what is representation in media

What is Media Representation?

The University of Minnesota defines media representation as “the ways media portrays particular groups, communities, experiences, ideas, or topics from a particular ideological or value perspective.” In other words, media representation tells us that media reflect ideology, not reality. It makes us aware of how media “construct” or “re-present” reality and affect our perception of ourselves and of our surroundings.

According to BBC, these key terms help us grasp media representation in a more critical manner.

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What exactly is media representation anyway.

The importance of representation in media has been a prominent topic as of late. From the 2015 Oscars “so white” to the heavy discourse surrounding this year’s remake of Ghostbusters with an all-woman leading cast, we’ve finally begun to see a shift in attitudes towards the representation of underserved demographics in a variety of media. Even this year’s Olympics in Rio has been a huge force for representation, especially for women of color from all over the world. It is important to understand representation, though truly understanding the depth of a seemingly simple concept can be tough. We’re going to take you through some of the basic concepts of media representation and its importance, both to underserved communities, and to our society at large.

2016 Summer Olympics.

What does representation in the media really mean?

The basic definition of representation in the media is simply how media, such as television, film and books, portray certain types of people or communities. There are a number of groups who are underrepresented in most Western media. They include women, people of color, LBGTQA+ people, people with a range of body shapes and types, people of non-Christian religions, and differently-abled people. There has been a steady increase of diversity in media, but progress has been long and slow. 

Ghostbusters (2016) image – Sony Pictures

But I see diversity in media all the time…

There are a few major ways producers of media can misrepresent a community, under the guise of creating diversity. The first is tokenism. Tokenism is when the inclusion of a minority or other underrepresented group is no more than a symbolic effort to make a story or environment seem equal or diverse. This can be seen in many different aspects of life, from the “diversity hires” at work, to the gay best friend in a television show. Another way to misrepresent people is through stereotyping and typecasting , which are two concepts that are very closely related. Stereotyping can be seen in media through the assumptions of how a certain type of person is supposed to be due to their racial, ethnic, gender, sexual or religious identity. Stereotypes, even those that seem harmless or even positive, can have a profound effect on society as they create unrealistic, and often negative, expectations and assumptions. Common stereotypes of Arabs in Western media include the Arab man as a terrorist or an oil-hungry sheikh. Typecasting, which generally refers specifically to actors, is when a person is repeatedly assigned the same type of role due to success with that role in the past or because they “look like” a specific stereotype. This can happen to all types of people, but underrepresented people tend to find themselves pigeonholed into the same roles again and again. Actor and comedian Aziz Ansari wrote a piece in the New York Times about the struggles he’s experienced as an Indian actor, and he touched specifically on typecasting. He wrote, “Even though I’ve sold out Madison Square Garden as a standup comedian and have appeared in several films and TV series, when my phone rings, the roles I’m offered are often defined by ethnicity and often require accents.”

Film still from Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) showcasing a stereotypical Arab character.

What’s the importance of representation?

Strong and positive representation can help fight and break down stereotypes that can be detrimental to individuals and limiting to society . When a group of people is only ever represented in negative ways, it adversely affects the way others see them, as well as the way they see themselves. Which means, on the flip side, positive representation can build self-confidence in individuals. It offers them role models to look up to and people and characters to be inspired by and reinforces that they are not lesser than. They can be the superhero, the doctor, the actor or whoever they want to be. The benefits of better representation are also not limited to the people represented. We all benefit from learning about different experiences and expanding our notion of what is “normal”, isn’t this one of the fundamental purposes of art?

More diverse representation also opens up new and better opportunities. For example, there is a specific lack of acting opportunities available to non-white actors, simply because scripts insist on white characters. More diverse scripts, create more diverse roles which create more opportunities for non-white actors. And when this diversity goes a step further, beyond tokenism, it also opens the door for more interesting and complex roles for these actors. All of this ultimately leads to richer stories, new voices and new perspectives in our media.

Film still from Hidden Figures (2017)

Well, media companies are just doing what makes them the most money…right?

Not so true. The 2016 Hollywood Diversity Report from the Ralph J.Bunche Center for African American Studies at UCLA, found that in the United States “increasingly diverse audiences prefer diverse film and television content”. More specifically, the report found that films with more diverse cast had the highest median global box office receipts and the highest median return on investment. It also showed that social media engagement peaked for scripted broadcast and cable television shows that also had more diverse casts. So…that theory’s pretty much dead.

Still from Orange is the New Black,  a show known for it’s diverse cast.

Want to learn more about diversity and representation in the media? Check out our blog post on diversity reports .

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Why Representation Matters and Why It’s Still Not Enough

Reflections on growing up brown, queer, and asian american..

Posted December 27, 2021 | Reviewed by Ekua Hagan

• Positive media representation can be helpful in increasing self-esteem for people of marginalized groups (especially youth).
• Interpersonal contact and exposure through media representation can assist in reducing stereotypes of underrepresented groups.
• Representation in educational curricula and social media can provide validation and support, especially for youth of marginalized groups.

Growing up as a Brown Asian American child of immigrants, I never really saw anyone who looked like me in the media. The TV shows and movies I watched mostly concentrated on blonde-haired, white, or light-skinned protagonists. They also normalized western and heterosexist ideals and behaviors, while hardly ever depicting things that reflected my everyday life. For example, it was equally odd and fascinating that people on TV didn’t eat rice at every meal; that their parents didn’t speak with accents; or that no one seemed to navigate a world of daily microaggressions . Despite these observations, I continued to absorb this mass media—internalizing messages of what my life should be like or what I should aspire to be like.

Because there were so few media images of people who looked like me, I distinctly remember the joy and validation that emerged when I did see those representations. Filipino American actors like Ernie Reyes, Nia Peeples, Dante Basco, and Tia Carrere looked like they could be my cousins. Each time they sporadically appeared in films and television series throughout my youth, their mere presence brought a sense of pride. However, because they never played Filipino characters (e.g., Carrere was Chinese American in Wayne's World ) or their racial identities remained unaddressed (e.g., Basco as Rufio in Hook ), I did not know for certain that they were Filipino American like me. And because the internet was not readily accessible (nor fully informational) until my late adolescence , I could not easily find out.

Through my Ethnic Studies classes as an undergraduate student (and my later research on Asian American and Filipino American experiences with microaggressions), I discovered that my perspectives were not that unique. Many Asian Americans and other people of color often struggle with their racial and ethnic identity development —with many citing how a lack of media representation negatively impacts their self-esteem and overall views of their racial or cultural groups. Scholars and community leaders have declared mottos like how it's "hard to be what you can’t see," asserting that people from marginalized groups do not pursue career or academic opportunities when they are not exposed to such possibilities. For example, when women (and women of color specifically) don’t see themselves represented in STEM fields , they may internalize that such careers are not made for them. When people of color don’t see themselves in the arts or in government positions, they likely learn similar messages too.

Complicating these messages are my intersectional identities as a queer person of color. In my teens, it was heartbreakingly lonely to witness everyday homophobia (especially unnecessary homophobic language) in almost all television programming. The few visual examples I saw of anyone LGBTQ involved mostly white, gay, cisgender people. While there was some comfort in seeing them navigate their coming out processes or overcome heterosexism on screen, their storylines often appeared unrealistic—at least in comparison to the nuanced homophobia I observed in my religious, immigrant family. In some ways, not seeing LGBTQ people of color in the media kept me in the closet for years.

How representation can help

Representation can serve as opportunities for minoritized people to find community support and validation. For example, recent studies have found that social media has given LGBTQ young people the outlets to connect with others—especially when the COVID-19 pandemic has limited in-person opportunities. Given the increased suicidal ideation, depression , and other mental health issues among LGBTQ youth amidst this global pandemic, visibility via social media can possibly save lives. Relatedly, taking Ethnic Studies courses can be valuable in helping students to develop a critical consciousness that is culturally relevant to their lives. In this way, representation can allow students of color to personally connect to school, potentially making their educational pursuits more meaningful.

Further, representation can be helpful in reducing negative stereotypes about other groups. Initially discussed by psychologist Dr. Gordon Allport as Intergroup Contact Theory, researchers believed that the more exposure or contact that people had to groups who were different from them, the less likely they would maintain prejudice . Literature has supported how positive LGBTQ media representation helped transform public opinions about LGBTQ people and their rights. In 2019, the Pew Research Center reported that the general US population significantly changed their views of same-sex marriage in just 15 years—with 60% of the population being opposed in 2004 to 61% in favor in 2019. While there are many other factors that likely influenced these perspective shifts, studies suggest that positive LGBTQ media depictions played a significant role.

For Asian Americans and other groups who have been historically underrepresented in the media, any visibility can feel like a win. For example, Gold House recently featured an article in Vanity Fair , highlighting the power of Asian American visibility in the media—citing blockbuster films like Crazy Rich Asians and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings . Asian American producers like Mindy Kaling of Never Have I Ever and The Sex Lives of College Girls demonstrate how influential creators of color can initiate their own projects and write their own storylines, in order to directly increase representation (and indirectly increase mental health and positive esteem for its audiences of color).

When representation is not enough

However, representation simply is not enough—especially when it is one-dimensional, superficial, or not actually representative. Some scholars describe how Asian American media depictions still tend to reinforce stereotypes, which may negatively impact identity development for Asian American youth. Asian American Studies is still needed to teach about oppression and to combat hate violence. Further, representation might also fail to reflect the true diversity of communities; historically, Brown Asian Americans have been underrepresented in Asian American media, resulting in marginalization within marginalized groups. For example, Filipino Americans—despite being the first Asian American group to settle in the US and one of the largest immigrant groups—remain underrepresented across many sectors, including academia, arts, and government.

Representation should never be the final goal; instead, it should merely be one step toward equity. Having a diverse cast on a television show is meaningless if those storylines promote harmful stereotypes or fail to address societal inequities. Being the “first” at anything is pointless if there aren’t efforts to address the systemic obstacles that prevent people from certain groups from succeeding in the first place.

Instead, representation should be intentional. People in power should aim for their content to reflect their audiences—especially if they know that doing so could assist in increasing people's self-esteem and wellness. People who have the opportunity to represent their identity groups in any sector may make conscious efforts to use their influence to teach (or remind) others that their communities exist. Finally, parents and teachers can be more intentional in ensuring that their children and students always feel seen and validated. By providing youth with visual representations of people they can relate to, they can potentially save future generations from a lifetime of feeling underrepresented or misunderstood.

Kevin Leo Yabut Nadal, Ph.D., is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the City University of New York and the author of books including Microaggressions and Traumatic Stress .

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2 Article 2 Set: Importance of Representation in Media

There are NINE (9) article options in this set.

The Importance of Representation in Media

Huang, V. (2021, June 12).  The importance of representation in media. Race to a Cure. https://www.racetoacure.org/post/the-importance-of-representation-in-media

The comfort of finding a character you relate to. The pride of seeing your beliefs, culture, and traditions embraced on the big screens. The joy of seeing a hero that looks just like you. How many of us have experienced this, and how many have not?

Media, especially in the form of film and television, is at the forefront of the entertainment industry. Over the past century, it has rapidly evolved into a widespread medium for storytelling, art, knowledge, and enjoyment. We engage in these forms of media because they share something special—whether opening our eyes to a life vastly different than ours, enforcing a lesson previously beyond our perception, or unearthing our roots as individuals, society, and humanity as a whole. Yet too often, the media fails to accurately represent the people they portray. Too often is inclusivity swept aside by the Hollywood norm —the exclusion of diversity rather than its opposition. Misrepresentation and a lack of diversity in media negatively impacts marginalized communities, including racial, ethnic, and religious minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, disabled people, and women. This issue is prevalent and important, and in this article, we will take a deeper look at media representation from the thoughts, experiences, and perspectives of today’s youth.

Image is courtesy of FOX .

Definition and Importance

The BBC defines representation as how societal aspects such as race, gender, age, ethnicity, nationality, and social issues are presented. When it comes to media, especially film and television, this audience is vast. Mass media broadens our scope of perception when it comes to society, multiculturalism, and the world. It holds, for many, an educational impact as it showcases unique experiences otherwise beyond reach. This is why representation is crucial. In a multicultural, diverse, multifaceted society, it is vital to amplify the voices and share the stories of all.

The Harmful Effects of Stereotypes

While a lack of representation is harmful in itself, the misrepresentation of underserved communities is a significant issue with damaging consequences. This concept is evident through stereotyping. The Arab Film & Media Institute describes stereotyping as assumptions or generalizations made and depicted of individuals due to their racial, ethnic, gender, sexual, religious, or other identities.

Stereotypes in media are often inaccurate and portray underrepresented groups in a negative light. These flawed portrayals can be easily internalized by both the individuals of a group being stereotyped and other members of society. All in all, it influences public opinion and the societal view of underrepresented communities.

“As a child, stereotypes that were portrayed in the media went over my head. I was just there to be entertained. However, as I got older and began to truly understand what it meant to be Black in society, those stereotypes that I once looked at with a blind eye began to get a little glaring. When I was younger, I always found myself drawn to shows with a Black character, but now that I look back, those shows never had a lot of Black actors. In addition, the beauty standards of those characters were quite Eurocentric. I didn’t look like the girls in that show. This was disheartening as a little girl, to not see people like me at that level of fame. Presently, I see more representation of Black people in the media but I struggle with the narrative. When I want to watch TV, I want to laugh, get lost in a story, relax, and forget about my troubles. Not be thrust into a world of discrimination and hardship that, although quite relevant, does not represent all aspects of life.”

– Lola, grade 12

As Lauren Washington discusses in an examination of film and media representation, stereotypical depictions create unconscious bias in viewers which can directly impact an individual’s thoughts and behaviours towards others. It is especially dangerous when bias is institutionalized, perpetuating the issues of discrimination and hate crimes, police brutality, mass incarceration of disadvantaged communities, and others.

“In my experience, stereotypes are the most prevalent issue in the media. They are literally everywhere, and create a very toxic environment for young people. Even the most positive stereotypes have negative connotations that are used to divide and hurt people who do not fit the standards that society expects from us. Whether it is racial stereotypes, gender stereotypes or others, it creates a playground for prejudice to grow throughout our society and formulates the idea that people do not need to think through their behaviour or give opportunities to certain people based on what they seem to be.

In most of the TV shows and movies I watched when I was younger, the woman would always fall in love and that would make her happy, or white people would always save the day. It made me feel like I had to be saved instead of taking action on my own and for the longest time, I just accepted it. It was not until I saw characters who were like me that I started to truly grow as a person. To imagine what I might’ve been like if I had those influences when I was younger hurts me a little because I always wish I could have more goals to reach, more determination, and that is swayed the most by what I take in through the media. In our media, schools, music and experiences, we need leaders to break these stereotypes and show that people are more than they are expected to be.”

– Tia, grade 11

The Arab Film & Media Institute further defines the issues of tokenism and typecasting. Tokenism is when individuals from minority groups are included for the sole purpose of exhibiting a seemingly diverse environment. This infamous tactic does not equate to equal representation, but is rather a demeaning concept that utilizes minority characters to fulfill an agenda. Typecasting in the entertainment industry occurs when individuals are consistently assigned roles due to their ability to fit a certain stereotype. This often targets actors belonging to underrepresented groups and limits their ability to grow in the industry beyond playing stereotypical roles.

Image is courtesy of Netflix Junkie.

Children and Teens

Underrepresentation, as a result, has the potential to establish harmful views and negative perceptions. For children who are developing their thoughts and behaviours, and for teenagers who are searching for identity and their place in society, media takes the role of a significant influence.

“I have felt a tremendous lack of diversity in the media while growing up. Often when characters looked like me, they fit a certain stereotype as the ‘supporting character’ or the ‘comedic relief.’ Rarely were Black and Brown characters seen as the protagonist or desirable and intelligent individuals and honestly, that took a toll on my self-esteem. A lack of diversity is harmful not only to the people being misrepresented but also to others who watch those shows or movies who then base their perception of a group solely on the media they consume. Luckily, there has been an increase in the diversity of characters of colour! But we have a long way to go to dismantle the many stereotypes that have been engraved in the history of television and film.”

– Hanna, 2nd year undergraduate

According to an article by Forbes , general media can escalate racial tensions and affect confidence and self-esteem. The author describes how predictions in the study of prolonged television exposure involve decreased self-esteem for girls and Black boys, which correlates with racial and gender biases in popular media. With the effects of underrepresentation so prevalent and impactful to youth, diverse and inclusive media representation must be prioritized as we move forward.

