Avoiding Mental Health Stigmatizations & Encouraging Help Seeking Through Entertainment Media
Mass media have the power to shape our perceptions, attitudes and beliefs toward certain groups, issues and individuals. For better or worse, most forms of media, including entertainment media, serve as primary sources of information for many viewers, influencing our understanding of those around us and in turn, our future behaviors and actions.
Unfortunately, for those struggling with mental illness, the depictions of characters with mental health issues often focus on negative and extreme stereotypical traits that portray these individuals as a danger to society and themselves. These depictions are not only inaccurate and unrepresentative of the millions of people worldwide who face mental health challenges, but they also reinforce preconceived stigmatizations which can lead to diminished self-esteem and social exclusion.
Mental health professionals are often portrayed as odd, unhelpful, unrelatable and/or unavailable, which can have major consequences on those affected by mental illness. These negative portrayals can interfere with help seeking behaviors and prevent individuals from receiving treatment due to factors such as fear, shame, embarrassment and discrimination. A startling two-thirds of individuals with a mental health disorder never seek professional help.
Too often, entertainment programs portray mental illness as something that destroys lives and fail to show viewers that mental illness is common and treatable. By depicting treatment and recovery, the media can help normalize mental health issues, fight stigma, offer hope, and connect viewers with resources for themselves or loved ones.
In a survey commissioned by the mental health organization Mind, based in the UK, findings showed that after seeing a news report or drama involving a character with mental health challenges, more than half of the respondents expressed that it had improved their understanding of mental health issues and a quarter said it had inspired them to start a conversation about mental health. Furthermore, out of the respondents affected by mental health issues, one third were encouraged to seek professional help and get assistance.
Several other studies have highlighted the power of the media to reduce stigma, increase understanding of mental health and increase help-seeking behaviors. For example, one study found that participants who watched a film depicting an accurate portrayal of an individual with schizophrenia, were less likely to endorse stigmatizing attitudes toward individuals with the illness compared to participants who saw an inaccurate portrayal of schizophrenia. Another study found that having a strong relationship to the main character of a television series who had obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) was associated with lower OCD stereotypes and greater willingness to seek and disclose mental health treatment specifically among participants with a mental illness.
It is clear that the media have the power to influence our perceptions, attitudes and beliefs about individuals living with mental illness and also to help those affected. Therefore, it is in the best interest of millions of viewers and their loved ones for content creators to portray characters with a mental illness accurately and positively.
Here are some actionable insights for storytellers:
Avoid perpetuating stereotypes about mental illness that may be stigmatizing and harmful.
Avoid including stigmatizing language in scripts, such as “crazy,” “psycho,” “looney,” “wacko,” etc.
Avoid making mental illness the defining feature of a character’s personality.
Introduce likeable and relatable characters who also might happen to encounter mental health challenges.
Portray doctors and therapists as helpful and supportive rather than incompetent or unavailable.
Model help-seeking behaviors such as talking to therapists, talking to trusted friends/adults and calling/texting helplines.
Model help-seeking behaviors not only for serious or diagnosable problems but also for common challenges such as stress, divorce and death.
Show supporting cast characters modeling supportive behaviors and describing options for seeking help.
Insert message of mental health treatment, hope and recovery.
Vicki Harrison, MSW
Program Director, Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing
Stanford Psychiatry Center for Youth Mental Health & Wellbeing
Adrianna Ruggiero
Senior Research Coordinator for CSS
Adopt: A New Perspective
Being the youngest child in a sibling group of five brings some unique challenges that can build character, a thick skin, and a can-do attitude. Some "good ol' fashioned" ribbing from older siblings or running as fast as you can to keep up with the cool older brothers never hurt anyone. I hold those memories dear, and I am grateful for them, as they helped to shape me into who I am today. But in retrospect now as an adoptive parent and social worker in the field of foster care and adoption, what I remember as "good ol' fashioned ribbing" sheds new light. My older siblings would say to me, "Mom and Dad haven't told you yet, but you were adopted." I remember feeling scared about what that meant, too young to quite understand. But what I knew for sure was they were attempting to convey bad news, and it revealed I didn't belong in the same way the older four did. I actually was quite younger than the older four and was a pleasant surprise to my parents, as they thought their family was complete at four children. Needless to say, I joined the Guilfoyle family the same way the rest of the crew did and it was not through adoption.
Where did my siblings learn to believe that adoption was something negative? Media has a major influence in our society, establishing norms and beliefs representing how we see ourselves and how we see "others." These messages are then passed on through our relationships within our families, neighborhoods and communities. While my experiences may have been in the 1970s the negative connotations, some 50 years later, still exist and are easily slipped in as a joke or passing comment without a second thought to their effects.
Recently on Good Morning America, host Amy Robach interviewed actors Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard from the FX show "Breeders," which is described as a dark and honest look at parenting. The focus of the interview was on the actors’ and host’s children in real life.
In the episode clip that followed, the parents are chatting about parenting woes. The wife says to her husband, "Should we just give the kids up for adoption?" Her husband responds with "Done." And they laugh.
In 2021, adoption continues to be used as a punch line by writers in TV and film. When I hear "jokes" like this it takes my breath away—not because of any leftover anxiety from my older siblings’ teasing—but because I have felt and seen, first hand, the effects via my experiences as an adoptive parent as well as a social worker who has assisted children and families on their own adoption journeys. I immediately think how this "joke" lands on and impacts these children and my son. What does it say to a parent who has made a plan of adoption for their child? Such a difficult, heart-wrenching decision should not be made into a punchline. What does it convey to a child or adult adoptee about their adoption experience and their place in their family? I must have done something wrong. I must have been bad.
