MovieChat Forums > Degrassi: Next Class (2016) Discussion > The Refuge Storyline/Goldie

The Refuge Storyline/Goldie

posted 8 years ago by jaylee-03031
8 replies | jump to latest

I really like the refugee story line and that we have Goldie also on the show. I like how they show Goldie, Saad, and Raja dealing with how their values and religion are different from the other student. I loved when Goldie took of her hijab and then put it back on because she didn't feel like her true self without it. I like the conflict that brings into the story line. I also like how it makes the other students face their prejudice and stereotypical views of Muslims. Muslims face so much hatred here and everyone assumes that just because you are Muslim, you must either be a terrorist or support terrorism.

I really enjoy this part of the story line but I wish they wouldn't have made Raja gay just so Zoe could have a love interest. I just want them to focus on the Muslim aspect itself and all the conflicts of being Muslim in today's world. I have seen Muslims being attacked, beaten, and their mosques torched. There was even someone who threw a pig's head into a mosque. They could have made someone else Zoe's love interest. I actually like Grace and Zoe together.

[–] The_Grimm_Reaper 8 years ago

Zoe & Grace are horrible together, they have no romantic chemistry. The chemistry they have is more of a friendship bond than romantic. Putting Zoe & Grace together would be like putting Becky & Imogen or Claire & Alli together.

I agree they should have not made Rasha gay and they should have done something with her character rather than having her just be a love interest for Zoe. I have a feeling that once Zoe leaves, Rasha will be gone. Similar to how Jack was written on the show to be a love interest for Imogen and never got no real plot or anything.

[–] LightningBalt 8 years ago

Yeah, how dare they portray a Muslim character who happens to be gay! There are no gay Muslims in real life, just like there are no gay Christians!

[–] The_Grimm_Reaper 8 years ago

No one is mad that one of the Muslim characters happens to be gay. I think the issue is Rasha's purpose on the show is just to be a love interest for Zoe when in reality Rasha can be more than just the "Gay Muslim chick". As I said in my last post her character is basically "Jack" (Imogen's Ex) who was on the show just to be Imogen's girlfriend and had no real story line that didn't revolve Imogen plus once Imogen graduated in S14, Jack who was still a junior, had no purpose in the show and was written off. I see the same happening with Rasha but Rasha has much potential so far.

[–] jaylee-03031 8 years ago

I know there are gay Muslims in the world thank you very much. In this story line however, I really wanted to see more of Goldie's conflicts between her Muslim faith and values and America's and vice versa. I wanted to see Rasha and Saad along with the other Syrian refuges cope with the violence they must have witnessed back home and the culture shock of coming to America and see their views of America from everything they have been through and see how they are viewed by Americans. There should have been conflict about the freaking hot dogs and sharing a room possibly. I just felt making Rasha gay was just for the sake of needing a love interest for Zoe and that will be her main focus and not being a refuge and her religion. I have nothing against gay people but they don't need to make very single person on this show gay or bi. I would have been fine with Zoe and Grace being together.

I liked how Goldie and Rasha differed on whether or not to wear a Hijab. Goldie took it off and then put hers on right away because she didn't feel like herself without it. She looked like she was going to cry when she had it off. They have an opportunity with this refugee story line to bring attention to the plight of Syrians and they didn't even touch on that. I am excited to see Muslims on a TV show and wanted the focus to be more on their religion so viewers can understand their faith better and not be so scared of Muslims.

[–] Northerner335 8 years ago

I know there are gay Muslims in the world thank you very much. In this story line however, I really wanted to see more of Goldie's conflicts between her Muslim faith and values and America's and vice versa. I wanted to see Rasha and Saad along with the other Syrian refuges cope with the violence they must have witnessed back home and the culture shock of coming to America and see their views of America from everything they have been through and see how they are viewed by Americans. There should have been conflict about the freaking hot dogs and sharing a room possibly. I just felt making Rasha gay was just for the sake of needing a love interest for Zoe and that will be her main focus and not being a refuge and her religion. I have nothing against gay people but they don't need to make very single person on this show gay or bi. I would have been fine with Zoe and Grace being together.

I liked how Goldie and Rasha differed on whether or not to wear a Hijab. Goldie took it off and then put hers on right away because she didn't feel like herself without it. She looked like she was going to cry when she had it off. They have an opportunity with this refugee story line to bring attention to the plight of Syrians and they didn't even touch on that. I am excited to see Muslims on a TV show and wanted the focus to be more on their religion so viewers can understand their faith better and not be so scared of Muslims.

You mentioned America and Americans numerous times here, but you know the show is set in Canada and is about Canadians, right? And yes, Canadians are North Americans but they would never be referred to as Americans. Just saying.

[–] Manna-Fest 8 years ago

It's understandable. The show seems to cater to Americans more so than Canadians and more American elements are throw about here and there. American viewers will literally think this show is American or set in the country.

[–] Manna-Fest 8 years ago

I know there are gay Muslims in the world thank you very much.

I'm sure that user was being sarcastic. The exclamation points at the end of the sentences seem to give off that impression and there are in fact loads of gay Christians out there anyone should at least know and or hear about if not so much on the Muslim side of things....

[–] MoshiMoshiYoshi 8 years ago

While I did appreciate it, I found it kind of strange that it seemed like a new concept for the other students. The city of Toronto is FULL of Muslims, many wearing a hijab. I went to 4 different high schools and no one acted like that around someone who was Muslim, asking them about suicide bombers. Wearing a hijab wasn't a billboard for being different.

If you go out to certain suburbs, maybe. But considering Degrassi is supposed to be located right by downtown Toronto... nope. Very unrealistic.

It's also odd that Goldie's parents don't force her to wear the hijab, and her brother is totally fine dating girls, but she's so ride-or-die about it. Especially since she has lived in Canada all her life (and is only NOW feeling detached or curious?? okay... because I guess she's never met another hijab-wearing Muslim in Toronto, yeah, that's likely ).

I did like how Rasha said they're all different, and there isn't only one way to be Muslim, just like other religions. And it doesn't make you any more or less true to yourself or your religion. But Goldie.... I don't know. It doesn't seem genuine, the writing for her. It seems like people who aren't Muslim and don't know a thing about the religion wrote her. Like how a non-Muslim person would think she should be like as a character.