The Importance Of Minority Representation In Pop Culture

  According to PBS, around 40% of people in the United States are non-white, and by 2055 there will be no majority race. Just a few years ago, only 10% of film actors represented them, a number that has since jumped to 20%. Even with the drastic improvement, there is still a disparity of 100%, a number unacceptable in modern society.

Why does giving a few actors jobs even matter? It's not about that... it's about all the people watching. According to a student at Etiwanda High School, "You start to wonder, 'why don't I see anybody like me?' It kinda brings you down." A student from Black River Falls High School brought up another good point, "A lot of the gays you see in Hollywood are over-the-top," and, indeed, the only representation of gays and non-white people has often been in animated sitcoms that were created for the purpose of culture stereotypification.

     Minority representation allows people to feel valid. It makes them feel as though they can make it just as far as everyone else. It gives them someone to look up to, someone to relate to, and someone to inspire them.