“Growing up, I definitely felt like it was hard to see myself represented in the media. Especially in the case of beauty standards, I feel that it has now become such a common story for Black women to go through a stage of not liking their features, and more specifically, their hair. For me, this was straightening my hair often, for others, it might have been relaxing their hair, but for many of us the cause was what was portrayed as ‘beautiful’ in the media. However, within the last few years, I have become a lot more comfortable in my identity and in wearing my hair out, as big as it is!

As far as we’ve come already, what I’m really waiting for is a coming-of-age movie starring a young Black girl that is not solely about her identity as a Black person. There is certainly a time and place for these kinds of movies, but I am so excited for when I can see myself represented in the media without having to think about all the problems that I may face as a Black woman.”

– Leah, grade 12

Image is courtesy of Girl Museum .

The Push for Greater On-Screen Diversity

The youth of today are passionate about inclusive representation, and they are making their voices heard on what they want to see more of in modern media.

“I feel like the groups that really need to be represented in the film, television, and the entertainment industry are minorities such as Black, Asian, Brown, LGBTQ, and people with disabilities. Especially people with disabilities because I hardly ever see them represented in the industry.

– Lemuela, grade 10

Progress is underway, but for representation to be achieved in all aspects, there must be greater inclusivity of underrepresented groups both on-screen and behind the scenes as writers, directors, producers, and more. The entertainment industry, media creators, and society can benefit significantly by confronting implicit bias and stereotypes and actively commit to fostering inclusive environments. Through this, may we begin the journey towards media that includes representation for all.

Article Author: Victoria Huang

Article Contributors: Lola Oyefeso, Tia Rose Desouza, Hanna Asheber, Leah Daniel, Lemuela Ajuwon

Article Editors: Maria Giroux, Stephanie Sahaeo

Article ii:

The importance of representation in film and media.

Washington, L. (2019, December 29).  The importance of representation in film and media. Medium. https://medium.com/@Laurenwash/the-importance-of-representation-in-film-and-media-2d006149cac9

Imagine the first time when young children see a superhero or an astronaut on screen whose image looks like them. It is 2018, and for some kids, the historic moment of seeing  Black Panther  was their first time seeing a superhero of color on screen. Better yet, this groundbreaking film which has netted over $900 million dollars, could have been the first time seeing a predominantly black cast with a black director, black costume designers, black hairstylists, and more, actively producing representation in a positive light. Sandra Bullock’s astronaut character, Dr. Ryan Stone, in the 2013 film,  Gravity , may have been the first occasion when young girls witnessed both a female astronaut and scientist on screen. The content our society views on screen is supposed to reflect its people, but all too often the entertainment and media industries tend to marginalize people of color, and women, just to name a few. Stories affect all areas of life in terms of how people view themselves, how they live their lives, and how they see others. Some of the content that these industries distribute to the public remains the only form of representation some individuals see, and these portrayals may be accurate or inaccurate. Media depicts stereotypical representations for people of color and women, whether through Hollywood or on the news, as violent criminals, the help, terrorists, submissive characters, highly sexualized beings, unintelligent people, and more. Similarly, there are concerns for Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) populations and depictions of disabled persons. Seeing oneself on screen is crucial because society is not monolithic, but multifaceted.  The continued cycle of excluding diversity, inclusion, and ignoring misrepresentation in the entertainment and media industry showcase the importance of having diverse storytellers, actors, directors, and producers involved both on-screen and behind the scenes.

Historically, film and media industries have had a poor track record in accurately representing diversity. Hollywood is the biggest exporter of culture, yet has long ignored the importance of diversity since its creation (Burgin 2018). The roots of the industry involve systemic, institutionalized racist practices, “whether its appearing in disparaging roles or not appearing at all, minorities are the victim of an industry that relies on old ideas to appeal to the “majority” at the expense of the insignificant minority” (Horton, Price, and Brown 1999). Early 18th century practices presented African Americans in inhumane frameworks, as ignorant, clownish, and animalistic. Specifically, African Americans were not even afforded the opportunity to play themselves, as whites dressed in blackface to reinforce white supremacy, creating a cycle of negative effects with society’s perceptions (Horton, Price, and Brown). Following this period, there were voices of protest railing against stereotypical and demeaning representation; yet the industry still remained guilty of perpetuating false narratives and provided limited opportunities for minorities. Perhaps one of the most egregious and despicable films that served as a catalyst for African Americans to produce their own films was  The Birth of a Nation  in 1915 which glorified the Ku Klux Klan and reiterated blacks as inferior beings. Thereafter, a wave of films showcasing blacks in authentic, fully dimensional roles developed by African American filmmakers from independent black studios like at the Lincoln Motion Pictures Company and the Micheaux Film Corporation who challenged the notion of single narrative, stereotypical roles. (Horton, Price, and Brown). In contrast, although white executives deserve blame for lack of inclusion and inaccurate portrayals, there have been minorities over the years who further perpetuated horrible stereotypes as well. For instance, the first film to feature an all black cast,  Hearts in Dixi e, starred the black actor, Stephin Fetchit, who horrifically reinforced the “ stereotype of the lazy, stupid, good-for-nothing Negro who knows his place,” in not only that film but throughout his career (Horton, Price, and Brown). Fetchit became the standard for black roles until only in 1952 when Hollywood discontinued casting such characters, but even with the “statement,” negative stereotypes continue to plague minorities in films with degrading roles (Horton, Price, and Brown). In the early 20th century through the present, many diverse groups are scrutinizing all facets of the film and media industries’ transgressions (Gaydos and Gray 2016). Similarly, throughout history as the media industries of print and television evolved, their influence continued to shape public opinion about minorities.

The media industries’ evolution from mostly print to television increased the emphasis of the power of the mass media with heavier influence in portraying minorities inaccurately. With the rise of television, information became easily available to millions and “often gives people insights into worlds that are unfamiliar and vastly different from their own,” as it may be their only encounter with that part of society (Horton, Price, and Brown). Therefore, the influence that media has is a tremendously weighty responsibility and unfortunately, many of these studios have created harmful false narratives. As individuals continually see flashes of false information and a skewed depiction, it becomes mentally damaging because “when images and ideas presented at a young age take hold, and are reinforced over years of viewing, these images become reality and once these stereotypes and misconceptions become ingrained in the psyche of American children, they become self-perpetuating” (Horton, Price, and Brown). For far too long, the media executives reflected their versions of society which more often than not was exclusionary, damaging, and not objective. Although progress has been made, major television news outlets have traditionally not featured journalists of color and perpetuated one-sided narratives. “Oftentimes in newsrooms across the country, you don’t have a substantial representation of people of color in newsrooms who are making decisions to what’s going to be portrayed in the media.” (May 2018). Reportedly, men deliver 65% of political segments, 63% of science and technological stories, 67% of crime, and 64% of global issues; alternatively, females receive minimal on-air time allotted 32% screen time, and the stories they cover are limited to education and lifestyle stories (Alter 2015). Unfortunately, media biases are prominent in featuring portrayals of minorities primarily as criminals, terrorists, uneducated, highly sexualized people, and more. These depictions penetrate the minds of viewers and create unconscious biases which negatively affects the way individuals interact with each other. Ghandnoosh pointed out in 2015 that implicit biases have led to unnecessary discrimination and police shootings of black males. By extension, the media’s excessive and impartial coverages of “alleged black criminals” creates a domino effect in also impacting the justice system. Jury members, lawyers, as well as judges involved are consequently more inclined to deliver tougher punishments for blacks (Donaldson 2015). For these reasons and more, the necessity of having diverse journalists, executives, and producers on screen and behind the cameras is crucial. Society is multidimensional not monolithic, so the beautiful mosaic of all people should be represented. Cheriss May, photojournalist, and correspondent for the White House shared in 2018:

Representation matters so that the full story can be told, and so you don’t have a one-sided story that isn’t a fair representation of a diverse population. The media needs to represent the society that it serves because if people don’t see themselves, then it’s almost like a lack of care that’s communicated to people. There has to be some diverse voices that represent everyone in the society that can speak from the voice of those people because there are different issues and different things that are of importance to us. On Capitol Hill, for example, the photographers that shoot there and the newscasters that are shown are disproportionately white males. I think that there needs to be more of an effort to seek out diverse voices and diverse representation with a conscious effort (2018).

Overall, there needs to be an increased amount of heightened pressure to ensure that networks and producers do not leave marginalized groups out, or showcase them in harmful, inferior, or undesirable ways.

Moreover, filmmakers and media depictions have been negligent in including people of color, women, LGBTQ individuals, and those with disabilities on-screen and off-screen. In this current day and age, Hollywood continues to exclude people of color from television and film. Within the industry, there is this dynamic of white America being the majority owners and majority movers and shakers of creative ideas in Hollywood (Burgin 2018). Prominent African American filmmaker, Spike Lee, has long been a voice championing the importance of showcasing the positive realities of the black experience. Although the Oscars have recently spotlighted the void in recognizing diverse works, Lee recognizes the problem is larger than the award show. He noted: “As I see it, the Academy Awards is not where the ‘real’ battle is. It’s in the executive office of the Hollywood studios and TV and cable networks. This is where the gatekeepers decide what gets made and what gets jettisoned…This is what’s important. Those with ‘the green light’ vote” (Rainey and Gray 2016). Comparatively, those who are Muslims face similar exclusion and stereotypical misrepresentations. The horrific terrorism of 9/11 perpetuated negative connotations that continue to plague many Muslims who had no part in that tragedy. Xavier Burgin, filmmaker, and screenwriter, noted in 2018 that the entertainment industry is guilty of unfairly maligning and characterizing Muslims as brutal, cruel, inhumane terrorists:

For the most part when it comes to the entertainment industry, usually what people view and see as a Muslim individual, they’ll see a terrorist, which is absolutely ridiculous because it is a small, tiny segment of the population who are terrorists in the first place. But unfortunately, Hollywood tends to only suggest and put up those kind of portrayals when it deals with Muslim people.

Activist and actor, Riz Ahmed, in a 2017 speech further corroborated the victimization of Muslims. He explained the dangers that arise when there is a failure to represent Muslim civilians as everyday people. What arises instead is that people will gravitate towards negative tropes depicting Muslims as criminals, terrorists, or members of ISIS. Ahmed stated:

After the Brexit vote, hate crimes went up 41%, & against Muslims it went up 326%. Now if we fail to represent, I think we’re in danger of losing our in three ways, the three E’s. One, is we’re going to lose people to extremism; second, we’re going to lost out on an expansive idea of who we are as individuals and as a community; and thirdly, we’ll lose out on the economic benefits that proper representation can bring to our economy.

Sadly, realities surrounding inclusion and fair representations of women, African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, LGBTQs, and disabled individuals are also bleak. “In total, 29.2% of all characters were from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, which is well below U.S. Census (38.7%) as well as the movie-going audience in this country” (Smith et al. 2017). A nine-year study by USC’s Annenberg School of Communication uncovered startling findings from 900 movies. With regard to the aforementioned groups, they found these groups have been consistently ignored by the entertainment industry (Smith et al. 2017). Within the industries, women have been limited in their opportunities and portrayals. In the event that females are miraculously cast, then, unfortunately, they “are much more likely than males to be shown in sexually revealing attire (F=25.9% vs. M=5.7%) and partially or fully naked (F=25.6% vs. M=9.2%)” (Smith et al. 2017). Throughout time, women have been limited in their representations with highly sexualized, helpless, or less intelligent identifications. “Movies perpetuate the sexualization of women from ‘other’ racial/ethnic groups, even as these female characters are least likely to be shown as parental figures” (Smith et al. 2017). Undeniably, when it comes to the powerful, behind the scenes jobs on a movie set, men dominate the playing field disproportionately for example, “ Focusing on directors, 120 helmers were attached to the sample of films with 4.2% (n=5) female and 95.8% (n=115) male. This is a gender ratio of 23 male directors to every 1 female director” (Smith et al. 2017). Furthermore, African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians do not fare much better. There is such paucity in available roles for the aforementioned groups. If by chance, these ethnic groups are lucky enough to receive screen time, their speaking roles and influence are drastically limited. The same is true for behind the scenes work by directors, screenwriters, or producers, as the employment of minorities in these areas has not evolved:

Across 900 movies, only 5.6% (n=56) of all directors were Black. Perhaps most disturbingly, only 3 Black women (<1%) have helmed a top‐ grossing motion picture across the sample. Across 900 movies, only 3% of directors were Asian. Almost all of these directors were male except two. Perhaps the group that is most affected behind the camera are women of color, as only 3 Black and 2 Asian women worked across the sample time frame. Though not measured, only one Latina female director worked across the 900 movies (Smith et al. 2017).

People of color, LGBTQs, and those with disabilities need to be given positions in power on all levels because “The more perspectives that have a seat at the table to tell stories means more sources and different types of ideas, cultures, worlds and characters that can expand the possibilities for how stories are told” (Thomas 2018). Since 2007, the invisibility of ethnic minorities has severely lagged in comparison with the changing nature of white actors and actresses (see table 1).

Likewise, filmmakers and news outlets often ignore the voices of LGBTQ individuals and people with disabilities. As supporting roles have increased for LBGTQs, the findings are still troubling as the small percentage of roles do not reflect the larger population. Transgender representation is almost entirely invisible and there are very few roles for diverse ethnicities. Quite simply put, the typical narratives in existence today tend not to reflect the everyday lives of LGBTQs (Smith et al. 2017). Like most people in society, LGBTQs are individuals who fall in love, enjoy shopping, traveling, gardening, raising children, jogging in local parks, and they also experience the general rollercoaster malaise of life in general, as all humans do. Comparatively, those with both physical and mental disabilities accounted for about two percent in the top 100 films of 2016 (Smith et al. 2017). Similarly to the intersectional discrimination among LBGTQ representation, with characters of disability, there are more predominantly white, older males as opposed to ethnic minorities, LGBTQs, and younger representation (Smith et al. 2017). Through the extensive research presented from USC’s study, it is quite evident that inadequate representation and exclusion is a normalized practice ingrained in Hollywood with few fully dimensional roles for ethnic minorities. “If you look at white media and white people within American media and the entertainment industry, they wouldn’t change anything. They would keep it as is because it benefits them first and foremost” (Burgin 2018). Misrepresentations are not troubling to those in power as long as they benefit from profitable gains, while it is certainly damaging and harmful for cultural groups.

Unfortunately, although some roles exist for traditionally marginalized groups, tragically far too often, the portrayals are misrepresentations. For people of color, the entertainment and media industries often project stereotypical narratives. “The biggest problem is when you have negative stereotypes such as the thug, the pimp, the drug dealer, and that’s all you see and then all those types of roles are played by people of color” (Burgin 2018). Hollywood tends to repeat patterns of having white actors portray every race/ethnicity and culture. “One of the reasons for this might be that when there are roles for non-white actors, they still get played by white people” (Vox 2016). Industries tend to push prominent white actors at the forefront by whitewashing roles, for example, with Angelina Jolie playing an Afro-Chinese-Cuban in  A Mighty Heart , Emma Stone in  Aloha  as a part Hawaiian and Chinese character, or Tom Cruise in  Edge of Tomorrow  playing what was supposed to be a Japanese character (Sharf 2017). Misrepresentations cause an accumulation of negative effects. If there’s a failure to represent, there’s a danger of inaccurately portraying society. As African American filmmaker and screenwriter, Aaron Rahsaan Thomas, shared in a 2018 interview:

The term, misrepresentation, tends to be subjectively defined, depending on how the source views representation, its intention and how things should be presented. However, the lack of inclusion from diverse voices in storytelling tends to limit the possibilities of what stories might be told. The craft itself is therefore limited from reaching its potential and tends to encourage a narrower worldview as stories are shared across cultures. Finally, the lack of inclusion sends a hostile message, whether intended or not, that other voices are not valued or welcome to join the conversation.

