Background Info...

Hazel's character, prior to season 2, isn't developed much at all. The basics we know about her are that she's Paige's friend, a member of the Spirit Squad and she is a natural diva.

Issues Concerning Religion...

Islam is first introduced in Degrassi: TNG in season two. The episode "Don't Believe The Hype" (season 2, episode 11) starts off with Paige and Hazel walking up to Terri and giving her a ticket for a fashion crime. Terri returns

returns the ticket to Paige because Paige had started out the school year with a mullett. Hazel soon grabs the ticket and passes it to Fareeza, a Muslim girl, as she passes by. She then proceeds to say how her hijab (Muslim Head Dress) is a fashion crime. Fareeza passes this off and walks on by Hazel.

Later that day the ninth graders learn that there is going to be an International Day and the kids have to bring something from their heritage. The first thing Paige assumes is that

Hazel is Jamacian, but mentions how she has never been over to Hazel's house. She tells Hazel that she loves Jerk Chicken and that that is what Hazel should bring as part of her project because it's Jamacian food. Hazel agrees that Jerk Chicken is good and agrees to bring some. Later in the episode we see Hazel strolling though the mall. She is going to a Jamacian restaurant in the food court and orders a bunch of Jerk Chicken. She brings this Chicken to school and Paige mentions how much it taste like the restaurant at the mall.

While the grade nines take a lunch break, someone wrecks Fareeza's display on Iraq. They write Terrorist in big letters right across her backboard. At the end of the lunch break, before the students return back inside,

Fareeza confronts Hazel. She tells Hazel that Aden, Hazel's last name, isn't a Jamacian name, but rather a name from Somalia. Somalia is a muslim nation. Hazel looks surprised and a little scared at this. She proceeds to tell Fareeza to leave her alone or Jamacia will declare war on Iraq. When the kids return inside and see Fareeza's project vandalized, Principle Raditch calls in the police. Hazel is a suspect, not only because of her actions at the end of lunch period, but also because of her fashion crime incident in the hallway. When Hazel is questioned and her parents are informed, Hazel realizes it's time to tell the truth. She can't hide anymore. She realizes that there will always be someone against you, but you'll always have friends too. Later that week she brings in another presentation. This time it's a real presentation, one about who she really is. Hazel is a Muslim who was afraid she would be called a terrorist. She hid behind assumptions about her being Jamacian and teased other Muslims so that people wouldn't know she was. She even brought pictures of herself wearing a hijab, telling the people that not everyone wears them all the time and she really respects Fareeza for having the confidence to do it.

The episode "Don't Believe The Hype" was aired after September 11th. The episode is all about religious stereotypes. How people can fall into a category because of the actions of another person within the same religion. This episode goes to show that after September 11th a lot of Muslims became the center of terrorist accusations, jokes and debates. This show also shows someone who is ashamed of their religion because of the things that are taking place within it. It also shows that sometimes people have to be who they are and stand up for what they believe in, it makes people respect them more and really interested in what they have to say.