We Are Lady Parts
We Are Lady Parts
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that We Are Lady Parts is a British comedy series about a Muslim woman who joins an all-Muslim female punk band. The series challenges stereotypes about Muslim women but also highlights the pressure they feel to live according to specific norms. Expect strong sexual language ("shagging," "d--k," "t-ts"), frequent swearing ("bitch," "piss," "arse," "s--t," "motherf----r"), and lots of vaping and cigarette and pot smoking. Characters argue and exchange insults, and song lyrics include references to honor killings. There are references to social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, and iPhones and Apple computers are sometimes visible. Alongside the mature content, We Are Lady Parts features strong, independent women and offers important messages about being true to yourself.
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Inventive, funny and weird
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We Are Lady Parts
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What's the Story?
WE ARE LADY PARTS is a British comedy series about a young Muslim woman who's conflicted about joining a punk band. Amina Hussein (Anjana Vasan) is a microbiology graduate student who lives with her parents and volunteers her time teaching guitar to underprivileged children. She's also actively seeking a husband with the help of dating apps and her friend Noor (Aiysha Hart). But then Amina unexpectedly receives a flyer from her secret crush, Ahsan (Zaqi Ismael), to audition for a band that his sister Ayesha (Juliette Motamed) plays drums for. And, suddenly, she finds herself playing lead guitar with Lady Parts, an all-Muslim female punk group whose other members are lead singer Saira (Sarah Kameela Impey) and bassist/back-up singer Bisma (Faith Omole). Also joining them is their manager, the edgy, niqab-wearing Momtaz (Lucie Shorthouse). Being in a band is considered haram (forbidden) among Amina's conservative friends, and it doesn't help that she throws up when she performs in public. But she soon finds herself thinking more about what makes her happy -- and how to be true to herself.
Is It Any Good?
Bold and irreverent, this thoughtful, well-written series challenges conventional stereotypes about Muslim women. It does so by featuring strong, diverse, tight-knit female characters who embrace their music as much as their faith. The band members -- who represent a variety of racial, ethnic, class, and cultural backgrounds -- collectively view themselves as feminists who are using music to make their voices heard. They also categorically reject the notion that their choice to perform their often confrontational songs is nothing more than an act of rebellion against their community. Meanwhile, Amina, who places more pressure on herself than her parents do when it comes to being a good Muslim woman, finds herself having to come to terms with the fact that playing with the band makes her happy, even if it goes against the conventions she's always tried to live by.
Amina's personal journey isn't an easy one, but thanks to series creator/writer Nida Manzoor's storytelling style, it's presented as a combination of comedic moments, music performances, and parodies of Western TV and movie scenes. And all of the Muslim women portrayed here, regardless of their thoughts about the band, have a strong sense of agency. It's through them that the series offers honest, poignant commentary about what it's like to be a Muslim woman in a world that's constantly judging them for being one, or both, of these things. Overall, We Are Lady Parts successfully delivers a smart, entertaining story that avoids clichéd representations of British Muslim women while taking note of the cultural and social norms that are still an important part of who they are and how they live their lives.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about punk music. What's the origin of the genre? Why is Lady Parts using it as a platform for expressing themselves?
How are Muslim women portrayed in We Are Lady Parts? In what ways do they express their freedom to make their own choices? How does this challenge the way Muslim women are often portrayed in media?
TV Details
- Premiere date: June 3, 2021
- Cast: Anjana Vasan, Sarah Kameela Impey, Juliette Motamed, Faith Omole, Lucie Shorthouse
- Network: Peacock
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Music and Sing-Along
- Character Strengths: Compassion, Courage, Perseverance, Teamwork
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Award: Common Sense Selection
- Last updated: February 28, 2022
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