Everyone Consumes Media, and a Lot of It

By, Jolie, Dillania, Blanca, Hailey, Kayla, Taylor & Kaitlyn

In a digital age, it’s no secret that we consume much more media today than ever before. With “an average of approximately 15-and-a-half hours per person per day” (Quora, 2019) spent consuming media, it’s evident that media is a large part of our lives. However, is what we see on screen an accurate representation of the diverse communities and groups we have in our society? Is media representation that big of a deal?

What does representation mean and why is it relevant? 

Representation in the media is loosely defined as “how media…portrays certain types of people or communities” (Tawil, 2020). Representation in the media is relevant because some groups are more represented than others, leading to unequal or unrealistic representation on screen. 

Who is most commonly represented and why does it matter?

Typically, much of who we see represented in media are white, cisgender individuals, with more men being represented than women. People of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, women, and disabled individuals are not only underrepresented entirely, but are often featured playing a less extensive role in film, tv, music, books, and media in general. Not only do we see little representation for marginalized groups onscreen and in print, but we see just as little representation behind the scenes for these marginalized communities.

Where’s the proof? 

Across all forms of media, representation for women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals is lacking, or simply not present. Only 10% of the nearly 600 movies The New York Times reviewed in 2009 were directed by women (Taubin, 2010). In the 2017 USC Annenberg report, 25% of the 900 movies analyzed didn’t have one speaking or named black character (Lawson, 2018). In the news, representation for women is even worse, with women’s contribution to newscasts mostly being the voice of the public- only 20% of the time were women called on as experts, and 25% as spokespeople (Thompson, 2019). 

Why does Representation (or lack thereof) matter?  

Lack of representation is an issue because “When the only portrayals audiences see of minority characters are negative…those portrayals transcend to public image…” (Lawson, 2018). Additionally, a lack of representation is negative for one’s perception of self, their position in society, and also affects their social standing. 

Variations of the Portrayals We Receive: Representation vs Tokenism and Stereotyping/Typecasting 

There are many forms of ‘representation’ that minority groups are typically being represented through, one of which is tokenism. Tokenism is defined as “when the inclusion of a minority or other underrepresented group is no more than a symbolic effort to make a story or environment seem equal or diverse” (Tawil, 2020). Tokenism, while it is usually not explicitly offensive to underrepresented groups, is still harmful because it presents the underrepresented group in a manner that minimizes the differences between them and the represented group, resulting in a sort of ‘painting over’ of the underrepresented group’s struggles, qualities, and experiences. Tokenism ignores the complexities of intersections we face. 

Other forms of ‘representation’ we see are stereotyping and typecasting, which typically act together. Stereotyping in media is shown “through the assumptions of how a certain type of person is supposed to be due to their racial, ethnic, gender, sexual or religious identity” (Tawil, 2020), and despite appearing to be harmless or positive, still create unrealistic and often times negative expectations and assumptions towards marginalized groups. 

Typecasting is a form of stereotyping somewhat specific to actors, and is defined as “when a person is repeatedly assigned the same type of role due to success with that role in the past or because they “look like” a specific stereotype”  (Tawil 2020), such as what we saw in the “Indians on TV” episode of Aziz Ansari’s show.  

And if it’s working for you, but not for the people around you, it’s time to change.

How Can Representation Affect Reality? 

As stated in “Queerbaiting and the issue of LGBT Representation in the Media”, the media is supposed to be an accurate reflection of everyday life and a glimpse into the culture which we live in, so when people from this large community are not represented, what is that supposed to tell them? (Dodd, 2017)

Members of the LGBTQ communnity often naturally feel like outcasts and have been largely ridiculed and ostracized, so seeing a lack of representation reflected in the media can be very harmful to these members. Every little girl or boy wants to look at a TV and see somebody who looks like them, because it makes them feel validated and represented. However; when there is little to no representation of these LGBTQ individuals on screen, this can reinforce their idea that they are more different than others. 

Another issue that ties in with this lack of representation is queerbaiting. Queerbating is the implication of a queer relationship between two characters but is one that is never explicitly stated. 

Dodd says, this “creates the perfect paradox: writers are able to attract an LGBT audience with vague promises of representation, implied by the text and often encouraged by the writer, but will then never actually confirm or explicitly show said representation, reducing the amount of effort that has to be put in on their part”. This can easily lure members of the community in, only to be disappointed and led astray by the false hints presented in the film or show. This completely refuses LGBT representation and gives out the  message that the LGBT community is not important enough to even be shown on screen proudly.

I don’t think representation is an issue/I’m represented, and that’s enough for me 

 If you are someone who is commonly represented in the media, you may be thinking that from your perspective, there isn’t an issue here and that people are just complaining. While no perspective on life is wrong, we do not all experience life the same, so why are we representing the diversity of life in only one way in our media? 

While many people use media and its platforms to merely entertain themselves, media consumption can also be a tool to help connect and learn about others, especially individuals you may not have contact with in your everyday life. If you’re not seeing people of different races, sexualities, and genders in your media, this could and does lead to represented groups viewing life from one primary perspective- their perspective, and only their perspective. 

We are not getting well rounded knowledge of minorities, their way of life, or the issues they face if we continue to misrepresent minority groups in the media. In order to have a more diverse, accepting society, we must incorporate inclusive practices in order to represent everyone. From my own personal experience, I find it a common occurrence for many media forms to involve predominantly white, male individuals, leaving little space for people of other backgrounds to be represented. 

Our society is evolving, and we must evaluate how we currently represent ourselves and decide: is this working for everyone? Or just me?  

And if it’s working for you, but not for the people around you, it’s time to change.