POC Representation

ISsue

What is the issue: Modern day television still struggles with accurate portrait and good representation of racial minorities.

General Definition

Representation - Presentation of a person or thing for a second or further time

history

Why is modern television so bad at representation.

While television and the industry evolved, many of the past bias and old practices from the last century still persist to this day.

castingS

One big problem with mispresentation is hiring white actors to play a person of color

These actors are taking roles away from a person of color who can actually be right person for that role

Hiring the wrong kinds of actors to play those roles that aren't beneifical for the story being told

writing

Sometimes, the bad portrayal of certain minority groups is due to the fault of it's writers and what they include in their scripts.

Sometimes there is a bias and preception some writers have

examples of bad representation

Bad representation in animation:

The actions and dialogue of Riley Freeman is an example of bad representation. Riley tends to act in an ignorant manor such as being disgusted by homosexuality, or resorting to violent or threatening means to resolve many to most of his problems.

effects of bad representation

Reduces the influence of a group that is already underrepresented.

Can affect how some individuals are perceived by young people

Due to the unfavorable portrayal on television, this might result in aggression and injury toward groups of people

examples of good representation

Ms. Marvel is an example of good representation of Pakastani culture and history. In episode 4 of the show, Kamala Khan travels to Karachi, Pakistan showing just how beautiful it really is. The show is great due to its casting and writing, using it's story to break stereotypes of Pakistan and the Muslim community.

Avatar the last airbenders is good representation because it of its writing, using eastern culture in its story in a respectful way.

effects of good representation

What good representation can do

1) Give voices and opportunity to minority artists

2) Show the unique prespectives and experiences of POC people.

3) Young childern can also view themselves as those characters who may share the same ethnicity.

4) Certain groups and cultures should be protrayed in many different ways than just the stereotype they are usually shown as

5) higher standards for writing

What to do about the issue

What can the producers and creators do?

1) Studios should set hiring targets for people of color both on-screen and behind-the-scenes positions

2) Research shows that setting specific hiring goals aimed at increasing the number of people of color is one of the most effective ways of diversifying workplaces.

What can the average watcher do?

1) Be a smart consumer, Be aware, of what is being shown on your tv.

2) hold accountablity of creators and big corporations like Netflix when harmful representation is created

Other negative stereotypes

- The Angry Black Woman

Annalise Keating in How to Get Away with Murder

- The Nerdy Indian

Ravi Ross in Jessie

- The Latino Drug Dealer

Oscar "Spooky" Diaz in On my Block

- The Loud Latina

Gloria Delgado-Pritchett in Modern Family