Representation of Marginalized Groups in Media

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March 5, 2023
Representational Patterns Analysis
Understanding how to conduct a thematic analysis between various art pieces is essential for any individual. For one, it allows him to have a deeper appreciation of how socio-political, historical, and even economic circumstances have shaped the ideas of the creator. Accordingly, this article will focus on finding a representational pattern for minorities based on various television shows. More particularly, I would like to focus on two articles as a point of comparison: (1) Herman Gray’s Reaganism and the Sign of Blackness. Watching Race: Television and the Struggle for Blackness and (2) Alfred Martin Jr’s Negotiating the Generic Closet in the Writers' Room.
Cross-text Analysis
The works of Gray and Martin Jr., "Negotiating the Generic Closet in the Writers' Room," share a common thread in discussing the representation of marginalized groups in the media. Both texts offer insights into how race, sexuality, and gender are represented on screen and the challenges writers and producers face in creating authentic and nuanced portrayals of these groups.
Gray's work examines Blackness's representation during the Reagan era, highlighting how television shows perpetuated negative stereotypes of Black people. Gray argues that Reaganism, which emphasized individualism and free-market capitalism, reinforced these stereotypes by portraying Black people as lazy, criminal, and dependent on government welfare. Gray notes that these representations were not new but a continuation of long-standing negative depictions of Black people in media.
Similarly, "Negotiating the Generic Closet in the Writers' Room" examines the challenges writers face in creating authentic and nuanced portrayals of LGBTQ+ characters. The author notes that while the representation of LGBTQ+ characters on screen has increased recently, many are still reduced to stereotypes and one-dimensional portrayals. The author also notes that writers and producers face pressure from studios to cater to a straight, cisgender audience, leading to the erasure or marginalization of LGBTQ+ characters and storylines.
Despite discussing different marginalized groups, both texts highlight the need for authentic and nuanced representation in media. Gray argues that negative stereotypes perpetuated by media contribute to the marginalization of Black people. At the same time, the author of "Negotiating the Generic Closet in the Writers' Room" notes that one-dimensional portrayals of LGBTQ+ characters can perpetuate harmful stereotypes and lead to erasure.
Furthermore, both texts highlight the challenges writers and producers face in creating authentic and nuanced portrayals of marginalized groups. Gray notes that the economic and political climate of the Reagan ...