WHM: Representation Matters

In the words of the late, great, and deeply missed Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg: “Women belong everywhere where decisions are being made.”

As we wrap up the month of March, and Women’s History Month along with it, we’d like to reflect upon progress made and to be made still. If we consider the evolution of women’s roles in entertainment throughout history, there is no denying the immense progress and diversification that has occurred. Mere decades ago the representation of women in media was summarized by heteronormative cisgender whiteness and relegated to the margins, pigeonholed into superficial and misogynistic roles, with entry into the writer’s room barricaded. In a welcome contrast, today we see leading ladies of color, stories written and told from female perspectives, roles that celebrate the multifaceted woman. We see topics of sexism and inequality discussed and challenged in mass media, and the demystification of Feminism and clarity of what it truly stands for. We see characters who represent sexual orientations and gender identifications that go beyond the standardized hetero and cis character. We are consuming stories created by previously silenced voices.

The progress made in media representation is nothing small to celebrate. In recent years we’ve seen the growing commonality of the phrase: Representation Matters. It’s such a simple concept, and yet it holds an incredible measure of meaning. Do you remember the viral photo of little Parker Curry gazing up at the portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama in awe as she recognized a woman of power and grace who looked much more like her than the previous 43 portraits? This spontaneous photo touched so many people because without saying anything, it says everything. The glimmer in a child’s eye when they recognize themselves as important enough, valid enough, to be seen and heard by others is why representation matters. Of course in 2021, we were graced with another feat. Madame Vice President Kamala Harris: the first woman, first Black woman, and the first Asian American woman to assume the role of Second-In-Command. (And you best believe that just like Parker, there were little girls gazing up at the television captivated by the vision of someone who looked like them, whose parents looked like theirs, whose name sounded familiar, in the second most powerful governmental position for the first time in history.)

F.L. Michelle Obama and V.P. Kamala Harris signify more than just politics and government: they established pillars of representation that were previously missing. They are inspiring examples of the broader conversation; they hold mirrors up to society and show the cracks. Because while the tapestry of representation is more colorful and vibrant than ever before, we still have copious barriers to break and glass ceilings to demolish in our own industry. Here are a few milestones we want to see stamped into our Women’s History:

 
- MORE LEAD ROLES FOR BIPOC WOMEN

- MORE STORIES WRITTEN, PRODUCED, DIRECTED BY WOMEN

- TRANS FEMALE LEADS AND MORE TRANS STORIES (BY TRANS PEOPLE)

- DIFFERENT-ABLED FEMALE LEADS AND STORIES (BY DIFFERENT-ABLED PEOPLE)

- MORE FEMALE LEADS OF ALL SHAPES AND SIZES IN MORE GENRES

- MORE ROLES FOR LGBTQ WOMEN THAT DON’T SIMPLY SENSATIONALIZE OR SEXUALIZE

- MORE FEMALE NARRATIVES & STORIES SITUATED OUTSIDE OF WESTERNIZED CULTURE

- ANIMATED ROLES FOR BIPOC WOMEN VOICED BY BIPOC WOMEN

- MORE FEMALE ROLES THAT EMPOWER & REVOLUTIONIZE

We’ve accomplished so much, and yet we still have much work to do. This list is not complete or all-encompassing by any means, and the fight for equality and progress is certainly not yet won. As the fight continues, we dedicate this Women’s History Month to those who have paved paths, those who have walked them, and those who are still fighting to lay the foundation. We will fight alongside you. May women be represented in all facets of life, of government, of media, of history.
May we strive, always, for more.

With love,
Shirley’s

IMAGE PULLED FROM: ryersonian
ARTIST: MELISSA ORO

AUTHOR: LARA FREEMAN-ERBIN