Minority representation in movies

[Anakin McFly]

I know that media plays a huge role in shaping our worldview and prejudices, but is there evidence that minority representation still has a net positive effect when it comes to changing existing attitudes? Or is it more about helping the next generation develop a more inclusive mindset and give minorities the chance to see people like them represented on screen?

The Ghostbusters misogynist backlash, the racist anger over Idris Elba in The Dark Tower and the rage over a couple seconds of possible-lesbian-couple in Finding Dory - as well as over gay!Sulu, whose kiss was cut from the film - disheartens me. Sometimes it seems to be preaching to the choir at best, and at worst generating a lot of hateful backlash at SJW-cucks-ruining-everything that might do more harm than good in the long run.

I think it's particularly bad when it's with an established franchise with devoted fans, because I can empathise with it feeling extremely violating when a character you've loved and idolised for years turns out to be the sort of person you really don't like. In other cases it might push previously-quiet parties into anger, where they're cool with other people getting rights until they perceive it as intruding on something that personal to them. But at the same time, changing established characters can be very validating for minority fans for that same reason. I don't know if it cancels out.

What do you think is the best way to increase minority-acceptance through media representation so as to create minimal backlash? Some people will be mad no matter what, but how do you minimise that reaction while at the same time not pandering to their bigotry? What's the best way to lure the fence-sitters? Where do you draw the line between respectability politics and presenting the best possible impression in hopes of winning people over?

[CashRules]

I'll never understand the Idris Elba hate. The man should get the lead in every movie.

[Anakin McFly]

I still like the mental image of him playing aels on her first day of primary school.

[CashRules]

The next time they make a movie about Queen Elizabeth I, Elba should get the lead. A person would have to be a complete moron to think anybody would be more able than Idris Elba to play a red-headed white woman.

[Unvoiced_Apollo]

I'll never understand the Idris Elba hate. The man should get the lead in every movie.

Typical SJW. Think of all the backlash if Benedict Cumberbatch were to play Kunta Kente. But you have no problem with a blackwashing a white woman? Talk about double standards! /sarcasm

I know that media plays a huge role in shaping our worldview and prejudices, but is there evidence that minority representation still has a net positive effect when it comes to changing existing attitudes? Or is it more about helping the next generation develop a more inclusive mindset and give minorities the chance to see people like them represented on screen?

The Ghostbusters misogynist backlash, the racist anger over Idris Elba in The Dark Tower and the rage over a couple seconds of possible-lesbian-couple in Finding Dory - as well as over gay!Sulu, whose kiss was cut from the film - disheartens me. Sometimes it seems to be preaching to the choir at best, and at worst generating a lot of hateful backlash at SJW-cucks-ruining-everything that might do more harm than good in the long run.

I think it's particularly bad when it's with an established franchise with devoted fans, because I can empathise with it feeling extremely violating when a character you've loved and idolised for years turns out to be the sort of person you really don't like. In other cases it might push previously-quiet parties into anger, where they're cool with other people getting rights until they perceive it as intruding on something that personal to them. But at the same time, changing established characters can be very validating for minority fans for that same reason. I don't know if it cancels out.

What do you think is the best way to increase minority-acceptance through media representation so as to create minimal backlash? Some people will be mad no matter what, but how do you minimise that reaction while at the same time not pandering to their bigotry? What's the best way to lure the fence-sitters? Where do you draw the line between respectability politics and presenting the best possible impression in hopes of winning people over?

To me, it's more about getting to see someone like you play the hero, which studies have shown would likely help to raise the self-esteem of those being represented. Not enough minorities & womebln ger to sse that.

As for luring the fence sitters, nothing as far as using movies to convince anyone. Just keep making movies with such characters & actors. I remember the big to do about the two dads in the campbell's soup commercial. But the thing is, I don't think most people actually noticed it. It seemed natural to me as did Sulu's relationship. I would have never noticed had gay Sulu not been announced.

It's like mixed relationships in movies. It would have been a big deal back in the day, but they're not even a blip to most. The more exposed we are to these casts and characters, the more we'll accept them.

Those behind Ghostbusters (2016] I think really mishandled the reaction to those that had negative comments about an all female cast prior to the trailer, which is what lead to the creator's comments of misogyny as to why it was so hated. While I think there was some misogyny going on, that first trailer looked terrible and so many scenes were out of context. Sony, rather than trying to engage with the misogynists should have just said "Look, we don't want to give you a beat for beat copy of a movie you love. We understand this isn't the same tone, but these aren't th same characters & we're bringing in some cool ideas that weren't in the first two". It reassures those who have issues that aren't related to misogyny & ignores anyone that is mislgynistic.

My point? Most people don't care who the leads are, but making a big deal of underrepresented groups being made characters make things seem like an unnatural development. It shouldn't, but the reality is that it does. The best thing to do is just to support these movies and encourage more representation while letting the representation feel organic and natural.

[aels]

I still like the mental image of him playing aels on her first day of primary school.

He could pull it off!

[Unvoiced_Apollo]

I still like the mental image of him playing aels on her first day of primary school.

He could pull it off!

Erm...we are still talking about his representation of you right?

[Anakin McFly]

I still like the mental image of him playing aels on her first day of primary school.

He could pull it off!

Erm...we are still talking about his representation of you right?

well, that escalated quickly.

The next time they make a movie about Queen Elizabeth I, Elba should get the lead.

I would watch this.

but making a big deal of underrepresented groups being made characters make things seem like an unnatural development.

Yeah, which is my problem with how a lot of that representation is done. It's often so tokenistic and unnatural that it ends up reinforcing people's beliefs that minority representation ruins movies. Like in Independence Day 2 (which I actually liked), where you have this random Chinese actress who's obviously just there to pander to the China market, and is otherwise completely useless throughout the film and doesn't even look like a fighter pilot, let alone one of the best ones ever. It was so horribly contrived to the point of being insulting.

Whereas you have TV shows like Fringe (which is awesome) that has a whole host of minority characters (the villain is a disabled woman who glides around evilly on a wheelchair, ffs) who are each fully developed with personalities and backstories beyond just being the token minority person. Likewise Eureka, where most of the characters weren't white dudes, and it was done so organically it was barely noticeable. Which I grant is much easier to do on a TV series. But then also movies like The Matrix, where while it had some minor racial issues it still managed to get this whole bunch of diverse characters that all felt like they belonged in that story and weren't just shoehorned in last minute to tick a diversity box. Or Men in Black, Alien, etc. Somehow more recent movies feel more tokenistic than ever, like they're only grudgingly and half-heartedly including characters who aren't straight white men because otherwise the SJWs would complain.

and yes I don't watch a lot of TV so all my examples are ancient.

Re: Ghostbusters, I didn't like the trailer at all either, and I agree it was handled badly. Though with these things I note that while their initial response may not have been the result of misogyny, the way they respond to that accusation is often telling; it's one thing to dislike the trailer or movie for valid reasons, and another to suddenly start ranting about feminazis making everything about misogyny when they are accused of it. If they honestly weren't misogynist, they wouldn't get mad at feminists for rightly mentioning that a good portion of backlash was misogynist in nature.