Films.
We’re all constantly bombarded by them. Watching TV, checking Twitter, or driving down the road, ads for movies are everywhere. It’s not a problem because we have the button to change the channel or hit the “skip in 5 seconds” button.
We accept all of these things because movies provide an entertainment where, for at least a few hours, we can escape into the fantasy worlds that we secretly picture for ourselves. Except, what happens when no one in your fantasy looks like you?
It’s no surprise that since the creation of movies in the late 1800’s that there has been a lack of diversity. Rather than employing people of color in movies black face was created to continue the racial divide that existed, especially in the United States. Despite the civil rights movement, and people of all races receiving equal rights, a racial inequity still exists, specifically in film.
This inequality is most well known as whitewashing.
Whitewashing is defined as “a casting practice in the film industry of the United States in which white actors are cast in historically non-white character roles.” Famous examples of this would include the portrayal of I.Y. Yunioshi in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” by Mickey Rooney and Elizabeth Taylor’s portrayal of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Cleopatra.
Rooney was a white man pretending to be a Japanese-American man by perpetrating offensive caricatures such as having large buck teeth, a heavy “Asian” accent, and having squinty eyes. Taylor’s impression of Cleopatra was equally offensive. A fair skinned actress was cast for a role where it should have been a person of color.
If you’ve ever taken eighth grade history, or have any basic knowledge of geography and where Egypt is, this concept is simple enough.
The idea of whitewashing has many other roots in our society. Our standards of “beauty” have consistently proven that some think that the lighter the skin you have the more attractive you are. This idea has often been linked to slavery when mixed-raced slaves were preferential over other slaves.
Biracial slaves could try to pass for white and were often given special treatment by their owners. Being light skinned was something to be envied. Since that time skin lightening creams and skin bleaching has become popular within our society, especially with people of color.
Even today within many African-American communities some believe that being “light-skinned” is preferential over being “dark-skinned” regardless of your actual looks.
With the concept of whitewashing not being new, neither is the backlash towards it. When “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” went to Broadway a formal petition was signed to have it cancelled due to whitewashing. After the release of “Dr. Strange” last year, many were infuriated over the character known as The Ancient One being cast as a white woman, whereas in the comics it was an Asian man.
Counter-arguments stated that it’s not a big deal because it’s just a movie. Though it may be “just a movie” it’s frustrating when the people that are meant to be representing you, your culture, and your history are portrayed as incompetent, or simply nonexistent.
By having these be the only representation in the media we help imply one of two things. First, that minority representation isn’t important to us. And secondly, that the caricatures we display about minority groups are how we actually see these groups, rather than simply as people.
It shows that as a society we believe the stereotypes that are consistently perpetuated about minorities, and that these groups are nothing more than a bad joke in a movie to us.
It’s important in all forms of entertainment, especially film, that minority groups are fairly and accurately represented. Accurate representation allows people, especially young boys and girls, to grow confident in their bodies and in their identities. A stronger sense of self leads to a stronger sense of society, and potentially a stronger world. Isn’t that a fantasy we can all get behind?