I hear the counterargument ringing in my ears as I type, and it goes something like this: "Kids need to toughen up these days. We are creating wimpy kids. Everyone is so easily offended, lately." Truthfully, I do not want to create an argument through this blog, instigating each person to defend their opinion. Rather, I am hoping for writers to consider not using adoption as a punch line because they know there are real children and real adults who have a connection to adoption in their viewing audience. Some of these children are in foster care waiting for a family to say "YES" to their adoption plan and certainly have experienced enough in their short lives. Being on the other end of a "joke" in media or learned through media is cruel.
I believe kids can build resiliency, character, perseverance and determination from healthy and natural outlets and experiences without being figuratively “poked in the eye” with intention.
Consider the response to seeing an adult walk up to a child and purposefully poking them in the eye, causing the child to cry, believing they did something wrong to deserve it. Would the response be, “Buck up,” or “It will make you tougher for the road ahead” or “It builds character”? Participating in a sport or learning to play an instrument, whiffing at strike three, or forgetting the notes to a song and coming back to try again and again, build those characteristics we see as valuable. Children have plenty of real-life experiences to draw from to assist in building healthy resilience, fortitude and strength. Let us not create artificial and hurtful experiences through media that beat them down.
Our son does not need to live through punchlines about adoption to build his resilience. He does not need to be exploited through media, with other children learning these punchlines and using them on the playground to build his character. My hope is that writers and actors will keep in mind that their audience includes families and children with connections to adoption, and understand that perpetuating negative connotations impact the real feelings of real people.
When we know better, we all have it in us to do better.
Actionable Insights
Content creators have an opportunity to influence viewers with their storylines and narratives about adoption. Using adoption as a punch line by suggesting a child is less than because of their connection to adoption or that birth parents created a plan of adoption for their child as a flippant decision can negatively impact the self-image of a large number of children and adults. The implications of a content creator’s writing can also create positive change for how adoption is perceived by an adoptee, prospective adoptive parent, birth parent, and peers on the playground. Using positive adoption language, not stereotyping adoptees or birth parents, and simply removing adoption in any format as a punch line provides an opportunity to create positive change in our community.
Consider these statistics:
There are approximately 120,000 children just in the United States in foster care waiting to be adopted.
One out of every 25 US families with children has a child who joined their family through adoption. About half of these families have both children through birth and adoption (US Census).
Approximately 7 million Americans were adopted.
Around 140,000 children are adopted by American families each year.
Nearly 100 million Americans have adoption in their immediate family, whether this includes adopting, placing a child, or being adopted.
Six in 10 Americans have personal experience with adoption, meaning they themselves, a family member, or a close friend was adopted, adopted a child, or placed a child for adoption.
It is estimated that between 1 and 2 million couples are waiting to adopt, yet only 4% of women with unwanted pregnancies make the decision to place their children through adoption.
On average, children wait 3 years for an adoptive family and the average child waiting for an adoptive family is 8 years old.
Marianne Guilfoyle
Chief Innovations Officer, Allies for every child
Anna, 14
How do you and your family interact with media and technology?
Lately, the biggest use of technology is using Zoom on the laptop, and my sister and I mostly use Netflix and other social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. My parents mostly use technology to watch TV and Korean dramas. We use technology much more than our parents.
How do your parents feel about you using media?
When we were little, they limited our use of technology in terms of time, but now they are open to me using any kind of social media. When I tell my parents that my friends aren’t allowed to use certain platforms, they find it weird because they believe we should be able to use them if we want to. They trust that I’m not doing anything bad, but sometimes they worry that it’ll be a distraction from school.
How do you and your friends interact with media/technology?
My friends and I use TikTok the most. We send each other TikToks, and the screen time is really bad because of it. When I start watching it, it’s hard to stop watching.
Do you have different views towards media use than your parents?
Even though my parents use social media, they don’t view it as something that is necessary. I find it an easy way to interact with my friends. TikTok allows me to see what influencers and other celebrities are doing, and most people I know around me feel that way too.
What is your favorite and least favorite thing about media and technology?
When I’m bored, it’s something that I can do, and I can spend a lot of time on it for entertainment. It’s really fun to see a variety of things. A bad thing I guess is that people get bullied through social media, and it’s kind of hard to prevent it.
Is there anything else you don’t like about social media?
Not really.
Do you think you use the media too much?
Definitely too much, but when I try to limit it, I end up failing. It’s kind of hard to control it.
Have you ever felt the need or want to get away from technology?
Yeah, I thought about it, but I never did it. I think it would be nice, but I never actually tried it.
How did you feel about this interview?
It was interesting to talk about my media use because I never really think about the things you asked me. It made me think a lot about how the media is really affecting me.
Interviewed by: Yejin Ban, UCLA Student
Joshua, 18
Media Consumption: 10 hours per day (school and leisure)
How are you using media during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Well, it has definitely increased because when I was on campus at UCLA, I would spend most free time hanging out with friends on campus, but now I have to interact with friends through social media — Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat — and my YouTube time has gone up a lot. Just overall an increase in social media use.
How many hours a day do you use digital technology?
