The Portrayal of Black Cultures in Mainstream Media
Chadwick Boseman delivered an impactful speech for his acclaimed film Black Panther at the 25th Annual SAG awards where he said:
"To be young, gifted and Black, we all know what it's like to be told that there is not a place for you to be featured on"
Finding a place as a Black artist in a predominantly white TV industry is an enormous struggle, particularly for budding professionals. Evidenced by a lack of necessary representation of Black people on screen and the lived experience of Black artists, it can be said that the industry has not always welcomed them with open arms. Many of these artists have openly expressed the issues of racial disparities in their profession. Even the few who triumph are compelled to constantly push themselves to thrive in the industry.
A Mckinsey research: ‘Black representation in Film and TV: The challenges and impact of increasing Diversity' sheds a light on the daily struggles of Black professionals and highlights the truth that Black actors and artists are largely cast only when one of the leading producers is Black (e.g., Ma Rainey's Black Bottom - directed by an African-American director, George C. Wolfe and produced by Denzel Washington. Otherwise, they are usually offered relatively small parts, cramped up to support bigger roles and characters. A good example of this is CW's The Vampire Diaries (directed by Julie Plec). Bonnie Bennet, a Black character played by Kat Graham, is deliberately written to support the main (white) character, Elena Gilbert played by Nina Dobrev.
In addition, there is an enormous amount of misrepresentation surrounding Black culture, particularly in American music, often tagged with words such as 'hood' and 'ghetto', suggesting that they live in lower socio-economic parts of town. Black males are frequently associated with aggressiveness and hypermasculinity on screen. The violent Black male is a dominant trope in the media; the portrayal of Black scientists and intellectuals are rarely seen on screen. On the other hand, Black women are commonly portrayed as maids and housewives, feeding into the ‘mammy’ stereotype. Stories about robust Black females have rarely been seen on-screen whether in advertisements, movies, or short films. Such depictions in the media lead to the confirmation of distorted and exaggerated ideas about Black culture that are responsible for the stereotypes and misinformation to the rest of the world.
Today we see more diverse and inclusive representation in the mainstream Film and TV industry, compared to the last five years, although there isn't as much as there should be. In 2016, Spike Lee (African-American director) "called out Hollywood over racial inequality" in an interview with Larry King and said, "People are just unaware of the fact that their workplace does not look like the rest of the United States". Emphasizing the importance of diversity, Lee credits and applauds Cheryl Boone Isaacs for designing "a five-year plan to diversify the voting members in the Academy Awards [Oscars]". Cheryl Boone Isaacs was elected as the 35th President of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in 2013, making her the first Black President of the AMPAS.
The Academy has now broadened its doors to bring in more diversity and has included categories for international films, including films produced in foreign languages. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has an award category for Best Foreign Actress and Best Foreign Actor as well. Records, however, show that there is a higher chance for Black actors to win an Oscar for notable categories like Best Actress or Best Actor; whereas it is rare for Black actors to win such awards in the BAFTAs. No Black actress has ever won the 'Best Actress in a leading role' category in the BAFTAs. Only four Black actors have won the BAFTA Best Actor category till now. The industry is gradually changing for the better, but it still has a long way to go.
Another form of popular misrepresentation commonly seen in the glamour industry and even in wider society is 'Blackfishing'. The term 'Blackfishing' is coined by a journalist and educational programmer, Wanna Thompson, in 2018, referring to a white person who tries to appear like a person of African descent by appropriating their physical features, often for the white person’s own benefit. Some of the features of the trend include getting a fake tan (to the extent of appearing to be Black), braiding your hair and in some extreme cases, undergoing surgeries to change physical appearance. Famous people that have been accused of this controversial trend are the Kardashians, Ariana Grande, Iggy Azalea, Rita Ora and recently Jesy Nelson (just to name a few). Some of them do it to look fashionable, some do it for fame and others claim to do it for the love of Black culture. They're often criticised by journalists and the concerned public. Social media influencers were also included in Blackfishing accusations on Twitter and several other social media platforms.
Godlyne Destinor, a fashion enthusiast from Leeds, said, "Cultural references like braids, attire, etc can sometimes be offensive which is why you should be extra careful about what cultural aspects you want to take in because if you're not well versed with the culture, you could appear ignorant or misinformed".
Anzal Ahmed Osman, a school student from Leeds, also added, "I want to be represented for what I am and not what you think I am and it’s important to include the good aspects of our culture because that's how we can be best represented."
Media producers and celebrities must be more self-aware in how they portray Black characters and their perceptions of Black lifestyles. It’s also important that the audience learn to distinguish Black cultures from the perceived Blackness in mainstream media, which can only be achieved by educating ourselves about Black Cultures. The portrayal of Black cultures in mainstream media would better reflect Black people if there were more Black actors and creatives in positions of influence within the Film and TV industry, as they are better placed to create narratives surrounding their own cultures.
Written by Mikkatchi Shira.
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