One particular stereotype that white British class make about the Asian community, is that they try and brainwash other cultures and religions to become part of their religion, however `white girl`, challenges this stereotypical belief by portraying the Asian community as caring, non-violent and kind. The director shows the relationship between Leah and the Asian family as that of unconditional, the director shows the audience that the Asian family accept Leah for who she is and are in no way trying to brainwash or convert her into their own religion; however Leah chooses to do so as her own individual decision.
Another stereotype that we have as a culture about the Asian community is that; they are prejudice of the white British culture, however `white girl` challenges this in a way that they reverse the stereotype. In white girl the Asian family and community are shown as being caring towards those that are of a different culture to themselves, however Leah’s family; a white British family are shown as being extremely prejudice towards the Asian culture within the community they live in, as it is highly populated by `ethnic minorities`, this is typical of a northern city in England. The prejudice that Leah’s family have against the Asian community is shown very strongly when Debbie, Leah’s mother sees Leah wearing a headscarf, we understand here that Leah’s mother is prejudice towards ethnic minorities, because of the way in which she responds to Leah wearing the headscarf; she responds in way which portrays her as a working class less educated women because shows her dislike for her daughter wearing the headscarf by; swearing aggressively at Leah and acting very violently towards her because of the decision her daughter Leah has made to wear a headscarf and to follow the Muslim faith. As well as the mother being portrayed as being prejudice, the grandmother is also portrayed as being prejudice, this is shown particularly well in the scene at the wedding when Leah has taken the decision to wear her headscarf at the British wedding and her grandmother says to Debbie, her daughter “she’s embarrassing us”, talking about Leah wearing the headscarf. We believe that Leah has decided to follow the Muslim faith because she sees it as an escape from her own life of her mothers drinking, her fathers abusive behaviour, her parents separation and mother being illiterate. We are also lead to believe that Leah has joined the Muslim faith, to feel part of something and to feel that she belongs to a `family`, as she throughout the programme we get a feeling that Leah does not feel as if she belongs to her family and they resent her.
A common stereotype of ethnic minorities, is that they use frequent acts of violence towards those from other cultures due to their cultural differences, however `white girl` portrays ethnic minorities in a totally opposite way to the stereotype, by showing the Muslim community as that of; very caring and kind people who want to bring out the best in people; who are of their own religion and those who are not. We see an act of kindness at the very beginning of the programme when the white family move into the area and a nearby Muslim family offer them milk, which is refused by Debbie; the mother of the white family, this also shows prejudice towards the Muslim family as well as showing a reverse in the stereotype; the ethnic minority family being kind and caring and the white British family being prejudice and violent. Throughout the programme we do not see any Muslims show any violence towards other cultures, however although it is very ironic we see a vast amount of violent behaviour from the white family.
In conclusion to the question `white girl`, challenges the stereotypical representations of ethnic minorities, by reversing the stereotype and representing the white British characters as you would the ethnic minority characters, if you were representing them true to their stereotype.
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