I would say a good chunk of my time. Most of my day — at least 10 hours a day on-screen, which includes school and everything else. For school-related activities, at least 6 hours school because I have coding which is online, and I can’t do any of it on paper. For personal use, probably 4 hours.
What are some social media channels that you use? What are their purposes? What are some pros and cons about each?
I am on Instagram a lot. I usually see what people post and what they are up to. But most of the time I’m on TikTok because it’s so addictive. The scrolling option is really addicting. I don’t know if it’s a pro or con but it consumes a lot of my time. More than I would like it to. So I would say probably 3 out of my 4hours — if I spend 4 hours a day — would be on TikTok because you get that addictive scrolling. It’s not the same with Instagram because TikTok allows you to see 6-second videos and you scroll and get hooked on something else again and again. I first got into TikTok at the start of quarantine because I wanted to feel more connected to people. And it's just another outlet to do that.
Do you try to limit your media use? How?
Since I’ve been at home, I know I’ve had too much screen time so I am trying to limit my time for both personal and school use because I do not want to ruin my eyes. Most of the time, I try to cut down my personal use because I can’t help my school-related stuff. I try to cut off my TikTok time as much as I can. On the TikTok app, a guide pops up every so often and says “You’ve been on here for a while. You probably need to get some rest,” which is helpful. I do have notifications on YouTube for if you watch for too long (1 hour) or if it’s your bedtime. For TikTok, I don’t have anything set up, which tells me how much time I’ve been on it. So 3 hours can go by and I wouldn’t notice. So I should probably set up an alarm now that I think about it.
When did you get your first phone? What type of phone was it?
This was back in the day, so I was probably 8-years-old; 2010. It was a BlackBerry. It was one of those that had a wheel on it with the plastic keyboard. So there wasn't much functionality to it. I just played a game where you bounced the ball and hit stuff. I didn’t really contact anyone with it besides my parents because my peers did not have phones at that age. For smartphones, I got my first one in 2013/14. I did more than press plastic keyboards.
How did your parents regulate your technology usage growing up?
Once I came to college, funny enough, they encouraged me to install an app. I forgot what it was called but it basically tracks your location. So wherever I would go, they would monitor where I was at. So I guess they were paranoid of how much freedom I had in college. But before that, in high school, they would monitor messages without me knowing. So I thought that was kind of weird. I don’t think they cared about the content. They didn’t give me murder games but as long as it was within a reasonable range, they won’t care about what I was playing. In terms of screen time, they were responsible parents and limited my screen time when I was on my PS3 or tablet or phone.
Have you been influenced by ads you saw on social media?
I noticed that after I looked something up, they had popped up for that thing I looked up. So whenever I see ads, it's for something that I’ve already seen or looked up so I don’t really pay much attention to them. I actually installed an ad skipper for YouTube. So every time a skip ads button pops up, this ad skipper automatically clicks it so I don’t have to deal with clicking it, so I don’t even watch the ads.
How do you feel about big companies taking your data and feeding it to advertisers?
I think it’s kind of creepy and more annoying than anything. I’ve seen these things and looked it up and it’s just really annoying.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
I like how many different perspectives I get to see. Not so much from Instagram and Snapchat because the media you consume is based on who you follow. But TikTok is personalized to you in a way that it gives you content that you like but not necessarily [have] seen before. So I like that I get to see a lot of different people that I wouldn’t have otherwise seen because I don’t follow them.
Do you have any thoughts on Facebook?
Before college, I thought that Facebook was only for old people. But now that I’m in college, I realize the importance of it. Because for the Dragon Boat Team, we really utilize all the features such as Facebook messaging, announcements, and discussions. So I like how all of that is intertwined with one another and we could create events on Facebook and send reminders to people. I don’t really use the Facebook platform for anything other than that. But I have been using Facebook messenger a lot more recently. I use it as my main source of communication with people.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
I appreciate those messages that pop up for TikTok. I haven’t put something in my settings where it's like I only want an hour of screen time. So I appreciate those messages from TikTok saying you probably spend too much time on this app and it’s probably time for you to go to bed.
Do you think screentime is bad before going to bed?
I think it might be for some but for me, it's kind of a routine now. It’s my routine so it gets me in the mood to sleep. I try not to let social media dictate sleep, but it often does if I’m hooked on the content. Especially TikTok when it seems like there’s an endless void of content to go through, as opposed to YouTube. When a video ends, after you watched for 40 minutes, you kind of know it’s time for you to go to bed. But for TikTok, there’s no sense of direction or time. So it’s kind of difficult to dictate when I sleep when I am on TikTok, but for other apps, I feel like it’s fine.
When the notification pops up, what do you do?
For YouTube, I know that I’ve been on there for one hour, so I should probably get off, but for TikTok, it doesn’t tell you a certain time. It feels like it's only been 5 minutes. So I feel like I could do it for a little bit more. [With YouTube] usually, I disregard the message, but I do keep it on my mind so I get off a couple of minutes later.
Interviewed by: Quynh Vo, UCLA Student
Anna, 13
How do you and your family interact with technology?
We usually watch something together in our parents’ room or sometimes we text on the phone.
On your own time for fun, how do you use digital media?
I watch YouTube, call my friends, and read comics. I call my friends every day from morning until night.
Are there any rules around media use in the house?
