Queer shippers really do have a natural talent for sniffing out content; which is why ITV's Coronation Street gained extra worldwide attention around 18 months ago, when Rana started to fall in love with Kate and Kana was born.
On the surface, Kate and Rana are a beautiful multiracial wlw ship, but their storyline holds far more weight than you may initially think. Rana Habeeb (Bhavna Lambachia) is a once married Muslim woman who finds herself falling in love with her openly gay best friend Kate Connor (Faye Brookes). The two try to keep their distance from each other as Rana struggles to accept that she could possibly be anything other than straight, but in good old soap fashion the drama intensifies and the two are drawn together; despite their efforts. The difference between this storyline and others in the show's history is Rana’s story, as she is terrified of the idea that she could be bisexual or gay due to cultural and religious pressures.
Bhavna Lambachia doesn't take this too lightly, and she is painfully aware of the need for queer Asian and queer Muslim representation in media. She did a lot of research into queer Muslim communities and came across the Naz & Matt Foundation; a foundation set up by my friend Matt Mahmood-Ogston after his partner of 13 years, Naz, took his own life due to being rejected by his Muslim family. Rana's story deals with this same rejection, but also takes another devastatingly common path. Rana's parents first try and pay her husband Zeedan (Qasim Akhtar) to stay married to her in order to save face in the community, and when this plan falls through her parents arrange a trip. Under the guise of a visiting a sick relative in Pakistan, Rana's mother arranges to take Rana there on a one-way ticket. Those on the outside could claim this is just another over dramatic soap storyline, but it isn't. People from heavily religious or cultural backgrounds are far more likely to be faced with homophobia when they come out and, in some cases, it can be deadly. A recent UCLAN study, focusing on an examination of police records from 39 forces across England between 2010-2014, showed that over 11,000 cases of honour-based abuse were on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
So whilst there are issues with the Kate and Rana storyline, as there usually are with any storyline, it is telling an important story. Yes, I would like to see them spend some of their screen time blissfully happy and I want to see them in love and carefree. Up to this point, it's been one upset after another with small moments of happiness thrown in; but I get what they're aiming to do with Rana's story and I'm hoping that, once all of this drama settles, we'll get ourselves a happy couple that could even rival Kirk and Beth (Corrie reference there for those that don't watch it).
We deserve to see the characters who look and love like us be happy and alive. I'm truly hoping that we will get that with Kana because their story, especially Rana's, is one that needs to be told to as many people that will listen. Kate and Rana have given a lot of people, particularly those in religious communities, a sense of belonging. Rana shows them that there are people out there who are like them and that they're not alone.
Bhavna continues to stand shoulder to shoulder with those at the Naz & Matt foundation, fighting for a better more inclusive future for all LGBTQ+ people regardless of race or religion. I have endless love and respect for her for not only understanding but embracing what her storyline really means, and marching alongside her, Matt and co at Manchester Pride this year was an absolute honour. I'm excited to see what's to come for these two and I'm hoping that we get to see a big beautiful Muslim gay wedding.
- Sara.
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Coronation Street airs weekly on ITV.