Undeniably, filmmakers and news outlets do ignore the voices of marginalized groups; thus, these decisions result in damaging psychological effects. Across these groups, many of these people inevitably start to internalize the misrepresentations and start to believe the false realities. Disabled groups, for example, are tired of the continuous storylines that showcase them as sad and suffering characters to be pitied (Clark 2016). That cliche storyline dangerously glorifies and champions the allure of suicide for a higher purpose (Clark 2016). As a further illustration, the LGBTQ communities also suffer from single, stale, stereotypical narratives that can jeopardize healthy self-image. Unfortunately, “Too often, the few LGBT characters that make it to the big screen are the target of a punchline or token characters. It usually categorizes all of the LGBT people into just lesbian and gay” (Anderson 2016). Not seeing oneself is mentally and physically damaging, especially for young children. Young people are yearning to figure out their identities and Hollywood and media industries play a high role in affirming their views. As Burgin reminds, “What we see on screen dictates much of what we believe in real life. If you want the youth to have a positive view of themselves, then they should see themselves on screen being presented in a positive light, it makes a difference” (2018). Without accurate representation, there is the tragic erasure of the beautiful multifaceted society that exists in our world.

Positive results happen when diverse storytellers, actors, directors, and producers are involved both on-screen and behind the scenes. If there are not more diverse individuals who are included in the structures of power that disseminate the ideals through television and movies to the world, then nothing can change. It is statistically proven that more diverse films and stories through the media tend to perform better economically. “While minorities account for more than half of frequent US moviegoers, minority representation in films has dipped since 2013” (Guardian 2016). There is a long, pre-existing myth that inclusivity in Hollywood and the media will diminish box office sales or ratings. However, the rise of popular streaming services like Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu are recognizing the demographics of audiences they can reach by incorporating diverse casts and creators. With more content creators behind the scenes working in the entertainment and media industries, accurate representation will increase and reflect society. For instance, the groundbreaking film  Black Panther  has defied all expectations and is proof that the public will support films featuring diverse people on and off-screen as it surpassed  Titanic  to become the third most successful film of all time in American history. Moreover, the film proved the power of how stories shape and dispel narratives, specifically across the globe, as  Black Panther  is the first film to be released in the highly restrictive culture of Saudi Arabia, in over 30 years (Jovanovic 2018). Furthermore, not only are there social effects of positive representation, there are substantial economic benefits too. Namely, “ Black Panther  generated $83.9 Million to Georgia’s economy and contributed over $26.5 million in wages to more than 3,100 workers across Georgia” (Deadline 2018). Marketing products like apparel, toys, and bedding accessories, just to name a few, are vastly being produced due to the film’s success. Larger benefits like the production of multiple sequel films and amusement theme parks are likely to attract billions of customers and generate billions of dollars. As more studios and executives hire diverse professionals such as journalists, anchors, actors, and directors, doors and opportunities for inclusion will finally open for the next generation of storytellers. When this ideal reaches fruition, individuals will be able to relish seeing an authentic mirroring of society.

The media has been historically, grossly irresponsible in their portrayals of people of color, women, LGBTQs and disabled persons. The depictions range from showing these groups in stereotypical lights to being virtually nonexistent. People feel validated and a sense of worth by seeing themselves reflected on screen. The integration of diverse filmmakers, directors, actors, and executives into the entertainment and media industries must increase. In order to eradicate the pattern of excluding diversity, inclusion, and misrepresentation, marginalized groups must gain access and have a voice in shaping culture.

Article iii:

 representation is everything.

Papcun, M. (2022, March 25).  Representation is everything.  The Daily Campus. https://dailycampus.com/2022/03/25/representation-is-everything/

Representation is one of the most important aspects of media, yet it is simultaneously where most media today is lacking. In general, we can think of  representation  as how media texts present to their audience different demographics, including gender, age, sexual orientation, race and religion, among others. And in Western media, many demographics are therefore  underrepresented , including women, people of color, LGBTQIA+ people, people of non-Christian religions, and people with body types other than thin.

It seems really simple to say that of course we want to see ourselves represented accurately in the media we consume. However, this is not reality. Hollywood is extremely white and male. And this leads the media produced by Hollywood to also be extremely white and male. While this is not to say that Hollywood is the only producer of media, all media will inherently have traces of the society and culture that created it, and is thus reflective of said society.

Looking at the statistical side of things can paint a better picture of the lack of representation for marginalized groups in the media. UCLA’s 2021 diversity  report  states that only in 2020 did people of color and women nearly reach proportionate representation among film leads when compared to their white male counterparts.

Perhaps this is a great stride given the film industry’s historical lack of representation for people of color and women in film leads, but we should be better than this overall. And behind the camera the statistics are worse. The report explains that people of color remained only 25.4% and 25.9% of film directors and film writers in 2020, respectively. Similarly, in 2020 women only accounted for 20.5% of film directors and 26% of film writers.

Interestingly enough, the same 2021 diversity report from UCLA found that films where less than 11% of the cast represented minority groups performed the poorest among global box office receipts in 2020. Thus, it is not a stretch to say that audiences want to see diverse casting in films created by diverse groups of people. We have made strides overall, but there is still a long way to go.

Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president of the Children’s Defense Fund, states in Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s 2011 documentary “Miss Representation,” “You can’t be what you can’t see.” It’s one of the standout quotes of the film, essentially meaning that audiences need to see people like themselves on screen and in positions of power to best understand that they can achieve similar things. The argument is not that you need an exact blueprint to “break the mold” so to speak and become something amazing. However, it is true that people need to have some idea or a glimpse into a reality where it can be done. Hence, the importance of representation of all demographics in the media is tenfold.

This is not just a rallying cry to diversity the numbers on paper. Overall, Hollywood and other types of media need to look more representative of America’s real population so they are true to the real world. Representation needs to exist, and it needs to be positive.

This requires characters being fully developed, rather than two-dimensional caricatures based on harmful stereotypes. For example, in order to have a positive effect, LGBTQIA+ representation needs to be more than  Pixar  placing an undefined lesbian couple briefly in “Finding Dory” in 2016. In this case, it should look more like  Officer Specter  in Pixar’s 2020 film “Onward,” who briefly mentions having a same-sex partner without it being a big deal or selling point of the movie.

Another good example would be the 2018 movie “ Crazy Rich Asians ”, which was the first film in 25 years to have a majority-Asian cast. “Crazy Rich Asians” is another step in the right direction, proving that a movie’s cast does not have to be mainly white for it to be a box-office success. Moreover, the characters in this movie are not based on offensive stereotypes, nor are they shallow or superficial.

Moreover, movies like the 2017 film “ Hidden Figures ”, that highlight the achievements of women and people of color in STEM fields, are additional examples of positive representation we should hope to see more of in our media consumption.

It’s not too much to ask for the media we consume on such a constant basis to be representative of the reality we live in. The world is diverse; our movies, television shows, books, magazines and video games should reflect this.

Article iv:

Why on-screen representation matters, according to these teens.

Elbaba, R. (2019, November 14).  Why on-screen representation matters, according to these teens. PBS. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/why-on-screen-representation-matters-according-to-these-teens

Why does representation in pop culture matter?

For some young students, portrayals of minorities in the media not only affect how others see them, but it affects how they see themselves.

“I do think it’s powerful for people of a minority race to be represented in pop culture to really show a message that everybody has a place in this world,” said Alec Fields, a junior at Forest Hills High School in Pennsylvania.

Fields was one of 144 middle and high school students who were interviewed about seeing themselves reflected — or not — on the screen. PBS NewsHour turned to our Student Reporting Labs from across the country to hear what students had to say a topic that research shows still has room for growth.

The success of recent films like “Black Panther” and “Crazy Rich Asians” have — again — sent a message about the importance of representation of minorities, not only in Hollywood but in other aspects of pop culture as well.

Only two out of every 10 lead film actors (or 19.8 percent) were people of color in 2017, this year’s  UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report  found. Still, that’s a jump from the year before, when people of color accounted for 13.9 percent of lead roles. People of color have yet to reach proportional representation within the film industry, but there have been gains in specific areas, including film leads and overall cast diversity.

According to  2018 U.S. Census Bureau estimates , the nation’s population is nearly 40 percent non-white. By 2055, the country’s racial makeup is expected to change dramatically, the U.S. will not have one racial or ethnic majority group by 2055, the  Pew Research Center estimated .

Some students said that not seeing yourself represented in elements of pop culture can affect mental health.

“It just makes you feel like, ‘Why don’t I see anybody like me?’ [It] kind of like brings your self-esteem down,” said Kimore Willis, a junior at Etiwanda High School in California.

Others said they often look to trends in pop culture when forming their own identities.

“We need to see people that look like ourselves and can say, ‘Oh, that looks like me!’ or ‘I identify with that,’” said Sonali Chhotalal, a junior at Cape May Technical High School in New Jersey.

Others, however, feel that Hollywood is overcompensating for their lack of diversity by depicting exaggerated and stereotypical characters.

Eric Wojtalewicz from Black River Falls High School in Wisconsin said that he sees a lot of gay characters that seem “over-the-top,” playing on old tropes. “I definitely think that not all gays are like that,” he said.

Kate Casper, a junior at T.C. Williams High School in Virginia, called Hollywood’s attempt at diversity “disingenuous.” Although there can never be enough diversity, Casper said, she feels that the entertainment industry is using diversity for economic benefit. “Diversity equals money in today’s world, which is cool, I guess,” she said, adding that “it’s cooler to have pure motives.”

The  UCLA report  agrees that diversity sells. It says that the median global box office has been the highest for films featuring casts that were more than 20-percent minority, making nearly $450 million in 2017.

Although public opinion  may be divided  about whether the entertainment industry is doing enough to represent all types of people, South Mountain High School student Dazhane Brown in Arizona said that feeling represented is “empowering.”

“If you see people who look like you and act like you and speak like you and come from the same place you come from … it serves as an inspiration,” Brown said.

PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs produced this story in an effort to highlight the importance of representation of minorities in popular culture. Students from 31 Labs across the country submitted these responses.

Why Seeing Yourself Represented on Screen Is So Important

Lawson, K. (2018, February 20).  Why seeing yourself represented on screen is so important.  Vice. https://www.vice.com/en/article/zmwq3x/why-diversity-on-screen-is-important-black-panther

Last year, researchers at USC Annenberg published their annual  report  on diversity—or, really, the lack thereof—in Hollywood. One again, they wrote, their findings “suggest that exclusion is the norm rather than the exception in Hollywood.”

And then  Black Panther —with its virtually all-black cast, fantastic representation of strong women, African setting, and nuanced characters and storylines—happened. For a brief two hours, our superhero is T’Challa, an African king hailing from a technologically advanced country who uses his superhuman strength to protect his people and their way of life. He’s surrounded by fierce women, including Shuri, his brilliant engineer/princess little sister; Okoye, the general who’s loyal to her country but is also someone’s beloved; and Nakia, the love of his life, a humanitarian, and a spy.

Stacy Smith, one of the authors of the diversity in Hollywood report,  tweeted  her congrats to the movie’s producers, adding, “There is more to be done but this weekend is a giant leap forward.”

The  record-breaking  response at the box office to the Marvel/Disney film, not to mention the surrounding social media flurry and subsequent thinkpieces, reveal just how hungry audiences are for stories like  Black Panther —stories that center those who are sorely underrepresented in mass media.

On Monday, former First Lady Michelle Obama offered some insight on the film’s cultural impact,  tweeting : “Congrats to the entire #blackpanther team! Because of you, young people will finally see superheroes that look like them on the big screen. I loved this movie and I know it will inspire people of all backgrounds to dig deep and find the courage to be heroes of their own stories.”

As Obama noted, representation matters. Carlos Cortes, a historian who wrote the book  The Children Are Watching: How the Media Teach About Diversity , offered an important example in  a 1987 article of what happens when it’s lacking: During an episode of the game show The $25,000 Pyramid, he wrote, two contestants linked the word “gangs” with East LA. Why? Because of the way mass media operates. When the only portrayals audiences see of minority characters are negative—in this case, he was talking about Latino gangs in East LA that were featured prominently by news media—those portrayals transcend to public image, he noted.

“First, whether intentionally or unintentionally, both the news and the entertainment media ‘teach’ the public about minorities, other ethnic groups and societal groups, such as women, gays, and the elderly,” Cortes wrote. “Second, this mass media curriculum has a particularly powerful educational impact on people who have little or no direct contact with members of the groups being treated.”

He continued: “Minorities realize—supported by research—that the media influence not only how others view them, but even how they view themselves.”

Sadly, little has changed since the 80s. A  2011 study conducted by The Opportunity Agenda found that black males in media are usually portrayed negatively, limited to a handful of “positive” stereotypes, painted as flat characters, or missing altogether. (Last year’s USC Annenberg report, for example, found that a quarter of the 900 movies analyzed didn’t have even one speaking or named black character.) Audiences—especially those with little exposure to those outside of their community—typically equate these limited, and harsh, media representations with the real world. That, in turn, can lead to “less attention from doctors to harsher sentencing by judges, lower likelihood of being hired for a job or admitted to school, lower odds of getting loans, and a higher likelihood of being shot by police,” the authors write.

The report also found that black males themselves were impacted by these media portrayals: “Negative media stereotypes (thugs, criminals, fools, and the disadvantaged) are demoralizing and reduce self-esteem and expectations,” they write, adding that they can also create stress and “drain cognitive resources in some contexts.”

A  2012 study  looking at representation on TV and its impact on children’s self-esteem had similar findings. In a survey of almost 400 black and white boys and girls, researchers found that the only demographic that didn’t experience lower self-esteem after watching TV was white boys. They pointed to racial stereotypes and the way black characters were portrayed as one explanation: “Black male characters are disproportionately shown as buffoons, or as menacing and unruly youths, and Black female characters are typically shown as exotic and sexually available,” the authors wrote. The TV portrayals of white boys, on the other hand, were “quite positive in nature.”

That’s why  Black Panther —whose only two white characters serve to move the story along—is so important. Danai Gurira, the actress who portrayed General Okoye Gurira in  Black Panther , told  IndieWire  she hopes the film will especially empower young girls. “Even if it’s a mindset of hers being shifted or a realization of how to experience and express her own ferocity and femininity,” Gurira said. “Those sort of things, that sort of impact, if little girls have that and have images now to refer to that are cool and empowered and hip, that they can say, ‘Listen, I don’t have to fall into anyone else’s ideology of what I can be,’ that’s everything. That’s just everything.”

Article vi:

Why representation matters in kids’ media.

Rogers, O. (2021, October 20).  Why representation matters in kids’ media. Common Sense. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/kids-action/articles/why-representation-matters-in-kids-media

Our new report highlights the instrumental role media can play in kids’ understanding of race and ethnicity.

The media we consume has a profound influence on how we see, understand, and treat people, both those within and different from our own race or ethnicity. Decades of research into how ethnic-racial representation in media affects adults has shown that very influential messages are communicated about who a culture views as “normal” and “good” or “different” and “bad.” And those representations have real-world implications as we continue to engage with media over time. For kids, media representations may be even more meaningful as they look for cues in their social environment to develop and shape their understanding of ethnic-racial groups.

Our latest report at Common Sense, “ The Inclusion Imperative: Why Media Representation Matters for Kids’ Ethnic-Racial Development, ” looks at current research into the impact of media on how kids build their understanding of race and ethnicity, as well as perspectives from parents and caregivers on how they use media as a tool to teach acceptance and inclusion. Our review integrated over 150 different journal articles, book chapters, reports, and other academic sources to get the best available understanding of how media can influence children’s ethnic-racial development. Here is what we learned:

Screen media continues to fall short on its portrayal of diverse races and ethnicities.

Our report reinforces that people of color are underrepresented in movie and TV roles across platforms, and when they are represented, they’re often stereotyped. For example, despite being 18% of the population, Latinos only make up 5% of speaking film roles. Characters of color in shows most watched by children age 2 to 13 are more likely to be depicted as violent, and women of all ethnic-racial groups in adult programming are more likely to appear in sexualized roles.

Parents and caregivers agree that the media their kids are watching still largely contains stereotypes of people of color. Most feel that White people are often portrayed in a positive light in the media their children are exposed to; one in four believe that portrayals of Black, Hispanic, and LGBTQIA+ people are more likely to be negative. And among families of color, feelings about current stereotypes in kids’ media are even stronger.

You can’t understand the effects of media on children’s understanding of race and ethnicity without understanding their development.

Importantly, our report shows the importance of considering media as part of children’s development, and specifically their ethnic-racial development. From the time they’re babies, children are taking in information about ethnicity and race from the people, images, and interactions around them. These experiences inform how children feel about, evaluate, and understand ethnicity-race for themselves and others. Understanding what children know about ethnicity-race at different ages can illuminate the kinds of media that may meaningfully affect them.