On the weekends, mommy makes us start playing only at 9 or 10 in the morning. That is when we are allowed to start. And then we have to stop at 9 or 10 at night to do something else. She tells us to get off our computers and phones, and if we don’t then she will yell at us.
How do you use social media?
I use Discord. I barely use Instagram and Twitter. I use Discord the most to call and text friends. If one of our friends wants to stream their homework for help or stream YouTube or Netflix. I also did Secret Santa. One of my best friends had a bunch of mutuals on Twitter and I was invited and we all gathered together. I was part of the organizing. Everyone filled out a form and everyone had to fill it out to match people depending on what they wanted and what they could make. It was pretty hectic but I got through. It was pretty cool.
How has your media usage changed during the Covid-19 pandemic?
Before I was only on Discord for an hour a day but now I’m on it every day at every hour.
How do you feel about celebrity influencers online?
I only watch them when they pop up on my recommendations. Some of them are kind of problematic. They get into scandals. They’re just people who I watch, not really role models. They say “don’t wear this, it will make you look fat.” It’s sad and mean. All those girls, especially models. You just have to be like them — shave, no body hair, have a thin face, and have all this stuff appearance-wise. It’s sad.
What lessons have you learned from Covid-19?
Be more aware of your surroundings and follow the rules.
Interviewed by: Adela Tran, UCLA Student
Michael, 20
Media Consumption: Around 4-5 Hours a Day
Favorite Media/Technology: Video Games and Twitch
Why do you play video games?
I use video games and streaming to be entertained and feel linked to other people online. Video games link me to my friends and a community of other gamers [people who he does not personally know] where we can chat through the PlayStation app to schedule a time to play multiplayer games.
What type of content do you play?
Call of Duty Warzone and Rainbow Six Siege. Both of these video game titles are shooter games rated M for mature. Video games have taught me how to socialize. Ever since I was a kid on the PlayStation 3 console, I met and still meet new people every day online.
What do you like about Twitch?
Twitch has helped me learn more about myself. I learned that I am similar to other Twitch viewers as “game lovers” even though I am twenty years old.
Are there media interferences in your life and what are they?
My smartphone is the biggest distraction of all mankind. Instagram and YouTube are the two main platforms that should be held responsible and punished because I fall in loopholes and lose track of time. I take breaks only to find myself with a bag of Lays chips on my bed, scrolling through ads in my Instagram feed.
Is your family also affected by the media interferences and how so?
Smartphones in general interfere with my family. Smartphones are a replacement for social interactions during family dinner. Every family member is on their phone; therefore, it is all quiet during dinner.
How has COVID affected your media usage?
I have not been able to see my friends as frequently as before. However, I can still game with them every day. My friends are very important to me and to see my friends less, hurt me. However, video games saved my relationships with my friends and we are able to talk about everything from school to gaming content while playing video games.
Interviewed by: Daniel Fouladian, UCLA 3rd Year Student
Mia, 18
Media Consumption: 2 hours a day (4-5 if not at work)
Favorite Media/Technology: TikTok
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
We use WhatsApp, since my dad lives far away in Lebanon this is the only way I can speak with him freely. Other than that, none of my siblings live together so we FaceTime and keep in contact mostly through there especially because of COVID.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
We mostly text over iMessage, not as much as we used to talk in high school but that is probably because everyone works now or is busy in college. Oh, we also all use Insta (Instagram), we comment on each other's pictures and support each other on there.
What do you use media for?
I mostly use media to keep in touch with my family, like my dad and siblings. Or occasionally I will drop an Instagram picture to let everybody know I’m still doing well and I still exist, mostly because everyone else is still using that. Snapchat is dead now so I don’t use that and Twitter is something I will occasionally use. Oh, and I watch Netflix a lot - does that count?
What is your favorite/least favorite component of media/technology?
My favorite thing is talking to my family that I otherwise wouldn’t be able to talk to. Also seeing what my friends from high school are up to this past year, and being able to entertain myself on TikTok for hours. My least favorite thing is that it feels like a competition. We are always competing to post the best pictures and see whose life looks the most glamorous. It sounds weird but you kind of want to have the most likes and the most comments, to know people still care or are interested. You also compare yourself on media because since everyone posts their best pictures you only see that side of them and you constantly feel like you’re not good enough. Or maybe that is just me.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
I want the people who create media to know about vulnerable people on their sites. And yeah they aren't responsible for people’s mental health or anything but maybe put some disclaimers? Like younger kids use their sites and it would be helpful to include that not everything is real - or that could be the parents’ job. Maybe they should make the age requirement stricter because you just have to say what year you were born and anyone can do that.
What media are you using more now because of COVID-19?
Because of COVID-19, I stopped going to school so I mostly stay off my computer and only use it for Netflix. On my phone, I use TikTok a lot. Like for hours, but other than that social media is a little toxic so it’s best to just not scroll through Instagram or anything for hours. But TikTok is funny, I am so grateful for it.
Interviewed by: Rassile Jamaleddine, UCLA 4th Year Student
Mia, 15
Media Consumption: 6 hours a day on phone and computer
Favorite Media/Technology: TikTok on her iPhone
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
Every day my mom uses her Apple Watch to count her steps when she goes on runs and hikes. My dad uses his Alexa as an alarm to wake him up for work every day. I use technology in many ways. I set alarms to remind me to feed my puppy 3 times a day and I watch TikToks when I’m bored. My sister uses technology every day as well by using her laptop for school and she also uses her Apple Watch when going on walks. As a family, we always watch TV in the living room together sometimes.
