Swedish commentator slams SVT for 'entertainment' featuring misogyny

Malin Ullgren, writing for Dagens Nyheter, expresses strong criticism of Swedish public service broadcaster SVT for its handling of misogynistic content in the reality show "Married at First Sight." Ullgren is particularly dismayed that the show, in its new season, presents attitudes associated with the "manosphere" as entertainment.

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Forgive me, but how the hell can this be television entertainment on public service?

She highlights a specific instance where a newlywed husband, Urban, tells his wife, Olivia, that she cannot meet her male friend, citing religious reasons and stating, "It is haram if you even think about another man." Ullgren questions how such controlling behavior, which she links to potential violence against women, can be framed as television entertainment, especially on a public service platform.

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It is haram if you even think about another man.

Ullgren argues that SVT's decision to broadcast this without adequate commentary from the show's psychologists risks normalizing dangerous ideologies. She suggests that the broadcaster might be making editorial missteps due to a perceived fear of resurgent right-wing conservatism, leading to a strategy of "appeasement" that inadvertently validates harmful views.

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Public service is turning the so-called manosphere into comedic content.

The commentator draws a parallel to historical literature, noting that the desire for direction and meaning through outdated views on women is a subject for serious examination, not light entertainment. She believes that SVT's approach, by making the manosphere seem like "fun content," fails to adequately address the societal implications of such ideologies and the potential risks they pose.

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The misogyny is a frightening display of neoconservatism's power.