In spite of successful shows like We Are Lady Parts and Ms Marvel, there are still not enough Muslim stories on our screens. Here, Islamic creatives speak out about being told their values are boring – and that they can’t be sex-positive
There is no glass ceiling stopping those of ethnic minority and Muslim backgrounds from entering the world of TV. It’s more of a concrete ceiling, given how difficult, painful – and sometimes ultimately futile – bursting through it can feel.
Increasingly, there are examples of Muslim creatives who are helping television to shun offensive and outright harmful narratives in favour of exciting, multifaceted Muslim stories. In the US, shows such as Ramy and Ms Marvel have given Muslim talent the space to tell stories that are unflinchingly authentic. In the UK, comedy is making particularly impressive advancements, with groundbreaking shows such as Guz Khan’s Man Like Mobeen and Channel 4’s Bafta-winning smash hit We Are Lady Parts – which has been renewed for a second series. Other programmes from Muslim writers are on the way from the BBC and ITV, including Count Abdullah, which follows a British Pakistani Muslim junior doctor who is bitten by a vampire.
