Case Study: Representing the World

Representation is incredibly important, especially in the media. Seeing oneself in a popular television show or on the cover of a popular magazine can provide several benefits. For starters, confidence can increase through representation. If one believes they can’t overcome an obstacle due to their race, gender, or religion but see another person go through a similar experience on either screen or paper, they may gain some self-esteem. Additionally, accurate representation can aid in breaking stereotypes. For instance, female characters in shows and movies are often written to be the “damsel in distress”. However, modern-day media is moving past those generalizations and writing women to be stronger and more independent. As a result, the target audience can feel empowered.

An example of a kind of media that represents me would be Elle Magazine. Its target audience is women and it covers beauty, fashion, and lifestyle. As a female, a lot of the content resonates with me. On the cover, women are shown in different ways. Usually it is delicate and innocent while others are striking and conveys feelings of strength. They present women to enjoy shopping and makeup, which is an accurate representation of me. While I may be drawn to a magazine such as Elle, it does not represent all women. The reason why the magazine is relatable is that the founder, Hélène Gordon Lazareff, is a woman. All in all, I believe that Elle Magazine is a good portrayal of some types of women.

A movie that is meant to depict teenagers is Teen Beach 2. In the film, a group of teenagers stuck in a 1960’s movie travel to a real, modern-day high school. The students in the school are based on cliches and stereotypes. Lunch is divided into different cliques such as jocks and nerds. The high school students are somewhat of an correct representation, just exaggerated. The story was written by Robert Horn and Dan Brenderson who were all grown white men when the movie was released. The movie was not written by anyone like me but it still has a decent teenage characterization.

Lastly, the show, The Nanny, follows the story of a young woman who ends up working as the nanny for a wealthy playwright's children. The family she works for is white and Christian while she is Jewish. The way the nanny and her family are represented is very accurate to Jewish culture and traditions. This is because the prominent writers are Fran Drescher and Peter Marc Jacobson, both of whom are Jewish. It represents me because I practice Judaism and can relate to what’s shown on screen.