marston’s mistress, Elizabeth Holloway, her favorite book in college was a collection of Sappho’s writing. And in popular culture, Sappho and Amazon culture are very, you know, entwined with the idea of lesbian culture.”
“I mean, certainly if you read the comics, there’s a whole lot of lesbianism in the comic books themselves. It’s just completely clear. And it’s one of the reasons critics opposed “Wonder Woman” and wanted “Wonder Woman” to stop being published.”
“And Wonder Woman’s problems is that Wonder Woman is a lesbian. So there’s a lot of that going on in the comics and in how critics read the comics.”
gravenimage says
Wonder Woman has always had a boyfriend, Steve Trevor. Try again…
anonymous says
Hey – don’t shoot the messenger. I’m merely relaying what Dr. Jill Lepore uncovered in her research. If nothing else, her findings were commonly accepted in the 1940s/50s.
The creator, William Moulton Marston, was one troubled soul who more or less openly engaged in rather deviant behavior.
I would recommend reading the NPR interview transcript (or Lepore’s book) before dismissing the information.
SB says
When you hear the word “problematic” you know an Idiot’s talking.