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I've recently finished the new season of Orange is the New Black, which is amazing and heartbreaking, definitely 10/10 would recommend. But the one thing I have always appreciated about Orange is the massive amounts of diversity on the show, in race, body type, gender, sexuality; its all there. And that is so important! The reason being, that media has become such a pivotal part of society.
We are so affected by media, from movies to social apps, they all have had some type of impact on our lives, and now there is a new generation growing up in a society that holds those things in high importance. Which is why diversity now, is more important than ever.
We have been so conditioned to see caucasian men and women in leading roles that whenever we see someone other than those as the stars of films or television shows, we act as though it's a blessing rather than what should be happening in the first place. Our world is full of color and shape and for a long time that wasn't represented, slowly we are starting to see a more realistic society being showcased in modern media. Different cultures and people are being invested in and are creating an unexpected profit.
Shows like Orange is the New Black, Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder and Jane the Virgin are just some of examples of shows that display diversity and are also paving the way for women of color. Orange is the New Black showcases a mostly female cast with all different races and body types, Scandal has an African American women, Kerry Washington, as the lead character. How to Get Away with Murder also has an African American women as the lead, Viola Davis, but also explores the diversity of age. Jane the Virgin who has a Mexican American although Puerto Rican in real life as the lead character, Gina Rodriguez. And television isn't the only place where this diversity is taking place, social media has been hit with a new wave of diversity.
No longer are the tall, thin model the ones gaining all of the attention, but now plus size models are making their mark. Models like Ashley Graham, recently featured in DNCE's newest music video Toothbrush as Joe Jonas' love interest, and Gabi Fresh are making moves on the fashion industry and taking away the stigma that plus size models cant have the same popularity as regular models.
The media industry is finally understanding that our world isn't white and white, it has color and shape, and that's finally being represented. And that is so important because seeing yourself represented in modern media does so much for a person. Having role models that are like you, grew up like you, look like you; its important.
Growing up, I didn't have a lot of role models that were like me. Sure, I had girls that were hispanic but only because they had Spanish last names, not really any other reason. They didn't grow up with immigrant parents like mine, they didn't speak Spanish like me, and they sure as hell didn't look like me, they were super thin and I wasn't. And not seeing someone like you in the media, especially now, can make you think there's something wrong with you and it can make you want to change yourself to look like those that represented.
A lack of diversity gives unrealistic expectations to those taking in media, making them think that only they can go after what they want in life is to look a certain way and that isn't true. Equal representation is necessary moving forward in the world of media, its being revolutionized and everyday more color and shape are being seen on the big screen.
It is so pleasing to see the modern media start to accept the worlds difference because, if you haven't caught the drift of this article - DIVERSITY IS IMPORTANT.