As an Asian American, diversity in media has always been something important to me (see my PAS threads for more of my thoughts). Growing up it wasn’t something I cared to take note of too much, but I think it’s largely because back then it was normal to not see many people of color playing major roles in films and television. When POC started making headway, I felt seen and acknowledged. When more women directors emerged and created blockbuster films highlighting women, I felt empowered.
But it still isn’t enough.
I shouldn’t be excited about the bare minimum. But I guess my standards are so low that the bare minimum seems like a breakthrough. According to both the Forbes and CNBC articles I linked below, a lot of the slow progress to seeing diversity in media is due to discrimination in film production. The Forbes article cited that female and POC directors and producers “have struggled substantially more to raise financing for films, and when they do they were at much lower budgets than white men.” I expect that people in minority groups are more inclined to be inclusive of their group (i.e. a female director will have more female leads) and if they are systematically stunted in their budget, they are also limited in the scope of their film. This makes it incredibly difficult for representation to expand, not only on screen but behind the scenes as well.
I’m not someone who looks into the production process of a film or tv show too much (like what demographic the director is) because I value the quality of the work so much more. But if it isn’t a show or movie that popped up on my feed from general popularity, I like to see what POC waves are being made. It’s probably because I am an Asian American, but I tend to gravitate towards media that has notable Asianness in it, whether it’s Asian characters or culture. I find it funny in a self-depreciating way to see what take a director/writer/producer has to create a character who is the same demographic as me. It’s like a game to see what stereotype they decide to run with. But sometimes I’m pleasantly surprised: for once the Asian isn’t a nerd, the girl is a superhero.
Both articles mentioned the 2015 and 2016 Oscars where the twenty acting nominations saw no people of color in the running, subsequently trending #Oscarssowhite. I remember being particularly bothered by this, especially since it happened in consecutive years. However, the issue also brought light to other award ceremonies that specifically recognize POC. Most notably for me is the Unforgettable Gala hosted by Character Media that recognizes AAPI creators and leaders and their impact on larger audiences to bring attention to Asian Americans.
So here are the questions I propose:
- What works have made headway for diversity and inclusion in nuanced ways?
- As viewers, how can we more effectively encourage diversity in media? And as a follow up: how can we ensure that award shows like the Oscars don’t exclude minorities from their nominations?
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