Media representation is important to how kids build their perspectives on their own ethnic-racial group, as well as that of others.

Our review of available research reinforced the idea that media can have both positive and negative impacts on kids’ ethnic-racial development. On the negative side, stereotypical portrayals of people of color can promote harmful views about and responses to people of color among White audiences. For example, heavy exposure to the stereotypic portrayals of Latinos on entertainment television is associated with increased belief that these representations are accurate reflections of Latinos in society. Exposure to negative representations can also negatively affect children’s future professional aspirations and undermine their sense of self.

But while exposure to negative media depictions of their own ethnic-racial groups can undermine children’s sense of self, high-quality children’s media can promote positive ethnic-racial attitudes and interactions. For example, among Black elementary school girls, exposure to liked Black TV characters is associated with more positive feelings about their own status, appearance, and happiness. And studies going back decades have shown that programs like Sesame Street and Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood can have positive effects on children’s feelings about their own ethnic-racial group and on interracial relationships.

Adults want more from the media their kids watch.

In a nationally representative survey of over 1,100 parents and caregivers of children from 2 to 12 years old, they repeatedly told us that they believe media is a valuable tool to help their kids understand race and ethnicity. They’re looking to media creators to deliver content that better reflects the diversity of the world their kids are growing up in.

They want realistic, non stereotypical representations of their own culture. About six in ten parents (57%) say it is important for their children to see people of their own ethnicity/race in the media they consume. But it’s most important to Black parents, 75% of whom say representation is important. Also, 70% of parents want media that exposes children to more about their family’s culture, religion, or lifestyle.

They want stories that are inspirational and aspirational. About two in three parents (65%) feel that media has a big impact on their children’s professional aspirations, which underscores the importance of providing positive role models for Black, indigenous, and children of color.

They want diversity because it teaches acceptance and inclusion. Almost 6 in 10 (57%) parents say that the media their child consumes has prompted conversations about diversity, and 63% of parents believe that media has an impact on the information children have about people of other races, ethnicities, religions, and cultures

What comes next?

Parents and caregivers are looking for realistic, three-dimensional representations of diverse races and ethnicities that aren’t rife with stereotypes or cookie-cutter portrayals. The  new rating for diverse representations from Common Sense Media  will help families identify quality media that elevates quality portrayals and inclusion. Content creators have a responsibility to improve diversity and elevate inclusion in the media they’re creating for young audiences — even for the youngest viewers. They also have an incredible opportunity to use their power to tell the types of stories that will help us all shape the world we want to live in.

Dana Mastro, Ph.D., professor of communication at the University of California, Santa Barbara, is a co-author of this blog and the report.

Michael B. Robb, Ph.D., senior director of research at Common Sense, and Alanna Peebles, Ph.D., assistant professor of communication, media, and technology at San Diego State University are also co-authors of this report.

Article vii:

The importance of diversity in images.

Campaign Monitor. (2021, April 6).  The importance of diversity in images. https://www.campaignmonitor.com/blog/email-marketing/diverse-images-brand-value/

Most marketers and organization leaders would agree that diversity and inclusion matter for company performance.  Statistics reveal  that the more diverse a company is, the better its profitability.

But beyond profitability,  diversity in marketing  is important, affecting how consumers perceive a brand and possibly even how they perceive themselves and others.

For this reason, it’s crucial that marketers prioritize diversity in their campaigns, especially when it comes to the images they use.

What does diversity in images mean?

It’s important to have a complete, nuanced understanding of diversity, especially as it applies to choosing images for your marketing and branding.

A common myth  is that diversity refers exclusively to diversity of race and gender. However, while diverse race and gender are certainly a part of true diversity, it expands beyond that. True diversity in images includes representation from people of different races, gender identity, socio-economic status, age, disability, sexual orientation, culture, and more.

More than mere representation, diversity also requires  showing individuals as humans first  — rather than a representation of a group. That is, recognizing difference without implying that anyone is superior or inferior to anyone else.

This also includes avoiding tokenization. As  Vanderbilt University defines it , tokenization is “the practice of doing something (such as hiring a person who belongs to a minority group) only to prevent criticism and give the appearance that people are being treated fairly.”

With this definition in mind, we can now explore why it’s important to have diversity in your images.

Problems with non-diverse images in digital marketing

Images in marketing, media, and advertising have implications beyond the brand itself. These images shape our culture’s perception of reality, of what’s “normal” and what’s not.

When images lack diversity (showing, perhaps, only one person among many who is not white, able-bodied, thin, young, straight, and cis-gendered), the effects are far-reaching.

As Jenny Dorsey and Addy Zou recently wrote in  Studio ATAO , “People with marginalized identities are taught from an early age that there is room for only one of their kind in any given space.”

Let’s take a closer look at why non-diverse images are harmful.

Doesn’t accurately reflect reality

The United States is becoming  more culturally diverse every day , yet diversity is still lagging in marketing imagery. The majority of marketing doesn’t accurately reflect the reality of the diversity of the North American population.

And this lack of diversity in marketing extends beyond race, ethnicity, and culture. For example,  15% of the world population has a disability , but people with disabilities are portrayed in only  2% of media images .

Similarly, though data shows that searches for transgender representation in stock photo websites  has starkly increased , only  three  photos on top stock image websites showed transgender people engaging in everyday activities the way cisgendered people are shown. Instead, the top image results did not show the face of the person at all.

Statistics like these reveal a common theme in marketing images: White, able-bodied, thin, young, straight, and cisgendered people are over-represented, while others are underrepresented or are tokenized (or both).

Perpetuates stereotypes and impacts individuals

Lack of diversity in marketing and media images has real-life consequences for everyone observing them — which is nearly every member of our society.

Theories suggest  stereotypes are formed based on a collective observation of everyday life. And since Americans spend an average of  3-4 hours per day looking at TV or smart phones , much of our observations are dictated by representation there.

In other words, what we see in marketing and media shapes how we view the world and the people inside it. If marketing and media images lack diversity, perpetuate stereotypes, or tokenize individuals, many of us will internalize those ideas as indicative of reality.

As to how this affects lives, we can look to a  recent study that found  the self-esteem of girls and Black children of both genders decreases as TV consumption increases, but the reverse is true for white male children. The researchers concluded that  how and how often  your demographic is represented in the media directly impacts how you feel about yourself.

White male children, frequently shown images of heroes that look like them (think: Superman, Batman, Luke Skywalker), may internalize that confidence. Conversely, girls and children of color, with  half as many positive images  in the media, may internalize the idea that they are not as valuable or capable.

Audiences want to see more diversity

It’s very likely that your consumer base desires to see diversity in your marketing.

A Google survey  revealed that diverse marketing directly leads to more clicks, engagement,  and sales. In fact, 64% of respondents reported taking an action on an ad specifically because they thought the ad was inclusive or diverse. And this percentage was even higher among minority groups: 85% Latinx, 79% Black, 79% Asian/Pacific islander, 85% LGBTQ respondents reported taking an action on an ad because it was diverse.

Another survey  found that “nearly 80 percent of consumers globally said they expect that brands demonstrate a consistent commitment to inclusivity and diversity in their advertising.”

Importantly, this survey uncovered that the majority of consumers are sophisticated in their understanding of diversity — they see through surface-level tokenism and prefer a thoughtful approach to diversity and inclusion.

Diverse images in your marketing are likely to improve the effectiveness of your marketing, and less-diverse images may therefore diminish the effectiveness of your marketing.

How to include diverse images in your marketing

It’s clear that marketers should prioritize diversity in their images. However, as we’ve seen, diverse images go beyond simply including non-white people in your photoshoots or stock images.

Here are some strategies for making sure your images are truly diverse:

Don’t perpetuate stereotypes

Including diverse subjects isn’t enough. Images should also not reinforce a stereotypical version of the subject.

With Vice’s release of the  Gender Spectrum Collection  of stock images, the media company outlined a helpful guide for how to ensure images don’t perpetuate stereotypes:

“Understanding the stereotypes and tropes that have accompanied transgender media representation—such as trans subjects being cast only as sex workers, portrayed solely in states of apparent victimhood or crisis, and being characterized as deceptive and mentally unstable—can help you to avoid them. If your usage of one of these photos could feed into a stereotype or negative stigma, you probably shouldn’t use it.”

Though this statement refers to the trans community, the principle can be applied to every aspect of diversity and inclusion:  Understand the stereotypes of how different groups have historically been portrayed, and then take care to not choose images that reflect the stereotype. 

For example, portraying a disabled person in a hospital gown or with a sad, lonely expression reinforces the stereotype that  disabled people are tragic anomalies  incapable of a healthy and happy existence. The  image below  is an example of one such stereotypical stock image:

Instead, opt for an image that portrays a disabled person as they exist in reality, as happy, social, and productive members of society, just as able-bodied people. The image below from our Free Image Gallery, is a great example of an image that does not perpetuate negative stereotypes:

Think critically about image context

Part of true diversity in images involves the context of the subject.

It’s important to choose images that show subjects in a variety of settings or real-life scenes (at a restaurant, at work, with friends, etc.) rather than posed and non-contextual (in front of a blank wall, face blurred, alone, etc.).

Additionally, be mindful about tokenization or implied superiority. Often, tokenization in images looks like having a homogeneous group of people, with one different person as an attempt to not be so homogenous. Implied superiority often looks like featuring minorities as background characters in the scene rather than the main focus.

For example, the  image below  is not a truly diverse image: It shows a group of white, young, cis-gendered, and able-bodied people engaging in a discussion at work, while one person of color looks on in the background.

By contrast,  this image  shows a more diverse workplace setting: The group includes a variety of different races, genders, and ages, and no one is portrayed as inferior to anyone else.

Create a documented strategy for diverse and inclusive marketing

Diversity does not start or stop at choosing diverse images for your marketing; it should go all the way down into the core of your marketing strategy.

This not only makes it easier to spot and select truly diverse images, but it also helps avoid the pitfalls of tokenism or stereotyping (which consumers will see through).

What does a documented strategy for diverse and inclusive marketing look like?

To start, it means creating target audience personas that aren’t homogenous, ensuring your marketing team is diverse and inclusive, and making diversity a core value of your organization.

Questions to consider before creating or selecting an image

Once you’re ready to select an image for your next campaign, it can be helpful to have a checklist to refer to. Here are the questions we recommend you ask before choosing an image:

• Who is missing or excluded?
• Would I want to be portrayed this way?
• If this was a photo of me or someone I love, would I be okay with how they are represented?
• Are any stereotypes being perpetuated in the photo I am using?
• Am I depicting someone in the role our culture typically puts them in or making a more unexpected choice?
• Can everyone who might view the photo see someone like themselves represented in it?

Asking these questions helps you be mindful of diversity when creating or choosing your marketing images.

Diversity in marketing is a must to help your audience feel seen and safe in your online spaces. Additionally, diversity in marketing also reflects the diversity of your company on a deeper level, which is vital to your revenue and company performance.

Though diversity in your marketing doesn’t begin and end with your images, having diverse images is a clear way to signal to consumers that your organization holds diversity and inclusion as a core value.

To make it easier to gather diverse images, Campaign Monitor has created a Free Image Gallery of diverse and inclusive stock images right inside your email builder.

Article viii:

Why it matters that you’re seeing more lgbtq+ people onscreen.

Middleton, L. (n.d.).  Why it matters that you’re seeing more LGBTQ+ people onscreen.  Pocket. https://getpocket.com/collections/why-it-matters-that-youre-seeing-more-lgbtq-people-onscreen?utm_source=pocket-newtab

TO BE UPDATED

Article ix:

Explainer – should non-lgbtq+ actors play trans or gay characters.

Greenhalgh, H. (2023, February 6).  EXPLAINER – Should non-LGBTQ+ actors play trans or gay characters? Openly. https://www.openlynews.com/i/?id=a4668c87-1a38-4541-9650-100776a81a8b&utm_source=pocket_collection_story

​Nick Offerman’s portrayal of a gay man in ‘The Last of Us’ has fueled debate over whether straight actors should play LGBTQ+ roles

• Controversy as actor Nick Offerman plays gay man
• Critics say non-LGBTQ+ castings a blow to equality
• Others cite gay, trans actors in straight, cisgender roles

By Hugo Greenhalgh

LONDON, Feb 6 (Openly) – LGBTQ+ fans of “The Last of Us” are split over the casting of Nick Offerman as a gay character in the hit TV series, reigniting a long-running debate over whether straight or non-transgender actors should play gay or trans roles.

“Nick Offerman is the only straight man I’m okay with being cast as a gay character. He is the exception to the rule,” one viewer tweeted after the third episode of the HBO/Sky series, which features two men, including Offerman’s character, falling in love.

Critics say casting straight actors in LGBTQ+ roles deprives gay, bisexual and trans actors of opportunities to appear on screen and stage as characters they are best placed to represent.

Others point to the many LGBTQ+ actors who play straight characters, arguing that the mark of a talented actor is the ability to convincingly portray a wide range of different characters – regardless of their sexuality or gender identity.

Here’s what you need to know about the debate:

What is the controversy about?

Influential figures in the arts and some LGBTQ+ rights campaigners have spoken out about straight or cisgender – non-trans – actors playing gay or trans parts.

Accepting his 2016 Emmy for playing a trans woman in Amazon series “Transparent”, actor Jeffrey Tambor told the audience, “I would not be unhappy were I the last cisgender male to play a transgender character on television.”

Leading British TV writer Russell T Davies, who won plaudits recently for the 1980s AIDS drama “It’s A Sin”, said in 2021 he was “going to war” over the issue of straight actors playing gay characters, which he says deprives LGBTQ+ actors of opportunities.

“It is not a fair playing field,” Davies  told the New York Times . “The equality notion is based on 50% this way, 50% that way. But 90% of actors are straight and 10% of parts are gay.”

But many actors say playing someone different is the essence of their profession, pointing to the wealth of LGBTQ+ actors, from Elliot Page to Jodie Foster and Matt Bomer, playing straight or non-trans roles.

The Oscars have frequently recognised heterosexual and non-trans actors for playing LGBTQ+ roles.

They include Tom Hanks for “Philadelphia”, Hilary Swank playing a trans man in “Boys Don’t Cry” and Rami Malek for portraying Queen’s lead singer Freddie Mercury in “Bohemian Rhapsody”.

What does Hollywood say?

Following increased scrutiny over the issue in recent years, greater consideration is now being paid to hiring LGBTQ+ performers, and actors have sometimes turned down roles in response to criticism.

A few years ago, Oscar-winner Halle Berry  pulled out  of a trans film role.

Others come prepared for questions if they accept roles portraying people from sexual or gender minorities.

Oscar-nominated star Viggo Mortensen, who played a gay man in his directorial debut “Falling”,  told Openly  in 2020 that actors are actors – whether playing gay characters or anyone else whose life experiences are different to their own.

“I apologise to all the proctologists for casting David Cronenberg,” Mortensen said of his decision to cast the renowned Canadian director as a colorectal surgeon in the film.

Are there similar debates for other minority groups?

Today, no casting director would hire a white actor to play a person of colour, but in the past it was common.

Infamously, British star Laurence Olivier adopted “blackface” makeup in the 1965 film “Othello”, which is now banned in many schools in both the United States and Britain.

It remains common for non-disabled actors to pick up roles as disabled characters, though some campaigners say that should also be challenged.

Speaking with Openly in 2020, the directors of a British film about a love affair between two teenagers, one of whom has Down’s syndrome, called for more honest  media portrayals of disability .

“You’re still seeing actors portraying people with disabilities that don’t have a disability,” said Lloyd Eyre-Morgan.

“Yet there are so many brilliant actors out there that do have a disability and they’re not getting a look in.”

Related stories:

Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry apologizes for considering trans role

‘They can love’: UK film focuses on untold story of LGBT+ disabled teens

‘Lord of the Rings’ actor Viggo Mortensen defends decision to play gay role

(Reporting by Hugo Greenhalgh @hugo_greenhalgh; Editing by Helen Popper. Please credit Openly, the LGBTQ+ news website from the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters. Visit  https://www.openlynews.com )

Openly is an initiative of the Thomson Reuters Foundation dedicated to impartial coverage of LGBT+ issues from around the world.

