By: Kelsey Wooten, LPC
Media has always been a way for people to connect. Whether its a book, show or movie the emotions it elicits and the story it tells, it leaves us wanting to share our experience. Since the 1950’s there has been a push to include more people in the story telling space. While there has always been pushback on this, let’s explore why it’s important.
Representation provides a sense of belonging, and validating one’s identity. For those of us who are cisgender and white, we see people that look like us on TV everyday. But I want you to imagine how you might feel if you didn’t see yourself? Or when you did see someone who looked like you it was a stereotype or character, and in no way authentic.
Stereotyping is often found in the media. They are dangerous because if you are someone who only ever sees someone portrayed that way in a show, you will put them in a box, and believe that is all they are. Stereotypes leave out room for nuance and character development. For example many Black people are stereotyped in movies and TV as violent (from Birth of a Nation onward). Think about how that has impacted people both who have never met a Black person in real life, and how Black men and women are viewed and treated.
Representation inspires. When The Oprah Winfrey Show began in 1986 many women, and women of color, began to hope and dream to be on TV someday. Oprah used her platform to elevate important conversations about race, mental health, abuse, and spirituality. She ran for 25 seasons and became one of the most powerful figures in media, and changed the landscape of media.
Getting to know casts of shows, movies or books and seeing them go through trials and tribulations, such as discrimination and challenging relationships, and how they overcome, provides insight. When we are given the chance to experience authentic representation, we can gain cultural understanding. It’s not just in fiction – many travel and food shows provide a look into food and culture in a way that we may not otherwise experience. The rise of TikTok also gave everyday people a platform to share their stories.
Finally representation shapes culture and inspires change. Here are some examples:
1950: I love Lucy was the first on screen interracial marriage between Lucille Ball who was white and Desi Arnaz who was cuban. They were married both on screen and in real life.
1970s-1990s: There was a rise in family sitcoms with black families such as Good Times (1974), The Jeffersons (1975), The Cosby Show (1984), and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990).
I997: Buffy the Vampire Slayer had the first on screen lesbian relationship
2000 – Current: A push for more diversity and inclusion around body type, race, gender, religion, sexuality, LGBTQIA+, and disability
It is also important to note even though people of color began to come on screen, what they could do or stories they could tell were limited. It is important to not only see actors on screen but also to allow space for those behind the screen (writers, producers, directors, ect) for the story or experience to be authentic. If you have pushback or feel activated about this I encourage you to sit with it, and examine why that might be.
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