Representation in media is an ever more prevalent topic in this day and age. As we see white, cis-gendered people accepting roles and telling stories that aren’t necessarily theirs to tell, people from underprivileged communities are growing more and more frustrated. Think of Eddie Redmayne portraying a trans woman in The Danish Girl or Scarlett Johansson portraying a traditionally Asian character in Ghost in a Shell. Or if your community is not being represented on stage or screen by a white, cis person, you might expect to not be represented at all. Simply read the UCLA study “Hollywood Diversity Report” if you don’t believe me. And this post doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of representation in the creative or producing teams.
This stuff is all very complicated and nebulous to many folks, and understandably so. The more aware of these issues we become, the more we have to stay alert and sensitive to them, and the transition is proving difficult to many people. If you’re unsure about whether a piece of media is respectfully representing a minority community, I came up with this easy list of ten questions to ask yourself about the piece.
Happy media-consuming!
10 Questions to Evaluate Representation in Media
- Who wrote/devised the piece? Do they have a personal connection to the topic being explored? If not, did they do enough research to speak with authority on the subject?
- Does each of the characters have agency? That is, do they act of their own volition?
- Are the characters complex, three-dimensional, and respectfully portrayed? Are they a caricature? Do they reinforce any negative stereotypes?
- Are the characters cast in such a way that they honor the writer’s intentions and respect the communities they represent?
- Whose perspective does the piece represent? The oppressor or the oppressed?
- What is the ratio of privileged to non-privileged characters? Is there a “token” person of color or an equivalent character?
- Is the story respectful of the cultures/communities it deals with? Does it feature true-to-life experiences?
- Is the creative team diverse? Did they come from or research the culture/community the piece deals with so that they can honor it in their work?
- Is the dialogue accurate? Does it use the appropriate dialect? Is the dialogue for the community the piece is about or is it for a wider audience?
- Did the actors do the job of respectfully and sensitively portraying the characters to the best of their ability?
Follow Us!