Our Standards:  The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles .​

CS 050: College Writing Media Theme Copyright © by Confederation College Communications Department and Paterson Library Commons is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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The importance of representation

When I write creatively, I write about white people. Not the same white person, sure: There’s the awkward misunderstood white person, or the rich white woman destined to solve crime or the hard working white man that robs a store at gunpoint. Sitting in a conference with my creative writing teacher, I told her I’m scared to write about things that I don’t know.

I fell in love with writing as I fell in love with books. I would read the Magic Tree House, Judy Bloom, Andrew Clements and Ann M. Martin during lunch, at recess, in my room when the lights were meant to be off. I told myself I would be a writer — that I could be a writer. On the covers of my second grade novels I’d draw a girl, using the peach shade crayon, and name her Grace. Or Lindsay or Abby or Charlotte. This is a girl I felt I knew. She was all around me, in my white school, in my white town. She was on Disney Channel and Nickelodeon. She was on magazines and American Girl dolls. As I got older, this white wash became more apparent. Classical literature praises this peach-shade figment: Jane Eyre, Elizabeth Bennet, Anna Karenina. These adventurous yet respectful white women — I eventually branched out to white men — became my muse.

Representation in the media is a constant source of controversy. For decades, award shows like the Oscars and Grammys have consistently overlooked the work of black artists. Black Panther is proving to be one of the most influential movies of our time with its assertion of black power both in its plot and cast. Many other films and TV shows released in the past few years have sought to provide representation for minority groups in the media. Representation isn’t just a nice way to appease complaining minorities. The media is a reflection of who America is and isn’t. America isn’t just white, and it never has been. When America looks into a mirror, the reflection is white, Christian, financially well-off. The picturesque American citizen.

I, along with so many people of color, write about white people because that is the only face the media deems as a full character. The complexity awarded to white Americans in the media is not seen in minority characters. There is no drive to explore the sassy black sidekick when there’s the multi-faceted white person. There is no incentive to explore minority characters when they exist to further stereotypes. I assumed this was normal. Fiction is about channeling something ideal or fantastical. In my childhood, the ideal was always white. Black people were side characters or villains. They were thugs or drug lords. They were never the hero. The media is partially responsible in the process of constructing what blackness and whiteness are, and in America, the furthering of racial stereotypes only helps justify racist actions. The fight for adequate representation isn’t a new thing. Amazing people have been advocating for cultural diversity in the media since before I was born. But there is more work that needs to be done.

We are in such a place where fundamental American thought can be shifted. Right now, minorities are starting to be listened to. Minorities have been yelling for decades at a country that doesn’t acknowledge us as part of its cultural makeup. Now there are more movies, TV shows, podcasts, models, activists that are beginning to be appreciated and listened to. This is the time. Children don’t have to write about peach-colored girls. The foundations created finally have room for some footing. By pushing for representation, we can change the way America is seen by Americans. When media is white, the stories of the marginalized, of racism, unfair housing, income inequality are never told. The media is a way to bring stories to life. The complexities of different races are not realized by most Americans because they are not visible to most Americans. The media is a pivotal start in forcing Americans to confront the harsh truth of our current political dynamic. Our media is silencing the voices of millions.

Representation is a vicious cycle. We write about what we see and what we experience. When all we study is white and all we see is white, all we create is white. I applaud the great authors and thinkers that have managed to test these boundaries, to push our current media and literature out of balance. They inspire young writers like me to explore the unseen characters, the traditional sidekicks, the never forgotten villains. They also encourage us to find characters in our own identity. We are encouraged to write characters with our strength and weaknesses and flaws.

Everyday, the media reassures us that America is white. Minorities are sidekicks or the help, the American Dream is alive and well, and racism is dead. Representation in the media means that America can finally see itself in all its multicultural, multiracial, beautiful self. Representation in the media means that America sees more to minorities than stereotypes. Representation can make disadvantaged groups become real people.  

Contact Natachi Onwuamaegbu at natachi ‘at’ stanford.edu.

Natachi Onwuamaegbu is a freshman from Bethesda, Maryland. She is currently undecided but is leaning towards Political Science and English. Currently, Natachi is part of the Black Student Union and hopes to run a radio station on campus. When she's not wandering around campus, Natachi likes to sit in the sun, listen to music and overuse semi-colons.

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Diversity and representation in TV and movies and why it matters

The world is extremely diverse which is why representation is so important. There are people of different colors, different cultures, and different backgrounds everywhere. Yet when we take a look at some of the highest-grossing movies of the last decade, or the most popular television series on streaming services such as Netflix, we can not always find this diversity translated back on the screen. This lack of representation has consequences on our society and the people that can not find themselves back on the screen. In an interview with PBS, a high school junior said, “I do think it’s powerful for people of a minority race to be represented in pop culture to really show a message that everybody has a place in this world” (Elbada, 2019). This essay aims to analyze the representation of minority groups in popular media and the effects this has on our multicultural society. 

Representation and diversity in numbers

The Annenberg Foundation, a philanthropic foundation dedicated to funding charities and building communities, released a study examining the portrayal of, among other things, race and ethnicities in over a thousand films released between the years 2007 and 2017 (see Figure 1). They found that in the top 1100 most popular films, only 30% of the speaking characters are non-white actors. Of those 1100 films, 20 did not have any Black or African American speaking characters, 37 films had no Asian speaking characters, and 43 films had no Latino speaking characters. These statistics include both men and women.

Figure 1: Percentage of different ethnicities in Hollywood movies.

Taking a look at the numbers for women of color in the most popular movies produces even more staggering results. In the top 100 films of 2017, 42% did not include any black women. Asian or Latina women appeared even less, with respectively 65% and 64% of the films showing no women of that background. The Annenberg Foundation study also compared these numbers to the percentage of the Latino population in the United States. Whereas Latino speaking characters only reach 6% of all speaking characters in the top 1100 movies, they make up almost a fifth of the American population (The Annenberg Foundation, 2018). 

The effect of Representation

We live in diverse societies, yet Hollywood does not represent our reality accurately. Not only is this unfair, but as Sara Boboltz and Kimberly Yam state in an article for HuffPost, “It’s unfair that just over a quarter of speaking roles went to people of color in 2015’s top movies ― that Asians and Latino nabbed tiny slivers. It’s unfair that women made up less than one-third of protagonists in top movies in 2016. It’s unfair that black, Asian, and Latinx actors were completely left out of acting categories in the Academy Awards last year, and the year before that.” (Boboltz & Yam, 2017). It is also a vital issue to address in terms of consequences. The media people consume, the movies they watch, and the television series they follow, are not just entertainment, it also has an impact on the way people think and view other people. Television and movies have the ability to normalize events and phenomena that they show on the screen, and this can both have negative and positive results.

Representation has an impact on the way people think and view other people

Darnell Hunt, the director of the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies at UCLA, said, “We’re pretty confident that, the more TV you watch, the more media you consume, the more likely it is that media ― almost like radiation ― builds up. And the accumulated effect is to make you feel that what you’re seeing is somewhat normal.” This notion is supported by Ana-Christina Ramón, the assistant director of the Bunche Center, “What you see often becomes a part of your memory, and thus a part of your life experience.” (Boboltz & Yam, 2017). This means that films and television can influence the views of the watcher on certain people or different cultures. In addition to this, people of color or characters with different backgrounds can also shape how underrepresented people view themselves. 

Symbolic Annihilation

As The Annenberg Foundation established, many people of color will not see themselves in the majority of the popular films; this can lead to symbolic annihilation. As Cole Bowman explains, “the term “symbolic annihilation” refers to the erasure of people—specifically categories of people like women, people of color, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ+ community—from popular media” (Bowman, 2021). The representation of people belonging to minority groups, or the lack thereof, is not only a narrative issue. It is an issue that is social, political, and psychological. As Coleman and Yochim explain in their article on the subject, “symbolic annihilation points to the ways in which poor media treatment can contribute to social disempowerment and in which symbolic absence in the media can erase groups and individuals from public consciousness” (Coleman & Yochim, 2008). Simply put, symbolic annihilation occurs when a lack of representation of a specific group begins to affect their experiences in real life (Bowman, 2021). The term symbolic annihilation was first coined by George Gerbner in 1976 to describe the absence of representation of certain groups in the media. He states, “Representation in the fictional world signifies social existence; absence means symbolic annihilation" (Gerbner, 1976). 

Figure 2: Lovecraft Country, HBO, 2020.

Multiple studies are showing the psychological effects of poor or non-existent representation. For example, a study by The Opportunity Agenda concludes that the way black boys and men are represented often adds to negative stereotypes such as aggression. Furthermore, the study argues that these stereotypes, the negative ways in which Black males are perceived, are especially harmful when the black males are dependent on others’ perception of them, for example, a judge in the court of law. Research shows that this can lead to “less attention from doctors, harsher sentencing by judges, lower likelihood of being hired or admitted to school, lower odds of getting loans, and a higher likelihood of being shot by police” (The Opportunity Agenda, 2011). 

In 2019, Vice Media interviewed eight black women on how they are portrayed in popular culture. With black women being underrepresented, and considering the black women we do see in movies and on television are often shown in a negative light, Essence, a magazine and lifestyle organization conducted a study on the representation of black women, finding that the majority of images encountered regularly on television, social media, music videos, etc. are overwhelmingly negative. They will often fall into stereotypical categories such as gold diggers, baby mamas, or angry black women (Walton, 2020). To the question, “What is still problematic about the way Black women are represented and/or portrayed in pop culture,” visual artist Armina Mussa responded, “Where white women are said to be standing up for themselves, Black women are seen as wanting a fight. We are still unseen, and society has successfully exploited the cultural psyche of Black women. I hate how much pain everyone feels we are still capable of enduring. We are a glimmer of light, spirited and gentle, too.” (Vice Media, 2019). Mussa’s response notes the social and psychological impacts on-screen representations have. 

Emily In Paris: a case study

A very recent occurrence of harmful representations having a direct real-life impact is the second season of the Netflix series Emily In Paris. The series follows the titular Emily as she moves from the United States to Paris, France, for a job at an elite fashion magazine. The series focuses, among other things, on the cultural clashes Emily experiences in the European country. 

Soon after the first season of Emily In Paris, a controversy followed. The video essayist known as Friendly Space Ninja on YouTube analyses the issues in the series, specifically the casual racism, xenophobia, and offensive representation that appears in the video “ Emily In Paris: Romanticizing Ignorance .” This video is currently the most viewed video concerning Emily In Paris on the entire internet, even beating the official trailer for the show on Netflix’s YouTube channel. 

In December 2021, Friendly Space Ninja made a follow-up on the Emily In Paris video, discussing the controversy surrounding the second season of the series. He argues that the xenophobia that was rampant in the first season, is still a big issue in the second season. In the second season, Emily begins to take French lessons, where she meets and befriends a Ukrainian woman named Petra. Petra’s character is highly one-dimensional; the audience only learns her name, that she is from Ukraine, and, most importantly, that she shoplifts. After the episode where Petra tricks Emily into shoplifting, she is never seen again. 

This harmful stereotype of Eastern European women as criminals caused a significant backlash. Many Ukrainian celebrities have taken to social media to speak out against this negative portrayal of Ukrainian women. Ukrainian influencer Eugenia Havrylko wrote an open letter on Instagram to express her disappointment in the series. She says, “@emilyinparis I’m speaking here on behalf of all the Ukrainian women around the world. And I feel like this cannot be ignored. Being the most successful @netflix show in 2021, knowing your influence on millions of minds and hearts all over the world, there is still a place for such ignorance and intolerance? The way you treated the image of Ukrainians in your second season, 4th episode is such a low cost trick, absolute scandal and a shame. And I cannot believe this is still happening in 2021. Time, where we show respect to all the nations and genders. Time, when we fight all the stereotypes that are ruining peace and cross-cultural relationship. Time, when nobody is laughing at such miserable things. Despite of that, you expose Ukrainian woman as a person without any feeling of taste and dignity. Stupid, ignorant thief. Come on. are you even serious? Such a shame for such a scale and this is happening when there are so many talented Ukrainians, who are influencing worldwide market of technology, fashion, art, sustainability, science, sport, etc.? In case, you didn’t know. Just some of thousands absolutely cosmic Ukrainian women. Just In art and fashion as an example.” (Havrylko, 2021). Havrylko’s caption perfectly encapsulates the issue people, especially Ukrainian women, have with the series, how this negative portrayal of someone like them in a remarkably popular series can be harmful and insulting. 

Figure 3: Emily and Petra in 'Emily in Paris'.

The public backlash did not end with a handful of Instagram posts. Instead, it became a conversation amongst large press institutions as well. The Ukrainian branch of Cosmopolitan and Vogue spoke out against this offensive representation. Even the Ukrainian Minister of Culture and Information, Oleksandr Tkachenko, condemned the show’s portrayal of Ukrainian women. He said, “We have a caricature image of a Ukrainian woman that is unacceptable. It is also insulting. Is that how Ukrainians are seen abroad?” (Abbott, 2022). 

The importance of representation

In November 2021, the Disney movie Encanto was released. It was an instant hit with audiences. The movie follows a multi-generational Colombian family with magical powers (Smit, 2022). Soon after, a mother, Kaheisha Brand, posted a picture of her son standing in front of the TV playing Encanto. Her son, who bears a striking resemblance to the animated character of Bruno, stands proudly next to Bruno. Brand tagged the post with #RepresentationMatters. With the addition of a repost on Twitter, the photo received over one million likes and more than eight thousand retweets. The virality of this picture proves how important people find it to be able to see themselves in the media they consume and how touching it is to see a young boy experience that. In an interview, Brand said, "The image of him sitting and staring was actually the first picture I took. He seemed to be in awe. He would stare at the screen and turn around smiling. [...] I think there is empowerment in positive representation. It is important that he see images that reflect him. I’m grateful for the creativity behind this movie and the diversity amongst the Black and brown characters." (Valdivia, 2022). 

Figure 4: Real-life example of why representation matters.

Michael Morgan, former professor emeritus at the University of Massachusetts, said, “Stories matter, stories affect how we live our lives, how we see other people, how we think about ourselves.” (Boboltz & Yam, 2017). Diversity in popular movies and television series matters because an accurate portrayal of society affects both the over-and under-represented groups of society. Whereas an inaccurate, often offensive portrayal is harmful to both entire communities and also individual people. Representation matters. Representation impacts people. Everyone deserves to have their story told.  

Abbott, K. (2022, January 3). Ukraine’s culture minister blasts Emily in Paris over ‘unacceptable’ stereotype.

Coleman, R.R.M., & Yochim, E.C. (2008).  Symbolic Annihilation . The International Encyclopedia of Communication.

Friendly Space Ninja. (2021, February 4). Emily In Paris: Romanticizing Ignorance [YouTube Video].

Gerbner, G., & Gross, L. (1976). Living with Television: The Violence Profile. Journal of Communication, 26(2), 172–199.

Havrylko, E. [eugeniahavrylko]. (2021, December 23). Emily In Paris [Instagram].

katchingupwithkenzo. (2021, December 31). #RepresentationMatters [Instagram].  

Rawan Elbaba, Student Reporting Labs. (2019, November 14). Why on-screen representation matters, according to these teens.  

Smit, F. (2022, January 19). Diversiteit gaat in Encanto verder dan alleen uiterlijkheden, vandáár die monsterhit.

The Annenberg Foundation. (2018, July). Inequality in 1,100 Popular Films: Examining Portrayals of Gender, Race/Ethnicity, LGBT & Disability from 2007 to 2017.

The Opportunity Agenda. (2011, October). Opportunity for Black Men and Boys: Public Opinion, Media Depictions, and Media Consumption. Tides Center.

Valdivia, P. (2022, January 10). This 2-Year-Old’s Reaction To Seeing Himself Represented In “Encanto” Is Why These Movies Matter .

Vice Media. (2019, February 4). 8 black women on how they’re portrayed in pop culture.

Walton, D. (2013, October 7). ESSENCE’s Images Study: Bonus Insights. 

Media & News Literacy

• Take Control of Your Media Consumption
• News Literacy
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Tools and Collections

Research & data, media representation: videos.

