My opinion on Safaa’s route as a Muslim

I was rereading Safaa’s route, and I really want to give Faye her flowers for tackling, imo, a hard topic by including a Somali Queer Muslim character in The Missing. As I am also a Somali Muslim with Somali Queer Muslims friends, Safaa’s struggles with her identity and religion ring true for so many Somali and Muslim LGBTQs out there (especially those who are practising Muslims).

I remember when TM just came out, people started to question why Saafa is a love interest, and at the moment I was just hoping it wouldn’t be one of those lazy stereotypes that Netflix perpetuate where a white saviour comes and saves the hijabi from the “oppressive religion”, leading her to immediately take off her hijab and denounce Islam mid-episode. As a montage of the hijabi’s salon styled hair ( immediately after taking off her hijab knowing damn well if it was realistic it would look like a rat nest 😹 ) plays as she and the white saviour run away to Narnia or whatever.

So to say I was pleasantly surprised by Safaa's route would be an understatement especially as even though Safaa is only attracted to women, she is still a practising Muslim, and that in her words “my faith… my identity… It remains the same”

Sorry for rambling I just love Safaa's route and I truly believe that Faye executed this route really well and now that The Missing is now in its last season I wonder how Safaa's story with her sexuality will wrap up. ( especially regarding her parents )

And I hope that if Safaa does get a wedding

would be a big fat Somali wedding I think she would look beautiful in her traditional clothes! 😭💕💕