Representation Research (PitM)

Societal context of representation (or lack thereof) 

Rep•re•sen•ta•tion:

• The description or portrayal of someone or something in a particular way or as being of a certain nature 

On TV and in films there are always archetypes (a very typical example of a certain person or thing) of characters that are either good or evil, and it is often the minorities that are portrayed in cultural output as being a stereotype or represented in a very stereotypical way.

Representation of people, e.g., children of colour, is always going to be best represented by a person who belongs to that marginalized community, and this is something that is not seen in filmmaking and TV as much as it should be. This is one of the main reasons as to why the movie Black Panther was so successful. Because it had a predominantly black cast (including directors and crew members), these people were able to portray the characters based on themselves, and bring an accurate representation of people of colour onto the screen. As a result of this, people around the world felt that they were represented because there was finally a black superhero portrayed on screen, and we saw children dressing up as characters from the film as they felt empowered and validated.

Children dressing up as characters as a result of accurate representation

Because of the misrepresentation of people and different groups of people, this has resulted in racism, misunderstandings and preconceived ideas and prejudice of these people in society on a global scale.

"The problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story". 

The content our society views on screen is supposed to reflect its people, but all too often the entertainment and media industries tend to marginalize people of colour, and women etc. Stories affect all areas of life in terms of how people view themselves, how they live their lives, and how they see others. Some of the content that these industries distribute to the public remains the only form of representation some individuals see, and these portrayals, though some may be true to a certain degree, are often inaccurate.

Media depicts sterortypical representations for people of colour and women, whether through Hollywood or on the news, as violent criminals, terrorists, submissive characters, highly sexualised beings, unintelligent people, and more. This is also similar with people in the LGBTQIA+ community and depictions of disabled people.

The continued cycle of excluding diversity, inclusion, and ignoring misrepresentation in the entertainment industry showcase the importance of having diverse storytellers, actors, directors, and producers involved both on screen and behind the scenes.