Hi everyone! My name is Kaitlin Swift and I want to talk a bit about the importance of diversity and representation in media and how crucial it is to tackle these matters carefully. I’ve been thinking about this a lot.
One of my favorite films is “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” which won the Oscars this year. Typically, the Oscars have been predominantly white, with most winning films and performances featuring caucasian actors and actresses. However, this trend has been changing lately with movies like “Moonlight,” “Parasite,” and “Everything Everywhere All at Once” winning Oscars, which is an important shift for the entertainment industry and modern culture itself.
When we talk about book bans, it’s alarming to see many books being banned particularly by religious groups or political groups targeting minorities. This information should not be hidden from anyone. If you’re a person living in a place where your identity isn’t accepted, you should be allowed to access media that represents you and know that you’re not alone.
It’s also terrifying to realize that book bans are not limited to specific places like Texas or Florida; they’re happening locally too. Philly and New Jersey— my former home and current domicile—supposedly liberal areas—are suffering too. Their librarians are being pressured and forced to ban texts essential to the development of today’s youth. It’s terrifying that certain groups of people are pushing to ban such important knowledge. I never pictured the world I grew up in would be reminiscent of the dystopian world of “Fahrenheit 451.”
As a simple exercise, I counted the number of white Disney princesses versus princesses of color. The disparity was evident when I was younger and still is today, underlining the need for more inclusive representation. Disney has been much more inclusive in their content as of lately, which is a great step forward and one that should definitely be continued. It’s perplexing to me how some groups oppose increased representation, like in the new “Little Mermaid” film with Halle Bailey as Ariel. Embracing diversity is essential, especially in our current society. Seeing yourself represented, whether on page or screen, can be life changing.
If I was never exposed to shows like “Steven Universe”, which highlighted gender identity, sexuality, and mental health, or “Hamilton”, which exposed me to a new perspective on American history, I would likely not be the same person I am today. Letting this knowledge be accessible to the public allows people to become exposed to diverse cultures, create their own viewpoint of the world, and become more accepting and kind to the world around them. No matter where you are politically, or what race, sexuality, gender, or ethnicity you are, you should have equal opportunity to enrich your understanding of different cultures. People should not be shielded from the fact that there are so many facets of society, and knowledge about these groups should not be banned. For anyone.
Diversity in media is vital and beneficial. It’s not about erasing the past, but enriching the future with a broader spectrum of voices and narratives. And addressing diversity and sensitive topics such as neurodiversity, mental health, and racism should be handled carefully. It’s important to approach these topics with empathy and thorough research to create content that is meaningful and impactful, and is true to the experiences of those impacted.
When done correctly, diversity in media is beautiful. I am lucky enough to have been enriched with so much diverse media and it has helped me to become the empathetic and understanding person I am today.