• Additional Material

Teaching Resources

• Media Representation of Race & Ethnicity Overviews and lesson plan from the Critical Media Project
• "Representation in Media and Information" Learning Module From UNESCO's Media Literacy Information for Teachers resource

Media Representation in the News

• "New CAA study says diverse casting increases box office potential across all budgets" Los Angeles Times, 21 Jun. 2017
• "Starting in 2019, if Your Film Isn’t Diverse, It Won’t Be Eligible for a BAFTA Award" Slate, 19 Dec 2016

Media representation refers to how the media portrays particular groups, communities, and experiences.

• Media Representations of Disability Information and resources from the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund
• Re-Search Browser extension makes image searching gender-balanced
• The Representation Project Founded by filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom, who has directed two films on media representation of gender
• Sociological Images on Pinterest Collections of images around specific themes, such as Women vs People and Racial Objectification
• Race in the Writers Room From Color of Change, Nov. 2017
• Where We Are on TV Report From GLAAD, Nov. 2017
• Film Dialogue from 2,000 Screenplays, Broekn Down by Gender and Age From The Pudding, April 2016
• Annual Hollywood Diversity Report From the Bunche Center at UCLA

Some films below are available via  Kanopy .

• The Try Guys Get Photoshopped Like Women From Buzzfeed video, July 2016
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Media Representations: What Are They and Why Do They Matter?

I grew up in Mexico City, Mexico. When I was younger, I would watch telenovelas with my friend Fernanda after school. We would both sit on her white, fur rug, our backpacks flung across the room.

For an hour every day, I saw all the women I could be: a ranchera keeping my land safe from a dastardly uncle, a time traveler, a queen. All the possibilities were in front of me.

I moved back to the United States in middle school. I watched television, but it lacked the color and excitement of the telenovelas I was used to in Mexico. The only Latinas that showed up in the shows I watched were gardeners or maids. I felt invisible and lost. It wasn’t until recently when I saw shows like “One Day at a Time” and “Jane the Virgin” that I felt like that kid watching telenovelas again.

Media representations are when people see themselves reflected in the things they watch, read, listen to and engage with every day. This is the experience I missed when I moved from Mexico to the United States. It’s also something Keah Brown, a writer from New York, experienced as a child watching "Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella" with Brandy and Whitney Houston.

“It meant a lot to me see black women being treated like princesses and being desirable and worthwhile enough to fall in love,” said Brown. “And I think that's very important but at the same time we have a long way to go. I don't know any proper representation of disabled black women. I haven't seen that yet.”

Media representations are the main focus of Lisa Behm-Morowitz’s research at the University of Missouri. She is an associate professor of communication and is involved in the Media and Diversity Center on campus.

“(At the Media and Diversity Center), we’re interested in studying the ways that mediated portrayals may influence people’s perceptions of certain social groups,” said Behm-Morowitz.

Behm-Morowitz said seeing certain groups in media help people form their thoughts and ideas about those groups.

“If you think about it, you have limited contact with diverse groups in maybe your daily activities. And a lot of our contact, if you want to call it that, comes from media representations,” said Behm-Morowitz.

The researchers at the Media and Diversity Center help people with media literacy, to be more critical consumers of the things they watch. Behm-Morowitz said it’s important to seek out characters and stories that aren’t easy or stereotypical.

“An example of this might be ABC’s show Blackish, where I think there is a fairly nuanced portrayal of different types of issues--social issues, economic issues--that black Americans might experience,” said Behm-Morowitz.

Network executives and film producers are understanding the need for a more diverse set of characters, she said, but there’s still a long way to go.

In the meantime, people are creating their own media to see themselves represented. That’s what inspired RJ Lackie, a writer and web series creator from Toronto.

“I can't say I've saw any, really, depictions of gay characters that felt like real representation,” Lackie said. “It may not have even been until 2014 when HBO's "Looking" came out that I really saw a character that really resonated with that part of my identity and made me feel seen.”

He said this lack of representation made him dedicated to writing gay characters into his work.

“It's one of the reasons why as a screenwriter I want to make stories that have specifically gay main characters because we deserve to be at the center of things once and awhile,” Lackie said. “All marginalized people do.”

This week's show was produced by Erin McKinstry. Music for this week's episode comes from Blue Dot Sessions  (Tuck and Point, available under CC BY-NC 4.0).

RACE TO A CURE

• Jun 12, 2021

The Importance of Representation in Media

The comfort of finding a character you relate to. The pride of seeing your beliefs, culture, and traditions embraced on the big screens. The joy of seeing a hero that looks just like you. How many of us have experienced this, and how many have not?

Media, especially in the form of film and television, is at the forefront of the entertainment industry. Over the past century, it has rapidly evolved into a widespread medium for storytelling, art, knowledge, and enjoyment. We engage in these forms of media because they share something special—whether opening our eyes to a life vastly different than ours, enforcing a lesson previously beyond our perception, or unearthing our roots as individuals, society, and humanity as a whole. Yet too often, the media fails to accurately represent the people they portray. Too often is inclusivity swept aside by the Hollywood norm —the exclusion of diversity rather than its opposition. Misrepresentation and a lack of diversity in media negatively impacts marginalized communities, including racial, ethnic, and religious minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, disabled people, and women. This issue is prevalent and important, and in this article, we will take a deeper look at media representation from the thoughts, experiences, and perspectives of today’s youth.

Image is courtesy of FOX .

Definition and Importance

The BBC defines representation as how societal aspects such as race, gender, age, ethnicity, nationality, and social issues are presented. When it comes to media, especially film and television, this audience is vast. Mass media broadens our scope of perception when it comes to society, multiculturalism, and the world. It holds, for many, an educational impact as it showcases unique experiences otherwise beyond reach. This is why representation is crucial. In a multicultural, diverse, multifaceted society, it is vital to amplify the voices and share the stories of all.

The Harmful Effects of Stereotypes

While a lack of representation is harmful in itself, the misrepresentation of underserved communities is a significant issue with damaging consequences. This concept is evident through stereotyping. The Arab Film & Media Institute describes stereotyping as assumptions or generalizations made and depicted of individuals due to their racial, ethnic, gender, sexual, religious, or other identities.

Stereotypes in media are often inaccurate and portray underrepresented groups in a negative light. These flawed portrayals can be easily internalized by both the individuals of a group being stereotyped and other members of society. All in all, it influences public opinion and the societal view of underrepresented communities.

“As a child, stereotypes that were portrayed in the media went over my head. I was just there to be entertained. However, as I got older and began to truly understand what it meant to be Black in society, those stereotypes that I once looked at with a blind eye began to get a little glaring. When I was younger, I always found myself drawn to shows with a Black character, but now that I look back, those shows never had a lot of Black actors. In addition, the beauty standards of those characters were quite Eurocentric. I didn’t look like the girls in that show. This was disheartening as a little girl, to not see people like me at that level of fame. Presently, I see more representation of Black people in the media but I struggle with the narrative. When I want to watch TV, I want to laugh, get lost in a story, relax, and forget about my troubles. Not be thrust into a world of discrimination and hardship that, although quite relevant, does not represent all aspects of life.”

- Lola, grade 12

As Lauren Washington discusses in an examination of film and media representation, stereotypical depictions create unconscious bias in viewers which can directly impact an individual’s thoughts and behaviours towards others. It is especially dangerous when bias is institutionalized, perpetuating the issues of discrimination and hate crimes, police brutality, mass incarceration of disadvantaged communities, and others.

“In my experience, stereotypes are the most prevalent issue in the media. They are literally everywhere, and create a very toxic environment for young people. Even the most positive stereotypes have negative connotations that are used to divide and hurt people who do not fit the standards that society expects from us. Whether it is racial stereotypes, gender stereotypes or others, it creates a playground for prejudice to grow throughout our society and formulates the idea that people do not need to think through their behaviour or give opportunities to certain people based on what they seem to be.

In most of the TV shows and movies I watched when I was younger, the woman would always fall in love and that would make her happy, or white people would always save the day. It made me feel like I had to be saved instead of taking action on my own and for the longest time, I just accepted it. It was not until I saw characters who were like me that I started to truly grow as a person. To imagine what I might’ve been like if I had those influences when I was younger hurts me a little because I always wish I could have more goals to reach, more determination, and that is swayed the most by what I take in through the media. In our media, schools, music and experiences, we need leaders to break these stereotypes and show that people are more than they are expected to be.”

- Tia, grade 11

The Arab Film & Media Institute further defines the issues of tokenism and typecasting. Tokenism is when individuals from minority groups are included for the sole purpose of exhibiting a seemingly diverse environment. This infamous tactic does not equate to equal representation, but is rather a demeaning concept that utilizes minority characters to fulfill an agenda. Typecasting in the entertainment industry occurs when individuals are consistently assigned roles due to their ability to fit a certain stereotype. This often targets actors belonging to underrepresented groups and limits their ability to grow in the industry beyond playing stereotypical roles.

Image is courtesy of Netflix Junkie.

Children and Teens

Underrepresentation, as a result, has the potential to establish harmful views and negative perceptions. For children who are developing their thoughts and behaviours, and for teenagers who are searching for identity and their place in society, media takes the role of a significant influence.

“I have felt a tremendous lack of diversity in the media while growing up. Often when characters looked like me, they fit a certain stereotype as the ‘supporting character’ or the ‘comedic relief.’ Rarely were Black and Brown characters seen as the protagonist or desirable and intelligent individuals and honestly, that took a toll on my self-esteem. A lack of diversity is harmful not only to the people being misrepresented but also to others who watch those shows or movies who then base their perception of a group solely on the media they consume. Luckily, there has been an increase in the diversity of characters of colour! But we have a long way to go to dismantle the many stereotypes that have been engraved in the history of television and film.”

- Hanna, 2nd year undergraduate

According to an article by Forbes , general media can escalate racial tensions and affect confidence and self-esteem. The author describes how predictions in the study of prolonged television exposure involve decreased self-esteem for girls and Black boys, which correlates with racial and gender biases in popular media. With the effects of underrepresentation so prevalent and impactful to youth, diverse and inclusive media representation must be prioritized as we move forward.

“Growing up, I definitely felt like it was hard to see myself represented in the media. Especially in the case of beauty standards, I feel that it has now become such a common story for Black women to go through a stage of not liking their features, and more specifically, their hair. For me, this was straightening my hair often, for others, it might have been relaxing their hair, but for many of us the cause was what was portrayed as ‘beautiful’ in the media. However, within the last few years, I have become a lot more comfortable in my identity and in wearing my hair out, as big as it is!

As far as we’ve come already, what I’m really waiting for is a coming-of-age movie starring a young Black girl that is not solely about her identity as a Black person. There is certainly a time and place for these kinds of movies, but I am so excited for when I can see myself represented in the media without having to think about all the problems that I may face as a Black woman.”

- Leah, grade 12

Image is courtesy of Girl Museum .

The Push for Greater On-Screen Diversity

The youth of today are passionate about inclusive representation, and they are making their voices heard on what they want to see more of in modern media.

“I feel like the groups that really need to be represented in the film, television, and the entertainment industry are minorities such as Black, Asian, Brown, LGBTQ, and people with disabilities. Especially people with disabilities because I hardly ever see them represented in the industry.

- Lemuela, grade 10

Progress is underway, but for representation to be achieved in all aspects, there must be greater inclusivity of underrepresented groups both on-screen and behind the scenes as writers, directors, producers, and more. The entertainment industry, media creators, and society can benefit significantly by confronting implicit bias and stereotypes and actively commit to fostering inclusive environments. Through this, may we begin the journey towards media that includes representation for all.

Article Author: Victoria Huang

Article Contributors: Lola Oyefeso, Tia Rose Desouza, Hanna Asheber, Leah Daniel, Lemuela Ajuwon

Article Editors: Maria Giroux, Stephanie Sahaeo

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Media misrepresentation has lasting effects

August 23, 2016 Trista Sullivan Columns , Editorial

As popular culture in the form of media has grown throughout the decades, along with our ability to access it, the effects it has on our society and the way we view the world have morphed with it. In a culture that is so in tune with what is going on around us near and far, through apps like Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat, or access to the Huffington Post, New York Times and Washington Post on our phones, it doesn’t take long for opinions and ideas to develop. But a new danger that lies in this double-edged form of communication and media consumption is misrepresentation. Misrepresentation comes in many forms. Under-representation or exclusion, discrimination, and even the words we use to label individuals and groups of people all fall under what I’m going to refer to as the umbrella of misrepresentation.

I was inspired to write about this subject after tweeting a joke about a Manic Pixie Dream Girl character, which then turned into a discussion of women’s representation in media. The MPDG is described as a female character whose only purpose is to help the male romantic lead grow and develop as an individual. The MPDG is also not given much depth as a character and given very little backstory — I always think of Zooey Deschanel’s character in the movie “Yes Man.” While speaking with a friend about the existence of the MPDG, I began to realize it was just a small cog in the machine of misrepresentation of women in mass media. I found myself upset, and almost in tears by the end of our conversation because I realized how much I felt that the effects of this misrepresentation affected my daily life. When women are misrepresented, the standards that are developed for how these female characters should act, look and speak are then mirrored onto what we expect from real women. And this is a major problem.

We live in a society that has been shown to uphold its members to unrealistic standards all because of how concepts and ideas are presented to us through the media. How are the ways we are discussing black lives changing the way we treat black individuals and other marginalized groups of people? We’ve all heard words like thug, gangster and vicious used as stock words to describe black individuals on the news, by politicians, in music — everywhere. But how seriously are we taking this? Do you think it is a problem? When the only images we are creating of these individuals are of violent criminals, how does this affect how we approach each other in reality?

I find it a problem, an even bigger one than we might think. The use of this kind of language in mass media, which is so accessible and influential in this day, is a form of violence. This is an issue that is not being taken seriously. This form of misrepresentation is leading to the perpetuation and strengthening of racism, and racist apologists. This form of misrepresentation is leading to violence in the way we speak about each other. This form of misrepresentation is creating a fear that millions are using to justify the murder of thousands of Americans during the last five years alone.

When we preach to the world that terror is spreading through our nation and we find a group of people to point our fingers at in blame, we are creating a death sentence for those people. It is our job to break down these stereotypes and misrepresentations within our communities. One of the only ways we can attempt to change the representation of others in media is to first correct how we represent others.

• misrepresentation
• stereotypes

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Representation in media: why it matters.

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Representation in media, and its importance, is not a new topic of conversation. In gaming, it’s around discussions of the protagonist not always being a white male. In film, hashtags like #OscarsSoWhite bring it to attention, or how an Asian actor was photoshopped into leading film posters to make a point. From films to games to TV series, representation is widely spoken about.

The Golden Globes recently brought it to the forefront, after the successes of Donald Glover’s TV show titled Atlanta, along with indie film Moonlight. The common thread between both Golden Globe winners is that they featured predominantly black casts.

Despite the largely white cast of La La Land stealing the show with its record-breaking 7 Globe haul, many celebrated the wins of Atlanta and Moonlight as a celebration of diversity. Their wins were not just a show of black excellence, but it was proof that diversity in a cast doesn’t get in the way of success when done right.

Benefits of representation in media 

Whilst discussions around representation in any form of media are not saying that all-black casts are the only way to go, it is important to understand the power that representation has and the benefits that come from it. Representation is also not limited to racial minorities, but also includes disabled communities, women, LGBTQ and more. So how does representation benefit all these groups?

Donald Glover’s acceptance speech for Atlanta’s Golden Globe awards was an apt illustration of one of the major benefits of representation. On stage, he gave a shout out to Atlanta-based hip hop group Migos and their latest single Bad and Boujee.

After that shout out, the song’s plays on Spotify shot up 243% . It rose on Google trends and has since topped the Hot 100 Billboard chart. Representation allows the door to be opened wider so that more minorities can have their moment to shine or be discovered.

Representation creates relatable and powerful role models and sources of inspiration. What many seem to take for granted is the power of having a role model that you can look up to and relate to. Having a black female role model was the reason the talented Lupita Nyong’o felt she could make it in acting.

This point is also made abundantly clear in an emotional story around a queer girl’s struggle in coming out. You can read the full story here , but the short of it is, a character coming out as gay in Supergirl helped a queer girl from committing suicide whilst struggling to deal with her own coming out.

Representation challenges the status quo and by doing that, brings fresh ideas to the table. Hollywood is a fanatic of formula. You only need to look at the superhero phase that we’re currently in to see its love of routine and safe approaches. Representation in media helps to break these formulaic approaches because it’s usually so rare for minorities to be given the spotlight.