How do you and your friends interact with media/technology?
My friends and I communicate by Snapchatting each other and sending text messages throughout the day. I also send many TikToks to a lot of my best friends and send funny pictures. We also FaceTime almost once a week by using our phones. We send many snaps to each other almost like a vlog daily about how the day went or what we did that day. With some of my friends, I also have streaks which are when you send a snap — a picture on Snapchat every day — and eventually, you earn a streak.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My least favorite thing about media/technology is how toxic it can be at times. Women and men tend to compare themselves to celebrities or social media influencers and that can be a very toxic environment. It can also lead to anxiety and depression, I know this because it has also given me much anxiety seeing other people's better lifestyles and just better appearance which can make your self-esteem very low. I have had a few anxiety attacks because of my appearance and comparing myself. It can also be very exhausting to post pictures on Instagram because of the pressure of the anxiety of everyone looking at your picture and judging you and the amount of life or comments can determine how popular you are to some people and overall it is extremely toxic. I have stopped posting and sometimes deleted Instagram to get less anxiety.
What do you use media for?
I use the media for a lot of things, I like to use Pinterest for room decor ideas. I love YouTubers who promote healthy lifestyles and give mental health advice. I like to watch ASMR youtube videos and breathing exercises when things are stressing me out and I can't sleep. I also use Twitter to catch up on the latest news of everything that is going on. I use TikTok for fun entertainment with quick videos that are very fun. I use Instagram to see what everyone is posting and sometimes can get news about new music or other things. I use Snapchat to communicate with people. It's the same thing as messages but more fun.
How are you using media during the COVID-19 pandemic?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I use my phone for alarms and entertainment. I also use my computer daily for Zoom and to do homework. I use my TV to watch YouTube videos after school. I also use my Apple Watch when going on runs. I also use my phone to look up Apple News.
What media has been helping you stay busy/calm during this difficult time?
During this difficult time, my Calm app has helped me stay calm and relaxed and although TikTok is a fun app it can also be very helpful. It can reassure that people are going through this as well.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of COVID?
I never realized how much I rely on it by using technology for alarms or music and because of how much my screen time has increased. It's also made me realize how many hours a day I use my phone and how helpful it can be daily.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/ play/ interact with to know?
I would ask Emma Chamberlain to make more videos on meditation and mindfulness. Her videos help me a lot and I wish she focused more on mental health. I also wish she did more fashion videos because I love her style.
Interviewed by: Natali Delgadillo, UCLA Student
Maya, 15
Media Consumption: 7 hours and 48 minutes daily average
At what age did you first start using these devices
I shared an iPad with my sister starting age 5 and got my own iPhone when I was 9.
What are your most-used apps and which is your favorite?
Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat are my favorite. I would say my most favorite is TikTok.
Why is that one your favorite?
The TikTok algorithm brings up videos that have to do with my interest without me even having to search anything. It is a way I have formed some of my favorite friendships. If I meet someone at a party and we make a TikTok together that basically makes us best friends.
Are there any negative parts of TikTok that comes to mind when you think about it?
People like to post videos that have to do with their music taste, clothes, hobbies, or opinions and sometimes this causes a divide among classmates, and cyberbullying is common with the app.
I see Instagram is your second most used app. What can you tell me about your use of it?
I mostly just follow celebrity figures, school friends, animal accounts, and a couple of weight-loss accounts to motivate me.
What do you and your friends usually use Instagram for?
I love the app because it allows me to know what my friends are up to. I mostly just post because if I don’t then people will get bored and unfollow me. I only have two posts right now though because I stared at them for so long that I started thinking I looked weird so I deleted them, and they barely got any likes anyway.
Can you tell me any reasons you have to believe that Instagram can be problematic?
People usually talk behind each other’s backs about their Instagram posts, and a couple of times other students have anonymously made accounts aimed toward posting unwanted pictures or things about other students in the class. Anytime I take a picture my friends force me to delete it, crop them out, or even photoshop them.
Do you ever buy the stuff you see on one of your social media accounts?
Not that much because I have to use my mom’s money to online shop so I can’t do it too much but my friends and I have a few times. Like there is a TikTok dancer named Charli D’Amelio who has a Dunkin Donuts signature drink named after her, and we have all gotten it and posted pictures of it even though I hated the taste of it.
Does social media impact your productivity?
I do spend a lot of time on my phone. I’m pretty addicted to it and I have put settings on TikTok and Instagram so it locks me out after I have used each of them for three hours to try to limit my time on it, but I always end up changing the settings to use the apps again until late at night.
Does the social media you use get monitored in any other way by one of your parents?
My mom used to slightly monitor my phone use when I was 12-13, just to make sure nothing dangerous was going on, but now that I’m in high school my mom does not take part in any kind of monitoring or control of how much I use technology.
Interviewed by: Melanie Aghayane, UCLA 4th Year Student
Audrey, 8
Favorite Media/Technology: Roblox & YouTube
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
I like how my family always texts each other and I’m able to text my sisters whenever I want. I like to play Roblox with my older sisters and watch scary movies with them.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
A lot of my friends play Roblox so we talk about it during school. I don’t text my friends because we all don’t have our own cell phones. We like to just talk about the games we play in person at school.
What do you use media for?
