Problems with minority representation in western media
It is no secret that oppression and discrimination still exist in America.
Having those same values reflected in our entertainment worsens the problems America faces.
If what we see puts one group of people in positions of power over others, or prioritizes the representation of specific subcultures over others, that negatively impacts our view of the world and the people around us.
By relying on stereotyping to portray people who have been marginalized in our society, we stop viewing them as a diverse group of people, and simply see them as a comedic tropes.
This is also a huge problem in the media’s representation of women.
Female characters are often reduced to constrictive gender roles, and are not allowed to accomplish anything that surpasses the achievements of the male characters.
Black Widow was the only female superhero in Marvel’s ‘The Avengers’, and was only one of two in the sequel, ‘Age of Ultron’.
Also, in ‘Age of Ultron’, the creators explicitly chose the main female character in this movie to be taken hostage, making this strikingly similar to the “damsel in distress” trope.
Whenever media constantly depicts women as weak and in constant need of men to save them, it is really just reinforcing the extremely harmful belief that men are more capable than women.
The same things happen when white people are depicted positively changing or saving the lives of nonwhite people, according to comedian John Oliver in a segment of Last Week Tonight titled ‘Hollywood Whitewashing’.
This popular storyline involves a nonwhite person or group who would not have succeeded or, in some instances, even survived without the help of a white character.
“The White Savior” implies that white people need to help nonwhite people because they are incapable of helping themselves, which is incredibly racist.
Also, the media often shows a minority struggling through tragedy and conflict so the mainstream audience can empathize with the hardships of oppressed existence and feel privileged that their majority life has prevented this situation from ever affecting them.
For example, the small representation of transgender people displayed in the media is almost always of their transition from one gender to another.
While stories about transitioning, like ‘About Ray’ and ‘The Danish Girl’, are very important because they showcase a key moment in a transgender person’s life, a problem is created when these stories are the only ones that ever get told.
When our exposure to a culture’s experience only details their struggles and sorrows, we fail to look at the people of that culture as actual people, seeing only the tragedy.
Instead of only telling stories that detail hardships that exist as a result of this character’s identity, we can tell stories about characters who go on fantastic adventures and do fantastic things, that happen to be part of a minority culture.
Doing this highlights the universals between cultures, while still allowing the differences to shine through, making it easier for the mainstream audience to relate to and respect this character, instead of pitying them for their very existence.
In addition to making sure the stories we tell accurately reflect the complexities of human existence, we must also be sure to make sure the stories told are being told by the right people.
The movie ‘Gods of Egypt’ depicts the Ancient Egyptian civilization.
However, nearly all the characters in the movie are played by white actors, erasing a part of the cultural background and the key point of the film.
Portraying a culture correctly is incredibly important, and so is recognizing the media that does that well.
However, that really hasn’t been happening.
This year, the Oscars have been criticized for only nominating white actors.
Fans have taken to Twitter, protesting the lack of diversity using #oscarssowhite, and some actors are boycotting the event altogether.
"Begging for acknowledgment, or even asking, diminishes dignity and diminishes power - and we are a dignified people, and we are powerful. Let's not forget it." said actress Jada Pinkett Smith in a video she posted on her Facebook page.
Some believe that the nominations for this year were all white because these actors were simply more talented than other nonwhite actors.
However, movies such as ‘Creed’, ‘Straight ‘Outta Compton’, and ‘Concussion’ have all been critically acclaimed, yet their actors were not nominated.
Actor John Stamos tweeted "Hollywood, this isn't just about diversity, it's about talent and you missed out on giving a thumbs up to both today."
When you consider the huge effect that diversity in the media has on not only the mainstream audience, but on people who identify with the marginalized characters portrayed, you cannot support the constant snub of diverse media.
A study led by Indiana University professor Nicole Martins found that exposure to television leads to a decrease in self esteem in white girls, black girls, and black boys, but raises the self esteem of white boys.
White boys are used to seeing characters like them in positions of power on TV, while girls see themselves sexualized and African Americans see themselves criminalized, according to Martins.
By encouraging diversity in media, we can ensure that all cultures are represented positively in the media, which would encourage pride in these cultures, as well as make cultures relatable to the mainstream audience.
Representation matters, which is why Franklin Regional students must be sure that we are exposed to diverse films and television shows, instead of shying away from diversity.
For example, Marvel’s ‘Ms. Marvel’ comics depict a Muslim superheroine who explores her culture while saving the world..
By seeking out media that exposes us to cultures and situations different from our own, we learn more about the world and its diversity, making us kinder and more accepting.
Editorial cartoon by Sophie Adams.
