No Netflix, No Cry

My hands are trembling while writing this, but thankfully after a couple of sips of orange juice and the very welcome thought of eating carbs for lunch, they're trembling way less than they did during the chat session with Netflix that I'm about to share. 

Half an hour ago I made the decision to confront Netflix's customer service with as much emotional stability as years of being subjected to Islamophobic rhetoric could allow me. The damn emotional labour, man. I had noticed a new blurb on my phone's Netflix app two days ago, as I lazily scrolled through the latest titles in bed, a habit I've developed to soothe my mind in the hour or so just before succumbing to sleep. I'd associated this habit with a kind of happy, mundane ability to predict what I would be watching soon, thereby creating pockets of certainty in a world where reliable predictability has become very scarce, pandemic and all. But my world resists even such little privileges. 

What a non-Muslim person can do on their Netflix phone app with a measure of luxurious boredom, I realize now that I can't. I mean I always knew that the world has never really liked us for any number of reasons - real or fictitious - and that dislike has been more or less evident throughout my life, so I've learnt to expect it as the global affliction that it is. Except that in the last two years I've discovered that it may not be that global; West Africans I met in Nova Scotia describe a swath of Africa where the mainstream narrative is not inherently Islamophobic. Like they don't even know what that means. Wow! A world where I don't have to explain my values and reasons for being all the time...really?! Well, that gave me hope. Which in turn made me softer. So that, where 5 years ago an Islamophobic promotional blurb on the most influential global streaming service would've just been another Tuesday in the torrent of hate I face daily from any mainstream media, two days ago it fell on acutely thinner, softer, and more hopeful skin. 

Look up on your Netflix: World's Most Wanted. It is a short docuseries detailing the heinous acts of some of the world's most wanted criminals, including terrorists, and is currently showing 5 episodes. Each episode is basically about one specific criminal (I should probably say "alleged criminal?") The promotional blurb under the third episode, featuring Samantha Lewthwaite, is the only one citing the perp's religion. It reads as follows:

    "A Muslim convert born in the UK, Samantha Lewthwaite denounces the 7/7 London subway attack. Later, she's suspected of masterminding acts of terror." 

They not only lead by identifying her as a Muslim, they're sending a clear implied message that terror is naturally endemic to being one. Dammit Netflix. 

I gotta be honest, I'm tired of fighting. Of being an activist in a mostly complacent world where our genocide, be it intellectual, spiritual, or physical is justified by media narratives similar to the one above. Both Muslims and non-Muslims engage in active stereotyping of nearly 2 billion people, who share my religion. As if we all move, think, and act as one. As if that's even possible. Even from friends, I hear things like "Muslim countries do this or that..." Its beyond alienating, its outrageous. There's more Christians in the world today, but do we hear about the actions of "Christian countries?" No, because there is no such thing. Similarly there is no such thing as Muslim countries! There are countries with Muslim majorities, just as there are countries with Christian majorities, and neither operate as one single ethnic or religious block. That stuff ended in the middle ages guys. 

So why is this type of stereotyping harmful you wonder? Its just words, eh? Okay, I can explain. Simply put, generalizations can kill. When a society normalizes the stereotyping of groups (especially minorities), it essentially facilitates hate crimes against those groups. Because in the minds of haters from these societies' majorities, such crimes are justified by a kind of hate logic. For example, if Muslims are naturally violent, then exterminating them is not that big of a deal - it may even be good. This is actually the precise logic of the terrorist who killed 50 Muslims in New Zealand, and others like him. It is also the logic behind Bill 21 in Quebec, not restricted to Muslims though it may be, and more subtly damaging than a flat-out kill logic. And I daresay its the same logic behind Quebec's resistance to formally recognizing Islamophobia within its boundaries. And it all starts with words. Words matter, they can ultimately kill.

Well, but so do Muslims - they kill. Yes, and so does everyone else! Myanmar's Muslims are being massacred by Buddhists in the thousands, but I'm not going to think of Buddhists as endemically violent. Christians murdered all kinds of people in their crusades, but I can't imagine punishing present day Christians for it. Hindus and Sikhs killed thousands of Muslims in the partition wars of India. The list goes on. People kill because they're people, with flaws and evils and unimaginable brutality. Not because they belong to one religion or another, but because they're people. 

So, the Netflix chat was a short one:

Thank you for contacting Netflix customer support.

Here is the transcript from your recent chat.

You I feel threatened by a xenophobic Netflix promotional blurb, and I want Netflix to consider amending it so its more inclusive and safe. You hello Katrina Mae Netflix Hi there! This is Katrina you got through Netflix Chat Support. Katrina Mae Netflix I've read your message Katrina Mae Netflix Sorry for the inconvenience and thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. You I'm referring to the Docuseries called World's Most Wanted You Episode 3' blurb says: "A Muslim convert born in the UK..." Katrina Mae Netflix I see. You Out of all 5 episodes, Netflix decided to singly identify the perpetrator's religion in this one You and of course the implied message is that "Terror is naturally endemic to Muslims" You This is very Islamophobic rhetoric and I feel very threatened by it Katrina Mae Netflix I totally understand. I will make a note of your complaint. Katrina Mae Netflix Just to let you know though, the stories on our service are not intended to be disrespectful or hurt the sentiments of any community or group. You Would you prefer for me to send you an email detailing this complaint? Katrina Mae Netflix While we believe in creative freedom, we at Netflix respect all religions, nationalities, and their cultures and traditions. You I understand, however, Islamophobic words are often unconscious, which makes them even more hurtful Katrina Mae Netflix You can send it all here and it will be recorded. You Okay You How can I follow up on my complaint? You And just to clarify, I did not watch the episode - my note is specifically about the promotional blurb You Words matter, and I hope Netflix can show more responsibility in that regard. Katrina Mae Netflix Yes, I totally get you. We do not have any additional info about that title here in Customer Service. What I can only do is to make sure that your complaint is documented and be heard of. Katrina Mae Netflix We will not be able to provide any update about complaints here in Customer Service but rest assured that this is fully recorded and are being reviewed by the appropriate department You Thank you Katrina Mae Netflix Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. This will help Netflix greatly improve our platform. You okay thank you. Katrina Mae Netflix I have already made a note of your complaint. Anything else that I can help you with aside from this? You No, that's everything. thanks for your help, and have a good day Katrina Mae Netflix It was a pleasure helping you today. You can also visit help.netflix.com for any Netflix-related concerns you may have. Thank you for reaching out to Netflix. Stay safe! :) Katrina Mae Netflix Happy Holidays! You you too!

Yeah, I'm tired. But the problem is that I'm also angry...and I have children, who need to be able to watch Netflix then go to school and not wonder whether their friends are going to bully them for simply existing. I'm a Magneto - an angry hopeful. And hope is just a bitch of a thing that clings to the heart like that. So, for now, Ima keep watching out for an update to that stupid Netflix blurb. I want to get back to scrolling titles in bed, man. Like everybody else.