Why TV Matters

Have you ever watched a TV show and had a moment where you realized, oh, maybe these characters are not as well represented as I thought? As a little girl, I started paying more attention to the rampant, harmful stereotypes in the TV shows that I was watching, such as Victorious and Jessie. My mother would make it a point to break down stereotyped characters in the shows I would watch, but not everyone had that same experience. For my thesis project. Why TV Matters, I the explore complexities and nuance in character stereotypes and representation in TV, and why it is so important to show representation that goes beyond the accepted norm. I interviewed faculty friends, and staff to create an interactive website prototype that explores three areas of representation: race, gender, and disabilities. What people see on the TV has a significant impact on their perception of the world. Has representation in TV improved in the last 10-15 years? Absolutely. Has the representation gotten more diverse or intersectional? Maybe it’s time you start watching through a different lens.