Current Events > Do you agree with the phrase 'representation matters'

(+) Yeah! (+)

Many are excited to see characters with the same skin colour/gender identity/religion etc as them because they bring unique perspectives to the book/movie/game.
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Yes, I don't have a problem with different kinds of people being represented in media.

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Yeah, only meaningful, respectful representation.

Edited because @apolloooo posted the correct statement.

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Yes

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Yeah. While I personally don't care that much, I think the media played a big part in me developing self hating racist beliefs as early as like 2nd grade, which I didn't shed for a very long time. Even now I'm still kind of uncomfortable around other Asian people, but there are other things that play into that.

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Jabodie posted...

Yeah. While I personally don't care that much, I think the media played a big part in me developing self hating racist beliefs as early as like 2nd grade, which I didn't shed for a very long time. Even now I'm still kind of uncomfortable around other Asian people, but there are other things that play into that.

Damn, I hadn't considered how that sort of thing could happen, but it makes sense.

Yes, I think representation is important.

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No

I think those are two different things. Acting like people cant relate to a character because they dont look the same is either A) horseshit or B) a sign that youre just not writing characters that are relatable enough. Growing up, I didnt look at the Flash and wonder why he didnt look like me and have that stop me from being a fan. I was a fan as a kid because hes fast. Period. The thought process of I cant relate isnt something that naturally comes up until people are told by someone else that theres a difference.

However I do think that representation in it of itself is good. There should be heroes of all kinds of races, etc etc. But I also think the practice of taking a white character and just making them brown is the laziest and weakest effort put into creating representation.

Imagine patting yourself on the back for being progressive when all you did is insult your audience by saying look Spider-man is black/latino now, so now you have your own hero like as if black/latino fans shouldnt have been fans of Peter Parker just because he was white.

Either way, having representation is good, but the idea that people need it in order to feel validated is nonsense.

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Im all for representation.

Im not for changing characters for an agenda though.

Yes

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Sure.

I think a lot of white Americans don't really notice how much stuff is catered towards them at the expense of others.

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It's important but it also doesn't need to be everywhere. As a black person, I don't need to see black people in a show that takes place in Medieval Europe (or a Medieval Europe-type setting like a fantasy show/movie). Seeing a black person in a show based on 12th century Poland doesn't make me feel "validated", it takes me out of it.

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100%. Probably more than we realize or are willing to accept.

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DespondentDeity posted...

Yeah, only meaningful, respectful representation.

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I personally don't care, but I know it matters to others, so sure.

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AmericaTheBrave posted...

It's important but it also doesn't need to be everywhere. As a black person, I don't need to see black people in a show that takes place in Medieval Europe (or a Medieval Europe-type setting like a fantasy show/movie). Seeing a black person in a show based on 12th century Poland doesn't make me feel "validated", it takes me out of it.

how I feel.

I'm cool with PoC not being in medieval European shows/movies, even though it did happen irl, but I'd like to see medieval/post-colonial fiction also focus on Africa, Asia, the Americas, etc.

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It matters, but not that much.

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I think even on a personal level we all like when we see a movie or game that's set in a place we're familiar with. I live in Australia and thought Forza Horizon 3 was really neat. I dunno if I'd have even checked out that game without that element.

When I see a movie in New York it's cool to see and recognize places I've been to when that happens.

And this is such a shallow example of representation. When you have characters who have unique experiences it can mean a whole lot to people who feel like they haven't seen anything like it represented on the screen.

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A film about vikings doesn't benefit much from technicolor casting.
Films about samurai would arguably be better without the token white guy.

ImAMarvel posted...

This is all true but there's also a double standard here where a lot of the heroes we all watched growing up were straight white males, so for those of us who were not straight, not white, or not male, yeah, we had to look past race in order to relate to them. The problem is that now all of a sudden, all these racist white nerds can't relate to all these new characters who don't conform to those older racial, heteronormative standards. And it's like, why? We had to do the exact same shit growing up and they tell us that we're stupid and immature for not being able to relate to white heroes, but when the same thing is asked of them, they act like it's an impossible task to like, look up to and admire, or relate to a character who's black, or brown, or gay, or female. It's bullshit.

I completely agree. Im not sure what the solution would be to that, other than hopefully over time people just get used to the representation. I think thats the ultimate goal anyway.

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Yeah. It used to be SJW to agree but now its normie to think this.

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I understand why it matters to a lot of people, but I guess I'm that odd person who, as a gay man, never felt the need to be represented onscreen. Still don't. I also understand I had the luxury of growing up in an environment where I was free to feel comfortable in my own skin, so I guess I just never went looking for that kind of validation because I was already confident in who and what I was to begin with. In fact I kind of didn't want to see other people like me because it probably would have broken the illusion I was special.

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Yes but I also think there is a very thin line between representation and pandering. Particularly in advertisements.

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