Inclusivity in popular media

Representation in media matters, and it has become a hot topic of debate in recent years. Now, a person of color or a member of the LGBTQ+ community lands a role more often in a popular show or movie, either as a new cast member in the hottest TV show, or a race swap in the newest movie reboot. Moments like these often bring up the boogeyman of words, “woke.” 

The word “woke” has been floating around these past couple of years when movies have someone who isn’t a white man in a leading role, such as Phoebe Waller-Bridge in “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” the recent “Star Wars” trilogy with Daisy Ridley and “The Little Mermaid” reboot starring Halle Bailey as Ariel, but what does it exactly mean, and are people using the word properly? 

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, “woke” is defined as being aware of and actively attentive to important societal facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice). The original meaning never had any type of negative connotation. Right-wing media outlets such as Fox News and the Daily Wire have co-opted the term “woke” as a way to criticize the entertainment industry for pushing diversity, equity and inclusivity into new works. 

The misuse of “woke” can be damaging and negates the fact that marginalized communities have been underrepresented in the entertainment industry for decades. Now more than ever, representation has made positive impacts such as “Black Panther” and Jordan Peele’s movies, featuring people of color in leading and supporting roles in “Get Out” and “Us.” 

Movies such as these have brought communities together and are proof that inclusion and diversity does not negatively affect the movie as they have been a commercial success. 

The problem isn’t that there is too much representation. The problem is that there was never any good representation. To notice misrepresentation, and lack thereof in media, and doing something to change that for the better is woke. 

For years, we have seen many roles with white men on the forefront of the screen, such as Tom Cruise and Leonardo DiCaprio.

 Now, we see more representation like Lupita Nyong’o, Tenoch Huerta and Ke Huy Quan getting their flowers and earning Oscar nominations. 

People from different demographics such as Latinos, the Queer community and Black audiences, want to see more representation and feel like they are seen. Whether it is music, literature or visual media, there will always be room for representation and to make others who have been left out feel more welcome and create a stronger sense of community.