I like watching YouTube videos like unboxing videos because I want to see how the toys look before I buy them because I will be sad if the toy doesn't look how I imagined. I like watching YouTube prank videos because they’re funny.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My favorite thing about technology is Roblox because, in the game, I can dress up my character to whatever I want it to be. I can buy pretty accessories and jewelry to make myself pretty. I can also dress up my character to whatever I want and change the color of my hair to pink. The thing that I don’t like is that sometimes people can be mean online and scam me in Roblox.
What media are you using more now because of the coronavirus (COVID- 19)?
Roblox
Where do you get most of your information to learn more about the coronavirus (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
Sometimes on TikTok, there are videos about COVID. But my parents and sister usually tell me about COVID.
What lessons have you learned from COVID-19?
I learned how to use Zoom. Online learning isn’t that fun because I don’t get to see my teacher or friends in person.
Interviewed by: Evelyn Xiong, UCLA 4th Year Student
Madison, 18
Media Consumption: 4-5 Hours per day
Favorite Media/Technology: TikTok and Instagram
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
My family and I use iMessage to communicate, and my mom uses Instagram and Facebook, but my dad doesn’t use any. We used to use an app called Life360 to know each other’s locations, but now we just use Find my Friends since we all have iPhones.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
We all use most of the social media platforms, the most popular being TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram. We always message each other using various apps, but mostly with iMessage. We send each other funny videos and posts all the time through the direct messaging features on the app. Some of the videos and posts are very relatable and bring us small bursts of happiness.
What do you use media for?
Primarily out of boredom, or when we are simply procrastinating schoolwork or other work. It’s a great source of endless entertainment. We don’t really have any other need for it other than communication and staying in touch/contact with our friends/peers.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My least favorite thing would definitely be how toxic the social media community is. As funny as it can be at times, there’s also an extreme level of toxicity that exceeds cyberbullying. Some people are so cruel and have no regard for others and it can so sad to read some people’s comments as “trolls” can be ruthless. There’s no way to put a stop to it either which sucks.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
Try and do whatever you can to limit the cyberbullying and trolling online, as it can really be detrimental to the mental health of a lot of users. The internet can turn from a helpful and resourceful place into a toxic one real quick.
What media are you using more now because of the coronavirus (COVID-19)?
Definitely TikTok and some streaming platforms. Boredom has been at an all-time high, so anything to cure that boredom is what I look for, and that includes streaming and binge-watching shows, as well as any funny videos from creators I like.
Where do you get most of your information to learn more about the coronavirus (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
Honestly, TikTok has a lot of doctors and medical health experts, so they provide a good amount of information, but I also check the news and I make sure not to watch any biased news networks.
What media has been helping you stay busy/calm during this difficult time?
Like I mentioned earlier, TikTok has been great, as well as streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu have helped cure a lot of boredom, as well as provided me with mindless entertainment.
What lessons have you learned from COVID-19?
The biggest thing I learned isn’t even media-related, but a huge takeaway I got was to not take any time I spent with my friends and family for granted. I really miss not being able to see or hang out with them a lot, so going forward I will cherish our time together much more.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of COVID-19?
I didn’t learn much but I realized how difficult it can be to put the phone down, as well as how much control social media has over our lives. We may not realize it but social media has a huge grasp on our daily online interactions, internet usage, and is a pivotal part of our culture. It’ll be interesting to see how it develops over this decade.
Interviewed by: Christian Beltran, UCLA 3rd Year Student
Ivan, 17
Media Consumption: Around 5 hours a day
Favorite Media/Technology: Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok.
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
Through the social media app Instagram, I sometimes find relatable videos or videos that I would like to share with my mother and/or the rest of my family and it ultimately serves as a bonding experience at times.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
I interact with my peers through social media apps like Instagram and Snapchat, where we send each other funny videos, or news involving what’s going on in our surroundings. It serves as a way to bring us closer together through the videos, or simply to inform ourselves of what’s going on in the world.
What do you use media for?
I use media in order to learn about global and local events, as well as to distract myself with what’s going on in the world around me. It’s a good escape from reality if one can find funny videos online.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My favorite thing about social media is how much it can bring people closer together through entertainment. For example, I’m able to bond more with my friends because of funny videos, or through a political discussion based on a post that we find on the internet. However, this very thing that brings people together has the potential to tear people apart because of the dangers of abusing social media.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
One thing I want the people who created social media to understand is the impact of social media on people’s everyday lives. For some people, it is their only form of taking in information, and if their platform is full of conspiracies, it’s ultimately going to cause some sort of danger to society. Additionally, it’s difficult to measure the dangers it poses to young and vulnerable minds.
What media are you using more now because of the coronavirus (COVID-19)?
I’m using Instagram more as a result of the global pandemic because it’s the platform where I have most of my friends on and it’s the most convenient way I have to understand what’s going on in their lives and if they’re doing ok. Additionally, I use Instagram to find information about how the coronavirus is doing on both a national and local scale.
Where do you get most of your information to learn more about the coronavirus?
I get most of my information about the coronavirus from the governors of California and the mayor of LA, as well as from news channels such as CNN and MSNBC.
What media has been helping you stay busy/stay calm during this difficult time?
Through the use of Instagram and discord, I’m able to converse with my friends, sometimes all day long and I find myself being busy and focusing on my relationships with them during this difficult time. Additionally, Tik Tok is a good way to distract me because of how personalized one’s experience is.
