Research Research Research

In my last post, I outlined that the writing process would go as follows; 

         1. Character Research

         2. Plot development 

         3. Choosing Genre 

Since then, Nicole and I agreed that a large part of our production would address representation tropes of particular groups who are often misrepresented. We both believe that representation is one of the most powerful tools media offers to shape public opinion. When used in the right context it can not only create connections between different groups, but it also has a really powerful impression on the people within that group.

Naturally, our next step was to discern which misrepresented group we would focus on. Focusing not only in the least represented groups(because oh boy the list is endless), but also groups we could provide our own insight to. Ultimately, we decided to build our story around a Latina, who happens to be part of the LGBT community. 

Then came the research part, so bear with me as I try to make numbers seem interesting.

A recent study by USC found  Latinos among the most underrepresented groups in media, stating that while the US population is 17.4 percent Hispanic or Latino, only 5.8% of the characters in their sample of 11,000 characters were Latino. That's as if a box of cookies was advertised to have seventeen varied cookies, only to find five lonely, expired cookies in the- hold on, that means you'd be seeing more than you get- FORGET I SAID ANYTHING. The point is, this doesn't accurately portray society.

This is even more alarming when you take into account that Latina women are an even smaller fraction of this 5 percent (38%). Even then, the little exposure Hispanic women get is often through a fetishizing lens that reduces them to sex symbols ( being the most sexualized out of the identifiable minority groups at 39%). 

 

When a group is not represented often, and misrepresented when it is, people without any experience with that group shape their opinion of that group based on the very limited scope presented. Stereotypical representations can also have an impact in shaping the views of the people within that group. Since TV and Film celebrities have inevitably become role models, people's opinions on what they should and shouldn't be are deeply affected by representation. 

Regarding LGBT representation, I sourced GLAAD's 2016 Studio Responsibility Index, which studies yearly progress in LGBT inclusion in film. The findings outlined that:

• Only 17% of the major studios samples had characters that identified as LGBT
• Of these 17%
• 77% were men
• 23% were women. 
• Regarding race
• 72.3% were white
• 16.6% were Latino
• 8.6% were African American
• 6.4% were Asian or Pacific Islander

Clearly, women of color are the least represented LGBT group.

GLAAD clarifies that criteria for these statistics is based on the Vito Russo test, which is similar to the feminist Bechdel test. According to the test, qualifying characters must:

• Be identifiably LGBT
• Have significant character development that goes beyond their sexuality/identity.
• Matter, in that their removal from the movies would significantly hinder the plot. 

Obviously, these are very baseline requirements for what an LGBT character can be, but they help outline the problems with a lot of LGBT representation.

So what?

What's the relevance of all this? Well I didn't write this post just to whine about how unjust Hollywood is (though it is). The reason for outlining what's wrong with the representation of these groups is to better illustrate what we will NOT do. Undoubtedly, there are problems within the film industry, but what will we do to challenge these long established prejudices?

We hope that by challenging the outlined negative tropes (and the ones I omitted), we will write a character who presents a fresh perspective of what an LGBT Latina is/can be. A dynamic protagonist whose identity revolves around the truths universal to all humans. A character that challenges the preconceived notions that media has ingrained in society about Hispanics and LGBT people for decades- thus, widening their perspective.

In my next post, I will be discussing both character and story more definitively.

Smith, S. L., Choueiti, M., & Pieper, K. (n.d.). INCLUSION or INVISIBILITY? GENDER MEDIA, DIVERSITY, & SOCIAL CHANGE INITIATIVE Institute for Diversity and Empowerment at Annenberg (IDEA) Comprehensive Annenberg Report on Diversity in Entertainment (Rep.). Retrieved March 10, 2017, from University of Southern California website: http://annenberg.usc.edu/pages/~/media/MDSCI/CARDReport%20FINAL%2022216.ashx 

2016 GLAAD Studio Responsibility Index. (2017, January 12). Retrieved March 12, 2017, from http://www.glaad.org/sri/2016