Sometimes, you don't see something that is in front of your face, even if that something is constantly there, hanging around. You just get used to it and don't bother questioning it, but when someone points it out you think "It was there all the time, it was so obvious! How could I have not noticed it?" What I didn't notice at first, and is so obvious to me now, was a lack of something, rather than it's presence. That something is representation.
When I was little, I used to watch the TV. White, cis and straight people was all I saw. There were little to none POCs, much more men than women (who usually got an important role because they were the romantic interest of the male protagonist) and absolutely no trans or non-binary people. I only saw two lesbian characters when they were presented in a very sexualized way to the male protagonist. Now, things hadn't changed that much: if I want to consume progressive content, I have to search for it actively, and avoid the toxic one even harder. Censorship is a thing, and a very explicit one.
But, what are the consequences of this? The main problem, I think, is the obliviousness to the topic that many people have. Things like sexism are being normalized and assimilated by many. People who identify with groups like LGBT+ are left years, or even their whole lives, without knowing an important part of themselves because they don't even know it exists. And the people who realize it end up feeling that they are strange and wrong. If I had noticed this discrimination when I was younger, I would have known some basic things about myself and about the world much earlier. If this discrimination didn't exists, I probably wouldn't have to.
When I was little, I used to watch the TV. White, cis and straight people was all I saw. There were little to none POCs, much more men than women (who usually got an important role because they were the romantic interest of the male protagonist) and absolutely no trans or non-binary people. I only saw two lesbian characters when they were presented in a very sexualized way to the male protagonist. Now, things hadn't changed that much: if I want to consume progressive content, I have to search for it actively, and avoid the toxic one even harder. Censorship is a thing, and a very explicit one.
But, what are the consequences of this? The main problem, I think, is the obliviousness to the topic that many people have. Things like sexism are being normalized and assimilated by many. People who identify with groups like LGBT+ are left years, or even their whole lives, without knowing an important part of themselves because they don't even know it exists. And the people who realize it end up feeling that they are strange and wrong. If I had noticed this discrimination when I was younger, I would have known some basic things about myself and about the world much earlier. If this discrimination didn't exists, I probably wouldn't have to.
I really like your post, I think it is a very important topic and we should talk more about it. Also, I completely agree with you, the TV usually shows white, cis and straight people so that is what we see as "normal" when we are children, and that has to change. If we saw all genders and sexual orientations when we are children, we would normalize them and we would end with the discrimination.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your post and I think everyone should read it.
I agree with your post in so many ways an d going back to when I was little i think all you talk about is true. However I do think that that the situation has improved a little and some TV shows and films start featuring reality how it is and by that, showing more sexual orientations. Even though, there is a lot to be made yet and as you say, we might end discrimination one day
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