What lessons have you learned from COVID-19?
From this pandemic, I’ve learned to not take any experience I have with any person for granted, because we never know when something can change within their lives or our own. I also understood and found a new way to process my emotions that I didn’t have before.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of COVID-19?
I’ve learned that I have to rely more on media because of the pandemic because I no longer have other people as a new source outlet and have to seek information out on my own.
Interviewed by: Brandon Le, UCLA 3rd Year Transfer Student
Wonder Woman 1984: When Lack of Diversity Makes Wonder Woman Lose Her Wonder
If you were to ask the typical moviegoer who is the first female superhero you think of, chances are they would say Wonder Woman. While other female superheroes do exist (say Catwoman or Storm for example), they often take a backseat to the male protagonist, serving as a romantic interest or cliche rather than as a nuanced, complicated character. So when Wonder Woman came out in 2017, it provided a much-needed breath of fresh air in an overly saturated male-centric superhero genre. Seeing Princess Diana in her native land with her sister warriors of Themyscira by her side inspired millions of girls around the world, telling them that they too could be the heroes of their own story.
But while Wonder Woman (2017) pushed the boundaries of representation and diversity forward, its sequel, Wonder Woman 1984, failed to break new ground, sacrificing the empowering plot of its predecessor for empty spectacle. And the consequences were considerable. While Wonder Woman (2017) boasted a B Mediaversity rating, 93% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, and 76 Metascore, Wonder Woman 1984 suffered from a measly C- Mediversity rating, 59% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, and 60 Metascore. So what went wrong?
Where Wonder Woman 1984 Went Wrong
The film opens with a breathtaking flashback sequence, showing a pivotal moment in the life of young Diana, years before she’d become Wonder Woman. As she competes against fellow Amazons twice her size and age in feats of strength and skill, a perfect euphony of swift camerawork, quick editing, and an epic score fills the screen. The scene showcases Diana’s fearlessness and teaches her the virtue that truth triumphs over deception. Unfortunately, the rest of the film pales in comparison, whether it be in visual cohesion, story structure, or emotional impact.
To start things off, the film treats Barbara, Diana’s coworker at the Smithsonian Institution, as a two-dimensional plot device that reduces her to the strange girl trope. The two bond over a meal discussing how they fit in society, but beside that, Barbara’s role in the film becomes apparent: so Diana can have a big (poorly rendered) CGI fight with a physically imposing antagonist in the third act that seemingly every superhero film has. Considering the lack of nuanced female friendships in superhero films, it’s a shame that the screenwriters favored a heterosexual romance with Steve Trevor rather than exploring a potential relationship between Diana and Barbara, especially given that Wonder Woman is canonically bisexual in the comics. This was a perfect opportunity to represent the LGBTQ+ community that has been historically underrepresented, particularly within the superhero genre.
Instead, the film relies on what we are used to in superhero films, a heteronormative relationship in which the superhero’s purpose is based on their partner. Romance has the potential to be resonating and meaningful, but in Wonder Woman 1984, it feels forced and undeserved, especially given the context of how Steve sacrificed himself in Wonder Woman (2017). Diana’s abilities are regained only when she learns to let go of Steve, and there’s something deeply depressing and illogical about a female superhero whose identity is intertwined so much with a man that she is willing to lose her powers for him. Also, what is going on with the man whose body has been magically overtaken by Steve? Does he have a family or a job? Is he in the white man’s sunken place? Doesn’t Diana, who is supposed to be a beacon of truth and morality, find the notion of Steve inhabiting another man’s body problematic? The plot could have focused on this as the consequence of Diana’s wish, as it would have been much more thematically resonating for her to struggle with choosing her moral code over her love for Steve.
And that begs another question, why doesn’t Diana miss her Amazon sisters or her mentor who inspired her to believe in truth in the opening scene? Wonder Woman (2017) devoted the entire first act to the Amazons, portraying them as warriors, politicians, caregivers, and complex women with nuanced relationships. It set the standard for a feminist plot that didn’t pander to its audience but empowered them. The sequel would have benefitted from furthering this story arc by venturing deeper into Paradise Land, home of the Amazons of Themyscira. Instead, it takes place in a mostly white D.C., even though the city has been majority-Black since the 1950s and white residents made up just 26% of the population in 1984. It also relies on a banal plot device in a stone that can grant wishes, which seems more like a lazy deus ex-machina. rather than something original and exciting. Diana’s wish doesn’t cause a chain of events that lead to her losing her powers, they just magically disappear as a tradeoff for the sake of the plot and theme.
Lastly, I want to talk about the theme of the film: truth. Wonder Woman 1984 bashes the viewer in the head with this theme through dialogue that lacks subtlety and relies heavily on telling the audience rather than showing them. Its connection with the main plot seems incoherent at worst and passable at best, reducing the complex issue of longing for what you don’t have into something that is black and white (reminiscent of Kendall Jenner “solving racism” by handing a police officer a Pepsi) rather than addressing class differences and social/economic inequality. Barbara wants to be cool and confident so that she can become likable, but must stay a nerd because if she wishes to be like Diana then she becomes a cheetah? That just seems cruel and anti-feminist. And the film’s solution of Diana magically convincing the entire world to stop being greedy over the span of a painfully ignorant monologue was as tone-deaf as when Gal Gadot sang “Imagine.” The world may be beautiful if you’re a gorgeous Amazon superhero, but for most people, telling people to put rose-colored glasses over their terrible situation is patronizing. I’m sure the filmmakers’ intentions were in the right place, but the execution of the theme was mediocre and is obviously pandering to today’s political climate, sacrificing its authenticity in the process.
