To an adolescent Whoopi Goldberg, the sight of an independent black woman on the bridge of the USS Enterprise was life-altering. Star Trek offered
the future-superstar not only an opportunity to see her likeness on
television, but a glimpse at a hopeful and prosperous future for her
wary people. Meanwhile, Korean-Canadian, and Grey's Anatomy cast member, Sandra Oh laments that she never had the same opportunity as Goldberg: "I
grew up never seeing myself on-screen, and it's really important to me
to give people who look like me a chance to see themselves. I want to
see myself as the hero of any story. I want to see myself save the world
from the bomb." What is the significance and impact of seeing people like
you on television? Have you ever seen you and your life reflected
on-screen? If so, were you represented accurately? If you've never seen
yourself represented on television, why do you believe that is? What
would it take for television to accurately represent who you are?
Include at least two of the following in your discussion:
- "Why ‘Diverse TV’ Matters: It’s Better TV. Discuss." (New York Times)
- "Able-Bodied Actors Play 95% of Disabled Characters in Top 10 TV Shows, Says New Study" (Variety)
- "From 'Good Times' To 'Honey Boo Boo': Who is Poor On TV?" (NPR)
- "Obama: Muslims on TV Deserve to be Portrayed as More than Just Terrorists" (Huffington Post)
- "The First Time I Saw Myself on TV" (Hulu)
- "It's 2016 and Latino Representation on TV is Finally Starting to Reflect Reality" (Mic)
Required:
- Must be in MLA Style
- Must be two full pages in length
- Must have a works cited page
Due: Fri 11.4