Look at recent films such as The Danish Girl, a portrayal of the first man to undergo a sex change operation, or 12 Years A Slave, a powerful film around the life of an American slave. These films were widely praised for the fresh air they brought to a formulaic world. Similarly, Atlanta was so well received because of the unique voice it had and that wouldn’t have been possible without diversity in its cast. African-Americans telling their story with their own voice. Which leads us to the next benefit of representation.

It creates a platform for more voices to be heard. A point often raised these days is the danger of echo chambers online and how detrimental they are to creating constructive, engaging conversation. This same concept applies offline. When the same voices are being heard over and over again, conversation never progresses and the world is never challenged.

Giving a voice to minorities allows everyone to have their worlds opened up and to have their beliefs challenged in a positive, constructive way. This platform allows stereotypes and misconceptions to be broken and allows for more accurate portrayals. Stereotypes like all black people listen exclusively to Hip Hop and all aspire to be rappers or the glamorised, misrepresentation of disabilities such as autism.

The only way to truly combat these issues to give people who actually live these lives a voice, a platform to speak. In doing so, we can combat negative stereotypes and misconceptions that can do a lot of harm if left unchecked.

It’s Not Always Done Well

Despite the importance and benefits of representation in media, it’s not always achieved successfully. Sometimes it is flat-out ignored, as in the case of Ghost In The Shell which cast Scarlett Johansson, despite it being a Japanese franchise. Similarly, Matt Damon being cast in the film “A Great Wall” flies in the face of representation.

Sometimes representation is used as a gimmick. Hollywood’s latest transgression in this regard is the lazy idea of changing established superheroes to fit new demographics. Despite many praising it, it reeks of laziness and a band-aid fix that avoids dealing with the real issue.

This gimmick comes hot off the heels of another lazy attempt at fixing representation: the token cast. This approach tries to tick boxes of appealing to minorities by placing one of each in a cast, often filled with stereotypes or poorly written characters. One only needs to look at the 2015 release of Fantastic Four for a recent example of this awful approach.

The reaction to representation is just as mixed of a bag as its attempts. On one end of the spectrum you have the reaction to the Ghostbusters remake which had some of the fiercest backlash a film has seen-  and that was before it was even launched. Regardless of the justification of the criticism, the way it was delivered and how the actresses were harassed was completely out of line.

Luke Cage, Netflix’s Marvel based show, was also not immune to negative reactions despite being well received overall. There was criticism levied against the show because it didn’t feature enough white people. The outrage was ridiculed by many. On the other end of the spectrum, the reactions can be encouraging. Tracer, a character in Blizzard’s Overwatch game, was revealed to be in a relationship with another woman. The news was largely well received by the gaming community. Sure enough, some threw accusations at Blizzard of pandering to the “SJWs” but for many it was a nonchalant affair.

Everybody Wins

Representation is slowly but steadily becoming a reality. More and more minorities are being given a voice to speak and although it sometimes feels like not enough is being done, there is optimism in the future of media and its portrayal of minorities.

Whitewashing in media is being tolerated less and less. Inaccurate portrayals are being called out, success is being given to those that are daring –  and, importantly,  more and more minorities are being inspired by what they see in media to tell their own stories and aspire to contribute to the conversation.

In the end, representation in media is something everyone should be fighting for as we can all benefit from it. Who knows what song will become a chart topper after being given a shout out at one of the most prestigious award shows in America?

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Critical Hit as an organisation.

Last Updated: January 17, 2017

68 Comments

January 17, 2017 at 12:10

Surprised you didn’t mention the horror show of that Michael Jackson movie…

Representation is massively important… preaching to the choir…

40 Insane Frogs

January 17, 2017 at 15:48

What do you mean, Michael Jackson wasn’t a white woman? How dare you misgender and misrepresent xir’s race!

January 17, 2017 at 15:50

You joke. But as a kid I really thought he was a woman.

January 17, 2017 at 15:56

He certainly looked the part during the mid 90s, and it got even more confusing when he was standing next to his sister, La Toya…

January 17, 2017 at 16:01

Jeez yeah. Though he had more transformations than certain DBZ villains

January 17, 2017 at 16:11

Super Funky New Nose Level 5!

January 17, 2017 at 12:26

“Despite the importance and benefits of representation in media, it’s not always achieved successfully. Sometimes it is flat-out ignored, as in the case of Ghost In The Shell which cast Scarlett Johansson, despite it being a Japanese franchise. Similarly, Matt Damon being cast in the film “A Great Wall” flies in the face of representation.”

So according to that precedent you set, would you be against a black person playing in a very British franchise such as James Bond?

Alessandro Barbosa

January 17, 2017 at 12:32

Is James Bond a “white franchise”? Don’t see the similarity?

January 17, 2017 at 12:49

No, it is a franchise based on a character (and books) created by Ian Flemming. The character is a Caucasian male.

January 17, 2017 at 12:50

Facially, Bond resembles the composer, singer and actor https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/3b8b14d04009da96af295303dff006ddbfeb51f46b43df628e3f379827c33fb3.jpg . In Casino Royale Vesper Lynd remarks, “Bond reminds me rather of Hoagy Carmichael, but there is something cold and ruthless.” Likewise, in Moonraker, Special Branch Officer Gala Brand thinks that Bond is “certainly good-looking … Rather like Hoagy Carmichael in a way. That black hair falling down over the right eyebrow. Much the same bones. But there was something a bit cruel in the mouth, and the eyes were cold.”[23] Others, such as journalist Ben Macintyre, identify aspects of Fleming’s own looks in his description of Bond.[24] General references in the novels describe Bond as having “dark, rather cruel good looks”.[25]

January 17, 2017 at 12:59

Many of these descriptors reference facial features and structure over race, all of which would then conflict with the many actors who have played Bond in the past. So with that in mind why couldn’t Bond be a black actor? Would breaking the convention of features so meticulously described by your examples only be acceptable by white actors? Is that the one line not to cross?

In any case, I find that missing the point. The examples Glenn gave are clearly different. In The Great Wall, the movie is set in a time period that doesn’t make sense to have someone like Matt Damon in, nevermind lead. Ghost in a Shell, while set in a futuristic Japan which would most certainly have white Japanese citizens, star a Japanese woman with the name Motoko Kusanagi (which only takes two seconds to recognise as a Japanese name). So in those two cases I see the situation as vastly different.

January 17, 2017 at 13:02

Why wouldn’t a white Japanese woman not have a Japanese name?

You don’t see black people in the UK with West Indian names…

January 17, 2017 at 13:45

Perhaps because black people have been in the UK for hundreds and hundreds of years already…

For the Emperor!

January 17, 2017 at 13:46

“Given textual and archaeological evidence, it is thought that thousands of Europeans lived in Imperial China during the period of Mongol rule.[1] These were people from countries traditionally belonging to the lands of Christendom during the High to Late Middle Ages who visited, traded, performed Christian missionary work, or lived in China. This occurred primarily during the second half of the 13th century and the first half of the 14th century, coinciding with the rule of the Mongol Empire, which ruled over a large part of Eurasia and connected Europe with their Chinese dominion of the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368).” – there is historical evidence for the possibility of white people in China.

January 17, 2017 at 13:49

Since we’re getting technical then, the film takes place during the Song Dynasty, which lasted from 960-1279. So technically there can still be an overlap, so there’s a point.

Still, I think the underlying point is that it’s a film about the Great Wall of China, set during a period where a vastly small (read: minute) segment of the population was white, and yet it still can’t cast a Chinese lead? Come now 😛

January 17, 2017 at 13:51

Have you seen the trailer? The movie is so far from reality the Europeans could have arrived there on a cloud sent by the Monkey king…..

January 17, 2017 at 13:55

Yeah I get that (hence why I have no actual inherent interest in it. Monsters and shit?), but I do understand that arguments as to why the representation is problematic.

As an aside, this is kind of the same argument when The Witcher 3 was called out for its lack of PoC, and was met with arguments that it was being historically accurate. While also banishing mythical creatures and the like. And I’d imagine, given a venn diagram, those defending Witcher 3 for their exclusion would make up for a majority who would argue the counter for The Great Wall.

Maybe. Probably 😛

January 17, 2017 at 13:59

Yeah but Great Wall’s lead is along the same line as The Last Samurai, foreigners in a strange land that end up defending it. (Very summarized of course). A Chinese lead would require the principal story (which is flimsy at best) to be replaced almost entirely.

January 17, 2017 at 14:02

I….guess. I think The Last Samurai is a fairly stronger example given its connection to history and the actual facts behind why Tom Cruise’s character was there, but I see your point.

I still feel that it just feeds into the issues that Glenn overall highlights, being that even in works that bear a strong connection to one ethnicity or culture, it’s often made to fit for another’s representation.

January 17, 2017 at 14:10

Unfortunately all of his examples are poor in that regard. DragonBall Evolution would be a better example.

January 17, 2017 at 14:12

…Because Goku is white? Isn’t that like exactly the same as Ghost in the Shell then XD

(Sidenote: holy crap how bad was that movie though)

January 17, 2017 at 14:20

To be fair he isn’t even human, but I’m focusing more on the destruction of the entire franchise’s story, characters and lore. Not to mention that dragonball is as Japenese as stuff gets (even though it’s a spin on Journey to the West), and yet there are how many japanese actors in that movie?

January 17, 2017 at 13:53

Well we can stretch the naming thing a leetle bit. If her father was Japanese, but her mother say American (it happens), and they decided to please the family they’d raise her Japanese, it’s rather plausible.

January 17, 2017 at 13:58

But you see these sorts of long winded attempts to justify it are kind of part of the problem? Like everyone knows Major is Japanese, and it’s made pretty clear. There are no doubt ways to find plausibilities that she could, in some universe be white, but wouldn’t just having her represented by a Japanese woman be, like, almost argument free?

Yeah it probably just comes down to the studio guaranteeing profit by using a well known actress. But I really like arguing. And I really don’t believe it was a bad casting.

But you see these sorts of long winded attempts to justify it are kind of part of the problem? Like everyone knows Bond is Caucasian, and it’s made pretty clear. There are no doubt ways to find plausibilities that he could, in some universe be black, but wouldn’t just having him represented by a White man be, like, almost argument free?

January 17, 2017 at 14:05

Very clever, what you did there….

I wasn’t actually making a long winded attempt to justify it, but simply using your examples of Bond’s definition according to Fleming to point out that most of them refer to facial features and not actually race (again face structure, make up etc). And as previously discussed, it’s vastly different to the examples Glenn gave, given that Bond, in the country, time period and era he exists in, and given the characters tendency to physically change over each new iteration, wouldn’t at all feel or seem out of place with a black lead.

January 17, 2017 at 14:15

You want to make the assumptions about the demographics in society where people can effectively choose what they look like?

I hope the film trolls everyone by showing a sequence where they show the people assembling the Major pick out the real Scarlett Johansson (who would be long dead in the timeline) as a likeness.

Alien Emperor Trevor

Well like I said in my earlier comment, there may be a good reason why her shell is white when she’s Japanese that’s addressed in the movie. Hopefully. And hopefully well, unlike “she breathes through her skin” 😀

January 17, 2017 at 14:06

Well it isn’t in the series (since, well, you know :P) but I wouldn’t actually be surprised if the film goes that route. Didn’t think of that tbh, might be how they address the backlash in a way

January 17, 2017 at 12:33

Well…you do get black British people.

January 17, 2017 at 12:48

You get white Japanese people then as well.

January 17, 2017 at 13:01

Yeah but there is a major difference between the casting of a non-Asian actor for an Asian role opposed to casting a black person for a British role.

January 17, 2017 at 13:08

Shaka Zulu was South African. Therefore you can assign a White South African to play him. Not a problem according to the logic you put there.

January 17, 2017 at 12:54

You appear to confuse “British” with “White”…

Unless you’re speaking about 16th century Britian, where most were white. Today’s Britain is a cosmopolitan mix of the world’s people, so a black or even Indian decent actor could and probably should be the next Bond, if you’re talking about actual accurate representation.

January 17, 2017 at 12:58

Wrong: London is a cosmopolitan mix of the world’s people. Contrary to popular belief, the UK isn’t London.

If you think the rest of England outside London isn’t as mixed, you’re very wrong.

January 17, 2017 at 13:09

“You are entitled to your opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts.”

-Daniel Patrick Moynihan

January 17, 2017 at 13:52

Then your definition of facts are very wrong, as Gavin so pointed out 🙂

January 17, 2017 at 18:46

Lol wut? Your statement is factually incorrect. The rest of England (everywhere that is not London), is not AS mixed as London. That is according statistics, you know, not someone’s opinion or Gavin walking around and counting people from different races. I struggle to understand how someone can misinterpret the word “fact”…but congrats you succeeded!

January 17, 2017 at 13:10

https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/2e8edf26672436f438189891047278a990c83a0685e801b992157c0d77a9621f.png

Gavin Mannion

January 17, 2017 at 13:22

Have you been to Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham or Leeds… the UK is very very much not white outside of London and reposting a picture showing population density isn’t proof of anything really

I have toured the whole UK…

Saying the UK is very very much not white is like saying that South Africa is very very much not black out of Johannesburg.

….You realise Gavin is, like, originally from the UK? As in he lived there for many years?

January 17, 2017 at 14:04

lol, as Alessandro pointed out.. I’m English. My entire family is English and I’ve lived in London, central England and Northern England

London has a much higher % of diversity but as does every other main city in the country.

It is a majority white country, but that doesn’t mean that people of other colours aren’t to be found outside London..

Not to mention there are plenty of coloured English people all over the country.

January 18, 2017 at 09:00

Erm, I think I know what I’m talking about, I was born there, lived there, and worked there.

Even small dorps have multi-cultural populace, just to a less extent. I grew up in Throckley, a small town in Newcastle upon tyne. Majority white, but there was always many different races all over the place. That was 3 decades ago, or alternatively I worked in a small suburb of Sale in Manchester, same story.

So you pushing the UK as some whites only stronghold is frankly just bollocks.

January 17, 2017 at 13:24

Have you heard Idris Elba speak? He’d make a damned good bond.

January 17, 2017 at 13:26

I’d dig for Idris to be the next Bond.

I 100% believe that the character James Bond was intended to be white by the author of the books but I don’t believe casting Idris would be a problem.

I’d have a hissy fit if they cast a female lead though, that would be changing the entire story and that’s not okay just to placate people.

January 17, 2017 at 13:33

https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/0cc1ddfcd485170974ec2da2ed5f0fd65242a21a989d8683dba297438604604d.jpg

January 17, 2017 at 13:34

The same with the whole Heimdall whinge. If the guy can pull off the part, let him!

January 17, 2017 at 13:36

Personally I see James Bond 007 as a code name, not a real name. Like M and Q. Bond has always been written as a British male though, so I would not like a woman there. Idris would actually be 100% my choice for a new Bond – love that guy!

January 17, 2017 at 13:35

I am sure the creators of Ghost in the Shell also think that Scarlett Johansson is going to be a good Major.

The point I am trying to make is not about the individual actors. It is more about the doublethink that is being employed.

If you think that Idris Elba would make a good bond because of his abilities and not his looks, then you should also concede that Scarlett Johansson might make a good Major based on her abilities, and not her looks.

If you decide to pick and choose after that, it is hypocrisy.

January 17, 2017 at 13:38

Oh I’m all for Scarlett! Plus there’s always the fact that most animes draw their people to look like westerners (Log Horizon actually shows the protagonist’s avatar as looking “white”, while outside the game he has Japanese features), so there isn’t much of an argument against that.

January 17, 2017 at 13:43

“Oh I’m all for Scarlett! Plus there’s always the fact that most animes draw their people to look like westerners” Now you are opening a can of worms.

January 17, 2017 at 13:47

Probably, but I can back my statement up so I’m not too bothered.

January 17, 2017 at 12:42

Well said. Now let’s fooking party!

“Despite the importance and benefits of representation in media, it’s not always achieved successfully. Sometimes it is flat-out ignored, as in the case of Ghost In The Shell which cast Scarlett Johansson, despite it being a Japanese franchise.”

“On one end of the spectrum you have the reaction to the Ghostbusters remake which had some of the fiercest backlash a film has seen- and that was before it was even launched.”

January 17, 2017 at 13:11

I’m very happy to see more representation in the various media I consume because it allows me to see/experience things from different points of view, or consider things in ways I hadn’t before.

