Not All Representation is Good Representation: Media Should do a Better Job at Positive Representation

This topic is most relevant to me and my community--as a black African-American. Positive representation in film and media is so very important for all underrepresented communities that face unprovoked discrimination. The movie Black Panther is an excellent example of GOOD representation. The movie portrays black people, who are normally seen in excruciatingly negative ways-- as strong heroes with loving communities. Even if it's fictional, it's still better than most media appearances that we get. There are a number of Films, series, shows, and more that shed light on underrepresented communities, which is a good thing that should happen more often.

There are so many people that can be affected by not receiving the proper representation in film and media that they need. This could really confuse them and make it impossible to understand who they are and what communities they can find or relate to. This may even make them feel ashamed about something that they have no choice over. Examples include: Skin tone, disabilities, identifying with the LGBTQ+ community, and more. Lots of people say that they are tired of hearing minorities "complain" about how they're being treated, but don't stop to think about how tiring it must be to experience it in the first place.

When the Aunt Jemima fiasco underwent, so many non-black people were saying how black people complaining about a "black woman" being removed from a popular brand was contradictory. If they just done simple research, however, they would've known that Aunt Jemima was a white man in blackface mocking black women. Things like Aunt Jemima happen so often and a lot of humanity just doesn't care. This is why good representation should be more popular in media. Encourage the underrepresented to share their experiences, and don't harass them when they do.