Stereotypes Of Diversity In Hollywood
Take a look at your favorite tv shows. Who are the ones dancing across your screen? Sneak a peek at upcoming movie trailers. What kind of leading ladies dominate our world? Let’s face it; it’s those with white skin. While there’s nothing wrong with caucasian actors and actresses, it’s the lack of diversity in their work. We’re getting tired of the same people gracing our screens, occasionally allowing the token Hispanic play a tired out stereotype. Hollywood must allow other cultures to paint the image of diversity alongside the established caucasian stars, rather than depicting a false picture of America.
It’s unarguable; American movies and television are prominently white. Is this because people fail to realize that there are races other than white? While minority groups make up 38% of America, only an infinitesimal 6.5%-8% of minorities are cast in television roles (latimes.com). Are white people the only ones talented enough to memorize lines? We seem to believe this, because the percentage of minorities with television and movie leads have gone from a …show more content…
slim 16.7% to an even worse 12.9% (Cunningham 2016). Minorities continue to be overlooked for parts, regardless of talent. Directors continue to paint our screens with white, white, white; all to receive lower ratings. Statistics have proven that TV shows with a multiethnic cast receive higher ratings and more praise from audiences (Cunningham 2016). This leaves little room for argument that minority groups shouldn’t be cut a fraction of Hollywood fame and success.
Everyone’s talking about it; Hamilton. The Broadway musical that’s sweeping Americans off their feet with instantaneously charming lyrics, relatable characters, and a captivating take on American history. There’s nothing to dislike about this uproarious hit. However, the focus seems to rest on one thing; the racial diversity. Starring a Puerto Rican lead, a biracial Founding Father, and a Chinese-American Elizabeth Hamilton, people shift in their seats (Perez, Ross, Koroma 2015). Regardless of this, others raved; shows sold out, people flooded Broadway Street, souls were sold in order to get a ticket to this revolutionary musical. This led to Hamilton being one of the most successful shows in history. Some argue that a mix of these cultures doesn’t form naturally in real life. This claim is actually mere misinformation. We all know that America is a “mixing pot”, one where all cultures are welcome. Although there are areas where singular ethnicities are most common, many ethnicities live in one community. So as it may seem unnatural that a variety of cultures are living in harmony together on-screen to an individual that lives in a predominantly white area, it’s truly not as unnatural as they think. Opposers must go out and see for themselves that America is harmoniously diverse, rather than complain about the inclusion of different cultures. .
Pictured above is a young girl adorned with a variety of Doc McStuffins toys and accessories.
You can visibly see the excitement she has for this cartoon, in which a dark skinned little girl is a doctor who fixes toys and stuffed animals. This is a rarity on television, as most children’s tv shows star little white boys and girls. This little girl is being represented racially, which is most likely more significant that we understand. She is being given the hope that she too can grow up to be a doctor, just like the girl who looks like her on screen. This kind of representation is important because children of all races need to be shown that they can be equally successful doctors and detectives. As a society, we should continue to uplift young children of different cultures by representing them in television and movies, rather than dominating the networks with depictions of the successes of white
children.
In conclusion, people matter. People like to be represented. People all have an equal opportunity to be talented. How about we cater to all of these facts by casting different ethnicities in tv shows and movies? The result will be a better representation of America, inclusion of minorities, and more success for everyone. Let’s give ourselves the opportunity to enjoy the talents of People of Color that we’ve been ignoring all these years.
It’s unarguable; American movies and television are prominently white. Is this because people fail to realize that there are races other than white? While minority groups make up 38% of America, only an infinitesimal 6.5%-8% of minorities are cast in television roles (latimes.com). Are white people the only ones talented enough to memorize lines? We seem to believe this, because the percentage of minorities with television and movie leads have gone from a …show more content…
slim 16.7% to an even worse 12.9% (Cunningham 2016). Minorities continue to be overlooked for parts, regardless of talent. Directors continue to paint our screens with white, white, white; all to receive lower ratings. Statistics have proven that TV shows with a multiethnic cast receive higher ratings and more praise from audiences (Cunningham 2016). This leaves little room for argument that minority groups shouldn’t be cut a fraction of Hollywood fame and success.
Everyone’s talking about it; Hamilton. The Broadway musical that’s sweeping Americans off their feet with instantaneously charming lyrics, relatable characters, and a captivating take on American history. There’s nothing to dislike about this uproarious hit. However, the focus seems to rest on one thing; the racial diversity. Starring a Puerto Rican lead, a biracial Founding Father, and a Chinese-American Elizabeth Hamilton, people shift in their seats (Perez, Ross, Koroma 2015). Regardless of this, others raved; shows sold out, people flooded Broadway Street, souls were sold in order to get a ticket to this revolutionary musical. This led to Hamilton being one of the most successful shows in history. Some argue that a mix of these cultures doesn’t form naturally in real life. This claim is actually mere misinformation. We all know that America is a “mixing pot”, one where all cultures are welcome. Although there are areas where singular ethnicities are most common, many ethnicities live in one community. So as it may seem unnatural that a variety of cultures are living in harmony together on-screen to an individual that lives in a predominantly white area, it’s truly not as unnatural as they think. Opposers must go out and see for themselves that America is harmoniously diverse, rather than complain about the inclusion of different cultures. .
Pictured above is a young girl adorned with a variety of Doc McStuffins toys and accessories.
You can visibly see the excitement she has for this cartoon, in which a dark skinned little girl is a doctor who fixes toys and stuffed animals. This is a rarity on television, as most children’s tv shows star little white boys and girls. This little girl is being represented racially, which is most likely more significant that we understand. She is being given the hope that she too can grow up to be a doctor, just like the girl who looks like her on screen. This kind of representation is important because children of all races need to be shown that they can be equally successful doctors and detectives. As a society, we should continue to uplift young children of different cultures by representing them in television and movies, rather than dominating the networks with depictions of the successes of white
children.
In conclusion, people matter. People like to be represented. People all have an equal opportunity to be talented. How about we cater to all of these facts by casting different ethnicities in tv shows and movies? The result will be a better representation of America, inclusion of minorities, and more success for everyone. Let’s give ourselves the opportunity to enjoy the talents of People of Color that we’ve been ignoring all these years.