DisturbinglyWestern

HavingbeenseparatedfromhisMuslimfamilyformanyyears,AlimdoesnotbelieveinMuslim,speaksperfectEnglish,wearsbusinesssuit,andevenhasguyboyfriend,Giles.Infrontofhisreligiousmother,AlimpretendsGilestobehisroommate,whereasGilestriespainstakinglytoestablishagoodrelationwithher,hopingshewillacceptguymarriage.Atthebeginning,AlimdoesnotbelieveGiles’seffortwillpaybackbecausehismotherisjust“aMuslimwomanfromtheThirdWorld”;finally,hewonhismother’ssupportunderGiles’sunceasingefforts.TouchofPinkistargetedtotheCanadian-Britishmarket,whereguymovementenjoysmuchcurrency.Unfortunately,thispoliticsofsexualityisachievedattheexpenseoftheMuslimOther.Alim,beingrepresentativeoftheMuslimculture(regardlesspersonalbelief,Alim’sreligiousheritageisboundedwithhisfamilyrelations),isafeminineguy;heisshy,introvert,sensitive,andrequiresanimaginativefriend,Gary,toescapefromeverydayfrustrations.Incontrast,Gilesisfullywestern,masculine,openedminded,determined,andplaystheroleoflifementorofAlim.WiththeaidofGiles,bothAlimandhismotherovercometheirpersonalandreligiouslimitations;theybecomeenlightenedtoembraceahappierfuture.Tome,theidealizationofGilesmasksadangerouspatronizingpracticethatproblematizeslocalvaluesinfavorofthetrendofglobalizationandmodernization(orwesternization,tobemoreprecise).Muslimpeoplearebeingportrayedasauthoritarian,materialisticandnarrow-minded.Theircultureisreducedtoexoticclothes,jewelries,flowers,andstrangecustoms.