The Shakerite VOL 91 ISSUE I

Only four of those 13 have seen a
“Medea” movie.
I keep seeing this Hulu ad for
the new show “Soul of a Nation”
about the Black experience in
America. The ad stated, “a show
about Black people, for all people,”
and I think that explains
the issue right there. People of
other races would probably see
an ad featuring mostly Black people
and talking about the Black
experience and assume the show
wasn’t for them. I don’t think it’s
out of malice; maybe it’s just lack
of interest or fear of overstepping.
To me though, that show is
for other races even more than
it is for Black people. We know
what it’s like to be Black, we live
it every day. They don’t. Watching
it would be a wonderful
learning opportunity and could
spare us the real-life encounters
in which we are expected to
drop everything we’re doing and
explain what racism is.
Instead of Black characters
having no story or making quips
for laughs, they should be main
characters with their own personal
development that doesn’t
focus on race or financial struggles.
Roles
should be
written so that
a person of any
race can play
them. I don’t
want to see us
going through
some sick trauma
or having
to figure out a
way to make it
out the hood. I
want to see a Black main character
of a regular rom-com that’s
targeted to all demographics.
“Black Panther” is a movie
that checks so many of the boxes.
It isn’t a slave or gang related
movie. There are characters of
all skin tones. The main characters
are Black and aren’t just
there for comic relief. Since it’s a
Marvel movie, it targeted everyone
instead of just Black people.
In that movie the Black people
were prospering, successful,
intelligent and strong. That is an
example of good Black representation.
And the film was a huge
hit.
The original “Hairspray” was
released in 1988 and included an
awful portrayal of Black people.
All of the Black characters were
in special needs classrooms
or were beggars on the street
whom white characters reacted
to fearfully. In the 2004 rendition,
however, the growth for us
is clear. The Black characters
are respectable and have their
own story lines, rather than just
being silent or menacing background
characters.
We are making progress,
there is no doubt.
Movies with Black main characters
often focus on Black trauma. Photo by
David Vahey.
We have moved away from
the blatantly racist portrayals of
Black people and the complete
lack of diversity in movies and
TV shows. Now they are more
subtly racist, and we’re sprinkled
in the big blockbusters for a few
funny lines or so.
But we also have much better
options now. Shows such as
“Black-ish,” “My Wife and Kids”
and “Moesha” show much better
presentations of Black people;
two working affluent parents, no
baby mommas and baby daddys,
no gang affiliations, kids and parents
that care about their grades
and aspire to go to college. They
depict racial struggles, but also
normal human beings, relationships,
educational and social
struggles, so characters are
multidimensional.
I understand why it’s so hard
to give us the better representation
that we want. The industries
just try to reflect society and
stick with the same tropes that
we all know so that we’ll relate
and feel comfortable. But that’s
why we need to start showing all
people as more than just stereotypes,
so we will get used to
seeing different people in different
ways.
How can we expect to move
on in society when the same narrow
narratives are being shoved
down our throats constantly?
Diversify portrayals to show both
other races and ourselves that
we can be more than just what
popular culture tells us we are.
Spring 2021 THE SHAKERITE 35