Search results for: representation
On Sexuality, Representation, and Being a Lonely Brown Girl
This article was originally published on Kajal Magazine and republished here with the author‘s permission. A few years ago, I truly believed a brown man would save me from my loneliness. It’s embarrassing to admit now, but at the time, my everyday life was shaped by this hope: if I could just find one to…
Read MoreHere’s How Representation in Comics Could Be Way Better
Where can you find the comic characters who look like you? Here are some suggestions on where to start, and how to support more representation in comics.
Read MoreBarbie Dolls and Bollywood – And Why Media Representation Matters for Self-Love
So many girls of color can relate to this author’s experience with dolls and films. Find out how she learned to love herself as an Indian woman, and you’ll see why representation matters.
Read More3 Myths About Black Atheists That Prove They Need Better Representation
Given the strong role of religion in the Black community, Black atheist and nonbelievers are often overlooked, stereotyped, and even shunned by family and friends. So let us self-reflect and weed out harmful myths about what it means to be Black in America so that it includes Black nonbelievers too.
Read MoreWhy We Need Better Representation of Asian Women (Explained in Terms of Harry Potter!)
You’ve seen the stereotype before: Asian woman falls in love with white hero and then cries when he inevitably leaves her. It’s one of the most tired tropes around Asian women in our media and, yes, even extends to Harry Potter. Check out this kickass poem by Rachel Rostad to JK Rowling on how this misrepresentation is damaging and dehumanizing and why we need to do better.
Read MoreThe Ladies to Look Up to in Television and Why Their Representations Matter
I remember when my parents subscribed to cable television. I began to realize where I, as a young woman, received value. While I wasn’t consciously critiquing TV as a tween, I was absorbing their messages, and the message was primarily that women are objects. And don’t get me started on diversity! But today I’m not here just to critique. I’m here to celebrate.
Read MoreHow Toxic Masculinity Dominated 2016
Donald Trump, mass shootings, police violence. What’s the danger of toxic masculinity? For an answer, look no further than this review of 2016.
Read MoreWhy We Need More Positive Representations of Women in Sports Media and How We Can Support Them
In the wake of Title IX’s fortieth anniversary, we have a lot to celebrate. But we still have a long way to go. The sexualization of women in sports is not new, and it will not change overnight. But there is hope. We need more positive representations of women in sports media for several reasons. Here are just a few!
Read More4 Harmful Lies the Media Is Telling You About Androgyny
It’s great to get media representation of people outside the gender binary. But when all of it represents a narrow view of androgyny (looking like Ruby Rose), something’s missing. Here’s why it’s a problem.
Read More3 Things Our Media Should Have — But Doesn’t (Because It’s So White Cis Heternormative)
The media we consume can impact the way we see our own bodies, our perspectives on races, cultures, sexualities, and genders. It’s disheartening to see the media prioritizing the stories of only a set group of people. It is absolutely essential that we continually call for improvement. So how can we to do that? Here are three things we must demand from media.
Read More7 Ways Our Favorite Superhero, Fantasy, and Sci-fi Movies Teach Us to Be Racist
Racism and mainstream sci-fi culture often seem to go hand and hand. Here’s how our favorite movies get it wrong, and some ways we can start to address this problem.
Read MoreThinking Critically About Problematic Media: A Basic How-To Guide
If you’re anything like me, you spend countless hours binge-watching your favorite TV shows, dancing to the songs that move you, and generally consuming a lot of media. That means that it is inevitable that some of the things you encounter and love are problematic. So what are we do to do when we encounter something that we love that is also deeply problematic?
Read MoreIndian People React to American Pop Culture Stereotypes and Prove How Wrong They Are
Big Bang Theory, The Simpsons, and more – media representation matters, and you might be surprised how many of these stereotypes you’ve bought into.
Read MoreStop Making Black People Fight Everyone’s Battles
“We should be allies, not advocates.” Black folks are #NotYourMule – and these conversations addressing diversity issues by shaming black people have to stop.
Read MoreHow Emma Stone’s Role As an ‘Asian’ Character Reveals a Huge Hollywood Problem
Do you see yourself represented in Hollywood? Marina Watanabe’s uncovered the appalling numbers behind the media’s lack of diversity – and she’s on point about why it matters.
Read More10 Examples of Media Misrepresentation – And the Real Life Consequences
“It’s just a movie!” What’s the big deal about media misrepresentation? These real-life examples of the impact show how dangerous stereotypes really are.
Read MoreThe Comedy You Love Uses Trans Women As Punchlines And We Need To Talk About It
Do you recognize these tired tropes about trans women from popular shows and movies? These “jokes” are so common that many of us still laugh along – but Kat Blaque’s got a better idea.
Read MoreFlipping the Script: 4 Reasons Fan Fiction Is a Feminist Pursuit
Although it’s often ridiculed and written off, fan fiction makes some serious progress when it comes to empowerment of marginalized people. It allows us to call out problematic media elements of the texts we love and subvert those narratives – leaving space to reclaim the stories. Read this piece to learn about how the world of fan fiction can be a feminist pursuit.
Read More8 Common Myths About Homelessness – Debunked
“Myth #8: Services and buildings will end homelessness.” Society gives us a very limited image of what homelessness looks like – so unlearning these myths is essential.
Read MoreThe Top 8 Reasons Why We Need Feminism in Our Schools
What do you think the purpose of public education is? If you want it to do more than repeat the status quo, here’s why feminism has to be part of the equation.
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