Support what you demand

Though we live in a time that is considered progressive, there is still a long journey before true equality and fair representation is reached. According to a study conducted by Dr. Stacy L. Smith, Marc Choueiti, and Dr. Katherine Pieper from USC, only 34 of the top 100 films from 2016 actually featured a lead female role. On top of that, 25 of these films have no speaking African American characters, 54 have no Latino speaking characters, and 44 have no Asian speaking characters.

Under-represented groups today — women, people of color, the LGBTQ+ community and more — have been working hard to make their voices heard. A major wish of these groups is a simple one: representation in the media. Requests generally range from having movies that aren’t so heteronormative — a view that promotes heterosexuality as the “normal” or most important sexuality — to having people of different ethnicities and body types cast. For the past century, it feels as though the same trite stories have been told about straight cisgender white people. And it’s time for a change.

Fortunately, the requests being made for diversity are being heard. Recent films such as “Power Rangers” and “Atomic Blonde,” alongside television shows like “The Get Down,” “Sense8” and “The Bold Type” have in one way or another answered the cry for more representation. Yet somehow, these movies and shows that are supposedly being so wildly demanded are being shoved aside by audiences.

The recent “Power Rangers” remake brought diversity to a new level. The Rangers comprised multiple ethnicities — Indian, African American, Mexican — included multiple sexualities, and even characterized the Blue Ranger to be on the autism spectrum. That’s right, only the Red Ranger was a straight, white male!

This movie was proudly diverse, giving all the keyboard warriors out there exactly what they have been demanding. Yet when it hit theaters during the summer of 2017, it made less than a splash in the box office. The same went for “Atomic Blonde,” which was beat in ratings opening weekend by “The Emoji Movie.” I mean, come on. How did a movie about emojis beat out two hours of Charlize Theron playing a Bond-esque bisexual spy whilst being unbelievably bad-ass?

If we want more diverse movies, we must show up and prove an audience exists for them.

On television, shows like Netflix’s “The Get Down” focused on black teens in the Bronx and 1970s hip-hop culture, while “Sense8” included multiple sexualities and races at once. Unfortunately, “The Get Down” and “Sense8” have both been cancelled — “The Get Down” after one season and “Sense8” after two. However, after much petitioning from fans, “Sense8” was granted a two-hour series finale in order to bring closure to devastated fans. Freeform’s new show, “The Bold Type,” is also an excellent example of diversity in the public eye. Kat, a main character, is an African American woman questioning her sexuality, and a minor — but important — character named Adena is a proud Muslim lesbian. This is a show rooted in feminism and the demand for equality, but in accordance with the pattern we keep seeing, it’s now in jeopardy of being cancelled due to rocky ratings.

Now of course, I have not mentioned every diverse show and movie out there. Just last year, “Moonlight” and “Hidden Figures” won Oscars, and they centered around men and women of color. “Moonlight” even added in positive gay representation. Proving there is space in the critical world for movies and television shows that represent more than one skin color and sexuality encourages directors, writers, and producers to explore the world of diversity.

Despite these positive affirmations that diversity can be rewarded, it is still up to us, the viewers, to support what we demand. Support movies that show overweight people who are valued for their contributions, not used as the butt of every joke because of their size. Support movies that show multiple religions past their watered-down, one-dimensional stereotypes. Support films that allow people of color to be multi-dimensional and exist outside of the tiny box Hollywood has squeezed them into. Support films that don’t white-wash Asian roles. Take an hour out of your week to watch a show that displays similar themes. Make yourself a part of an audience that is helping change the way we perceive the world, because saying and not doing is no longer an option.