WP2 part 3: Examples of Poor representation in media

Examples of poor representation in the media could go on and on, but all examples essentially follow the same format–they are not accurate. Whether intentional or not, many examples of poor representation fall into the trap of playing on stereotypes and diluting diversity into predetermined categories. Instead of embracing diversity, many shows and movies include diversity just for the sake of doing so–failing to give diverse characters actual storylines and character growth. Additionally, sometimes diverse characters are used to further and uplift the stories of white voices, feeding into the white savior trope. Examples of poor representation show exactly why it is important to be mindful of the media we consume and how it portrays diverse identities. When misleading representation is consumed on a large scale, it impacts how viewers perceive that group of people, and in turn, how they act towards diversity in real life.

Below I have included a few examples of poor/misguided representation in the media that demonstrate why all representation is not equal to good representation.

Phineas and Ferb — Baljeet

While it may seem silly to include a children’s cartoon as an example of representation, the messages that media sends children in their most impressionable years can have a major impact on how they perceive and treat that minority group as they age. In Phineas and Ferb, Baljeet plays an Indian character with a thick accent whose only purpose is to study math and be bullied by the big white bully, Buford. Baljeet is never given much of a backstory or character arc besides helping Phineas and Ferb with their various escapades with his math expertise. As a child, I felt that most of the stereotypes I faced about being Indian stemmed from characters like Baljeet. According to this show, Indian people are submissive to their white counterparts and exist only in the capacity of their academic abilities. Phineas and Ferb’s use of diversity exaggerates stereotypes and creates a misleading and incomplete representation of diversity.

12 Years a Slave (2013)

12 Years a Slave is the film adaptation of the 1853 memoir about a free Black man, Solomon Northrup, who is sold into slavery and remains in captivity for 12 years. While the film differs from past slave narratives and does not attempt to portray slaves as “content” or “taken care of” like in Gone with the Wind, it ultimately falls into the white savior narrative, undermining the roles that the diverse characters played in their liberation. In 12 Years a Slave, Brad Pitt’s character enters shortly before the film ends, and proceeds to tell the plantation owners off for how unethical slavery is. He explains to them that slaves are no different than slave owners, and is ultimately the one that goes to the authorities to get Solomon freed. While the film did an appropriate job of representing the diverse characters, their stories were ultimately undermined and used as a tool to uplift a white character. This is harmful as it communicates to the audience that diverse characters are unable to liberate themselves, and will always be subject to the “help” of white characters.

The Help (2011)

The Help is widely recognized as a progressive film, but its use of representation caters to a white audience rather than accurately portraying the post-slavery American south. In Roxane Gay’s essay “The Solace of Preparing Fried Foods and Other Quaint Remembrances from 1960s Mississippi: Thoughts on The Help,” she explains how The Help takes the experiences of Black women in the segregated south and reduces them to racist stereotypes all while uplifting and sympathizing with the white women in the film (Gay). The experiences of the Black characters are not valuable to the film other than the value that they provide for the white characters. For example, the character of Aibileen Clark plays the role of a nanny in The Help. Even while being demeaned and degraded by white characters, Aibileen turns all of her suffering into an inspirational lesson for the children she nannies. She never uses her inspiration or wisdom to uplift herself, only the white characters of the film. Representing Black characters as a tool to uplift white characters is extremely harmful as it reinforces status and outdated stereotypes within society.

Final Thoughts

As I stated in the introduction, it is probably nearly impossible to achieve perfect representation. It is unlikely that one piece of media will ever fully encompass the experiences or traits of an entire minority group. Even the pieces I chose as effective representation have criticisms that are equally as valid as my praise. Nonetheless, I created this piece to draw attention to how impactful media can be on groups of people. To mindlessly praise something simply because it has a diverse cast can be ignorant if not looked at from all perspectives.

Along the same vein, since diversity has become so common in the media–which again, is a good thing–we need to continue to be conscious of when diversity is effective and when it is not. We need to work on uplifting creators who are devoted to accurately portraying diverse identities, and not just putting them on screen for the sake of it.

Sources

Gay, Roxane. “The Solace of Preparing Fried Foods and other Quaint Remembrances from 1960s Mississippi: Thoughts on The Help.” Bad Feminist, Harper Perennial, 2014.