Representation in the Media
On screen portrayal can affect how indviduals see themselves.
It's difficult to be what we can't see. Representation in the media enables generations of young people to find the confidence to acheive goals and be the change they want to see.
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Many movies and television shows play into the same tropes, portraying characters of certain races in a stereotypical way or not portraying them at all. This gives Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) the idea that they must look, act and behave a certain way, which limits aspirations. Shouldn't we be encouraging creativity and individuality through our media?
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The media wields an immense amount of power in shaping American culture. "Of the 109 film releases GLAAD counted from the major studios in 2017, 14 (12.8 percent) contained characters identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer" (GLAAD, 2017). This was identified as a decrease from the previous year. Intersectionality is often overlooked as well; according to GLAAD, of major movies released in 2016, only 20 percent of LGBTQ+ characters were also BIPOC. Female representation, especially that that is intersectional, is also extremely important but becoming more scarce, with only 36 percent of protaganists being female in the major movies in 2018 (Independent).
Ableism in the movie industry is very present and representation of people with disabilities is scarce. According to a report conducted by the MDSC at USC, "Only 2.4 percent of all speaking or named characters in film were shown to have a disability in 2015." Much of this representation only featured male non-BIPOC individuals.
The importance of representation goes beyond the entertainment industry. Educational institutions must implement measures to make all students feel supported in their aspirations so that they are enabled to find employment in any industry.
The media plays an immense role in shaping the culture of our world, and we must encourage the industry to represent individuals that reflect our popuation.