As long as I can relate to characters, which has more to do with how they’re written or performed, then I’m all good – and that’s not nearly as difficult as people like to make it out to be because humanity is pretty universal. I identified perfectly well with an 18 year old girl in Life is Strange and a black man in Luke Cage even though I’m neither because I could relate to them.

Supergirl’s coming out arc was brilliant – not only was it very well done, but it was so surprising because that’s one of the last shows I would’ve expected it to come from.

Ghost in the Shell I think people should wait to see the movie before continuing to freak out – the fact that Major Kusanagi is in a white shell might be addressed in, or even important to, the movie.

Did you not mean Matt Damon in The Great Wall?

January 17, 2017 at 13:23

I’ll admit I rolled my eyes when I read the title. But after actually reading the article, well written. One huge * though. Have you seen the trailer for Great Wall? It’s 2 europeans going to China to look for a weapon. Looks like there are only 2 white dudes in the entire movie. If there is any whining about whitewashing there one could say Marco Polo was whitewashing, same with The Last Samurai.

Was about to make a similar comment about Great Wall, but was struggling with the correct wording lol.

Better examples of recent movies would be “Gods of Egypt” and “Exodus god and kings”. Especially the first.

January 17, 2017 at 13:31

Glad i skipped both of those. 😐

January 17, 2017 at 13:32

Exodus was actually a good movie in my opinion. Gods of Egypt…well yeah really worth skipping, though I would watch it over Ghostbusters any day 🙂

Women are smart and funny. get over it XD

A well written, dialogue/thought provoking opinion piece. We didn’t see eye-to-eye on that one last year, but this one is very good and appreciated.

Raptor Rants

January 17, 2017 at 21:46

Now this is well written.

Infinite Rainbows

July 11, 2017 at 02:30

Representation of race is unimportant. What can you say about it? “Because that person has my skin color, I can see myself in them?” Utterly ridiculous.

Instead, go for representation of personalities, philosophies, ideas, and allow people to see themselves in characters for the people they are. I can see myself in people who are not my race or sex. I can see myself in villains, murderers, thieves, and so on. I don’t have to be another race, or another sex, or evil in order to relate. If color of skin is really that distracting, paint everyone blue. People with an obsession with race will complain about the complete lack of diversity in cast as well as the lack of representation for non-blue people, but that’s a price we should be willing to pay.

True diversity only happens when we look from a person of one race to another of a different race, and we DON’T NOTICE ANY DIFFERENCE. Going out of our way to make it an important aspect of media is the opposite of this.

September 28, 2021 at 13:39

The Danish Girl is about a trans woman, not a “man who undergo[es] a sex change operation.” Trans women are women, and the respectful way to write about this would be, “Look at recent films such as The Danish Girl, a portrayal of the first trans woman to undergo sex reassignment surgery.”

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What is Media Representation?

Media representation refers to how the media portrays groups of individuals with different characteristics. It refers to how some aspects, such as gender, age, physical abilities, age, or race, are presented to society.

Why is representation important?

If you can see it, you can be it: this is the idea behind those who promote the positive representation of all people, regardless of class, race, physical or intellectual capabilities, gender identity, and sexual orientation.

Many experts say that what children and adolescents are exposed to directly influences their goals and dreams. In other words, children and young people determine what they can achieve based on examples.

In the case of people with disabilities, negative representations in the media can limit their aspirations. For this reason, people with disabilities must be portrayed positively in the media.

Two actions to improve your children’s aspirations

• Discuss the movies and series you watch with your children. Talk about what is unique about each character, what you like about the characters you see, what you do not like, and what your children can learn from each character.
• Search stories, songs, movies, and tv shows that positively reflect the characteristics of your son or daughter.

Examples of media representation

The followings are some movies, and tv shows recommendations that can be ideal for your family.

• Raising Dion: this series tells the story of Dion, a boy who discovers his superpowers, and his mother, who wants to protect him at all costs. Fun fact: Sammi Haney, the actress who plays Dion’s best friend, is a patient of the Children’s Rehabilitation Institute TeletonUSA (CRIT) in San Antonio, Texas.
• Finding Nemo: A father’s love leads him to travel the world to find his son while discovering the importance of friendship and courage.
• Fundamentals of Caring: An 18-year-old teenager with muscular dystrophy journeys with his caregiver, learning about life and the importance of having love to get ahead.
• Atypical: A teenager with autism is ready to fall in love, so he strives to become independent from his family. The series talks about the dynamics of a family with a young man with Autism Spectrum Disorder. This series questions what it means to be “normal” and asks us: who is “normal”?

Jennifer McGowen

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Representation Theory: How Does it Appear in the Media?

What is representation theory.

Representation Theory is the theory used to explain how humans may visualize images in pictures and how the image in a picture may relate to previous knowledge that has already been obtained. The Representation theory is useful when trying to explain how an object and a meaning relate to each other. For example, if a person sees a portrait of their grandmother, their mind will automatically recognize that the portrait is the grandmother, but to a person that has never seen the grandmother in the portrait before, they will be unable to understand the significance of the portrait. Understanding the object in a scenario and the meaning behind it can vary from person to person because we all have different background knowledge. Most of the time, authors and artists may have various meanings in their works of paintings or photographs, so there is no correct answer on what the significance of the work is. However, in the world of journalism, although journalism is supposed to remain unbiased, people may find small hints of associative words and phrases to subjects in their work.

Why is Representation Theory important in Media?

In the media, the description of a subject may make it difficult to separate from the common stereotype of the subject. When the media publishes multiple stories concerning subjects with a specific gender, race, or ethnicity while using all of the same description of the subject, then people begin to associate that certain type of personnel with the description that is being used to describe the subject.

For example, racism has been a prime issue for decades, but it has especially escalated within the past few years after the wide range of “police brutality” incidents that have happened. Majority of the victims in these attacks are black males while the police officer is a white male. At the first report of the incident, people will either assume the police officer was acting in self-defense or that the police officer acted wrongly. The media paints an image of the scenario whether they mean to or not. The descriptions of both the victim and the police officer creates an image in a person’s mind. These images will not only appear again at the sight of another story, but also in reality too, which may lead to an escalation of an already heated incident.

The idea of the representation Theory can be seen in the article “ A white cop shot an innocent man in his own home. The “Castle Doctrine” nearly protected her .” Amber Guyger, a white female police officer, shot Botham Jean, a black man, in his own apartment in September 2018. A week after the murder happened, police forces searched Jean’s apartment for marijuana, which many activists claimed was a “character smear.” There was also a claim of special treatment for Officer Guyger since it was released that the officers responding to the scene turned off their cameras and spoke with her in a police car instead of immediately arresting her. Although Guyger claimed she entered the wrong apartment and believed it to be her own, she was charged with murder.

As seen in the scenario above, there are multiple actions that took place due to the representation that had been previously associated with the subjects’ persona. For instance, after Jean was shot, police continued to search the apartment for marijuana. Why did they do this? Jean was not doing anything obstructive at the time that he died, but people have come to associate certain characteristics with specific personas. Along with the “character smear” of Jean, the police officers responding on the scene gave Guyger a relaxed treatment when taking her in. Most of the police officers most likely knew Guyger personally, so it was hard for them to arrest a friend.

Representation in media is a hard subject to control. The media’s job is to report on the event that occurred, and by doing so may create unintentional stereotypes that humans may use. The representation theory provides an explanation for why society uses stereotypes as a way to identify people. If we consistently see terms, words, or phrases associated with a specific persona, then we will subconsciously make the distinction every time we view that same persona.

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The evolution of Black representation on television

With the influx of cable networks and digital platforms such as Netflix, there are more opportunities for people to engage with different and more complex stories about the Black experience and for Black people, says scholar Stephanie Robbins Troutman.

Since the late 1940s, watching TV has been a popular American pastime. Television entertains us, educates us and helps shape our views of the world.

It has also been "a primary source of America's racial education," according to University of Arizona scholar Stephanie Troutman Robbins .

Stephanie Troutman Robbins

Troutman Robbins is the co-editor, along with Daniel J. Leonard, of " Race in American Television: Voices and Visions that Shaped a Nation ," published in 2021. Covering five decades, the two-volume encyclopedia explores representations of people of color in American television and examines ways in which television has been a site for both reproduction of stereotypes and resistance to them.

Troutman Robbins is head of the Department of Gender & Women's Studies and an associate professor of gender and women's studies and English in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences . She went to film school at the University of Central Florida before earning a dual doctorate in curriculum and instruction and women's studies from Pennsylvania State University, where she incorporated film and visual analysis and critical media literacy in her research. Much of her work examines race, gender and sexuality in relation to both popular culture and schooling.

During Black History Month, University of Arizona News spoke with Troutman Robbins about the evolution of how Black people are depicted on TV, how an influx of media platforms is leading to more diverse stories about the Black experience, and where there's room for improvement.

Q: What are the main ways that TV's depiction of Black people has changed over time?

A: Early television really reflected a very narrow representation of non-white characters. And a lot of the earlier characters were caricatures and racist depictions in many ways.

And then as time goes on, we start to see more Black folks and we start to see them move from peripheral or secondary characters into primary focus. But for a while in television, you had extremes. You had the Black criminal stereotype and all the negative tropes associated with Blackness on the one hand, and then you had good, assimilating, respectable Black characters on the other.

In the '80s, "The Cosby Show" depicted a Black affluent family who were different from the way that Blacks were mostly portrayed in mainstream TV at the time. But in the show, issues were not dealt with in a very racially specific way. The show "Black-ish" comes along, some 20 or 30 years later, and it more explicitly engages with what it means to be Black in the context of being an affluent or professionally successful family.

As you get more representation, the representation gets more varied, more complex.

Q: In "Race in American Television," you talk about the development of the racially diverse ensemble cast, where race is insignificant to the character or plot, as well as colorblind casting. What are your thoughts on that?

A: In the '80s and '90s, there were more shows that brought together multiracial casts. These shows tended to look at identities in an apolitical kind of way. And we still have that today. There are folks who have a simplified understanding of diversity and just want to make sure that you're not looking at a screen full of white people. But then there are shows that are more intentional about the integration.

Colorblind casting sometimes does not include a critical and authentic consideration of folks' experiences and identities. It matters because there are certain things that take on a very different meaning depending on who is in the role. Say I have this character who's an angry woman. It's really different if she's an angry white woman versus an angry Black woman because of the widely circulated, negative stereotype of the angry Black woman.

That being said, is it good for people to see shows with folks who are different co-existing and sharing spaces of work, community, family? It's not a bad thing. But if it's not deliberate and thoughtful, unfortunately it can perpetuate stereotypes even if that's not the goal.

Q: According to UCLA's 2021 Hollywood Diversity Report , the number of Black characters on TV now matches and in some cases exceeds their representation in the general population. However, Black people are still underrepresented among the people shaping the stories, including show creators, directors and writers. Why is this important?

A: First, I want to note that the institutions in our country function similarly, and television is an institution. We still see underrepresentation for Black faculty at universities, and in corporate settings and in other public spaces, sectors and professions. This is still true in television, as well – but behind the scenes.

In TV, you've had BET (Black Entertainment Television) for a while producing Black shows. You have people like Ava DuVernay producing and writing "Queen Sugar" and, of course, one of the most successful TV producers and writers Shonda Rhimes, who writes in that multicultural space. But over the years, the writers' rooms for TV shows have been, and in many cases continue to be, notoriously white.

However, with the various new streaming services and production companies, we're starting to see more Black creatives get deals. And it matters. It's one thing to put someone on screen, in front of the camera. It's another thing to let someone – a Black writer/actress like Michaela Coel, for example – have creative control. Because something potentially different can happen when a Black woman writes a Black woman character, in terms of deciding on her thoughts and her feelings, her personality.

Q: What are some developments you've seen recently in Black representation on TV?

A: Mainstream networks, and certain boutique networks in the past, had very specific types of Blackness that they were interested in exploring and were somewhat rigid in how they were willing to depict Black characters and experiences.

Now, with the influx of cable networks and digital platforms such as Netflix, there are more opportunities for people to engage with different and more complex stories about the Black experience and for Black people to find a reflection of themselves and their communities on TV. We're seeing more of the very rich landscape of Blackness in the United States, including variations according to sexuality, socioeconomic status and geographical location – shows like "The Chi," created by Lena Waithe, and "Insecure," created by Issa Rae, and even "Pose," where family is defined as "chosen" rather than purely biological, and particular Black communities, including the LGBTQ community, are centered. This variety also includes shows set on college campuses like "Dear White People," historical fiction shows like "Lovecraft Country," and the multicultural superhero drama "Watchmen."

Q. In addition to more Black representation behind the camera, are there other areas that need improving?

I think what we have for kids is lacking. Disney has tried to amp it up with "Coco " and "Moana " and now "Encanto." But we've yet to really see Blackness in that space. With the "Princess and the Frog," the Black princess is a frog for most of the movie! We've got the shows "Doc McStuffins" and "Gullah Gullah Island," but that is from way back (in 1994-1998). 

As adults, we know that representation isn't enough; it has to be meaningful and intentional. But when you're little and before you're critically developed to that extent, just the representation alone is a big deal.

So, I think we need more representation for young people. And we still need more critical, deliberate and politically aware representations of Blackness for adults.

Resources for the Media

Lori Harwood College of Social and Behavioral Sciences [email protected] 520-626-3846

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Alaska Native representation in media | Alaska Insight

Hollywood movies and TV shows have traditionally leaned into stereotypes, too often portraying Indigenous Americans using racist tropes that ripple out from TV screens into society, tainting our perceptions of each other. But things are changing and the production of HBO’s True Detective: Night Country was a marked departure from past mistakes and may help signal a new way forward for authentic representation. On this episode of Alaska Insight, host Lori Townsend is joined by Phillip Blanchett and Mary Lou Asicksik, actors from Night Country, to discuss Alaska Native representation in media.

Madilyn Rose, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage

Madilyn Rose is the program producer at Alaska Public Media. Reach her at [email protected] . Read more about Madilyn here .

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The Diddy Saga, Trump’s Bible, and Black Representation in Media

Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay discuss the Diddy situation, Trump’s new “holy” product, and the backlash from the new ‘Good Times’ reboot

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Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay discuss the Diddy situation , including the raid on his house, the lawsuit, and the internet’s reaction to the many revelations of his lawsuit (07:27). Then, they chat about Trump’s new “holy” product (47:58) and the backlash from the new Good Times reboot (1:01:03).

Hosts: Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay Producer: Ashleigh Smith

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Computer Science > Sound

Title: a novel audio representation for music genre identification in mir.

Abstract: For Music Information Retrieval downstream tasks, the most common audio representation is time-frequency-based, such as Mel spectrograms. In order to identify musical genres, this study explores the possibilities of a new form of audio representation one of the most usual MIR downstream tasks. Therefore, to discretely encoding music using deep vector quantization; a novel audio representation was created for the innovative generative music model i.e. Jukebox. The effectiveness of Jukebox's audio representation is compared to Mel spectrograms using a dataset that is almost equivalent to State-of-the-Art (SOTA) and an almost same transformer design. The results of this study imply that, at least when the transformers are pretrained using a very modest dataset of 20k tracks, Jukebox's audio representation is not superior to Mel spectrograms. This could be explained by the fact that Jukebox's audio representation does not sufficiently take into account the peculiarities of human hearing perception. On the other hand, Mel spectrograms are specifically created with the human auditory sense in mind.

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Also recently starring opposite Andrew Garfield in FX’s Under the Banner of Heaven , which was nominated for a Critics’ Choice Award for Best Limited Series, Worthington’s other past film credits include Mel Gibson’s Oscar-nominated Hacksaw Ridge with Garfield, Brad Anderson’s Fractured , The Shack , Everest , Cake , The Debt , Clash of the Titans and Cate Shortland’s Somersault , for which he won an Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

Up next, Worthington will be seen starring opposite Sienna Miller and many more in Kevin Costner’s two-part Civil War epic Horizon: American Saga for Warner Bros/New Line. The first installment opens June 28, with the second to hit theaters August 16. Additionally, he’ll be seen starring in John Woo’s The Killer for Universal and David Mackenzie’s Relay with Riz Ahmed and Lily James.

Worthington continues to be represented by Anonymous Content, ID PR, and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller.

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