Why It Matters
You might be thinking, why do all of these things matter, can’t Wonder Woman 1984 solely be based on entertainment value? While I would argue the film doesn’t even meet that quota, we as a society cannot settle for mediocrity. And from a financial standpoint, there is a great benefit to having authentically inclusive representation. Yes, there is content that represents underrepresented communities in a profound way, but there’s still a huge room for improvement before we can get complacent. Very few films have the audience and reach that the Wonder Woman banner has, which is why it’s so important that the film, along with movies that have similar platforms, empower underrepresented communities instead of kicking them to the curb. Yes, there will be bumps and bruises along the way, but that’s to be expected with generational long-lasting change. The late great novelist James Baldwin put it best, “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” Take risks as creatives and challenge the status quo, and then just maybe Wonder Woman can have a shot at getting back her wonder.
Actionable Insights
Take tests like the Race in Entertainment Media (R.E.M.) Test to help evaluate Authentically Inclusive Representation in your content.
Use your platform to empower underrepresented communities instead of avoiding them in your film.
Hire more women and POC in behind-the-scenes positions who can incorporate their lived experience into the plot, otherwise, their characters’ storylines may lack authenticity or even be depicted as raceless.
Write characters that defy both negative and positive stereotypes to help prevent prejudice and discrimination.
Showcase stories that are authentically diverse, as meaningful representation consists of more than simply casting women and people of color.
CSS Intern
Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this blog belong solely to the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Center for Scholars & Storytellers.
How to Achieve Authentic Racial Diversity in Hollywood Media
When I was younger, between the ages of 2 to 9 years old, there were only a few Black characters with whom I genuinely connected. Of course, I found great examples of characters who shared my identity in Rugrats’ precocious Suzie Carmichael and The Proud Family’s spunky Penny Proud, among others. However, I knew what to expect as the general unspoken rule: the characters who shared my racial identity would not appear as the active protagonists in my favourite shows. The hours that I spent watching TV after school often left me feeling disappointed and hungry for the well-rounded experiences that I saw conveyed in stories about characters with other racial identities.
As I got older, the children’s media landscape began to include more Black characters who were not only present but were also richly-developed and thoughtfully portrayed. I learned about the power of these media representations first-hand in 2009, when The Princess and the Frog premiered. Princess Tiana appeared on-screen as an ambitious, hard-working, resilient Black woman and changed my world. For the very first time, I saw myself fully represented in a daring and capable being who actively pursued her own happy ending. For the very first time, I imagined myself as an adult who could overcome any challenge and achieve my biggest dreams. Soaring eagerly upon the winds of change that Tiana brought about, for the next few years I spent every waking hour telling anyone who would listen about the deep beauty that I found in Tiana’s dreams. Throughout elementary and high school, I collected every film-related book, incessantly researched the film’s development, and made a hobby out of setting and achieving big goals to ensure that I could keep pace with Tiana’s signature brand of ambition. With every stellar grade that I achieved, I was rewarded with the internal glow that I imagined Tiana felt when she got her restaurant. “Almost There” became my mantra and my anthem.
My relationship with Princess Tiana is far from unique. Across the country, children are discovering, identifying with, and learning from the characters that they encounter as they spend over 4 hours each day watching TV, playing video games, and browsing websites. During these impactful hours, children are both constructing their identities and learning how to perceive others, particularly those from social groups with which they have little contact. Indeed, the inclusion of racially diverse characters in children’s media has increased over the past 2 decades. A recent report that I co-authored with the Toronto-based Children’s Media Lab revealed that between 2018 and 2019, 49% of animated characters on Canadian children’s television shows were depicted as people of colour; an increase from the estimate of 35% that was given one year earlier in a report which focused on both live-action and animated programs. Although these changes should be commended, since kids and teens are now engaging with media more than ever before, it is crucial to move beyond simply including racially diverse characters in stories. It is time for content creators to authentically portray racially diverse characters, as this will foster a genuine appreciation for diverse identities and inclusion.
When storytellers develop narratives, characters, and worlds that support well-rounded depictions of race, they create standout content that will reach wide audiences and inspire generations of viewers to live and breathe the social harmony for which our society hungers.
Authentic Representations of Race Strengthen Kids
While there are many real-life resources that children use to shape their identities, media offers children something truly unique: the opportunity to see themselves and their cultures represented in fantasy. When Princess Tiana entered my life in 2009, not only did she inspire me to imagine myself as a talented, resourceful leader who could deftly navigate life’s unexpected bayou adventures; she also showed me that I could accomplish these things while embracing my ethnic and racial identities. As Disney’s first African American princess, she pulled me off of my couch and into her lively world so that I could become the protagonist of my own life. The long-term impacts of media characters on children are well-documented beyond my experience.
One study revealed that for children whose racial identities were misrepresented in media, watching television was linked to decreases in self-esteem due to an absence of characters who positively reflected their identities. Other studies have revealed that negative representations of Latinx and Black characters lead viewers to feel ashamed and less positive about their social groups. In a landmark study, researchers found that Indigenous American adults who saw stereotypical representations of their cultures felt less positive about their identities, and predicted that they would achieve less in the future than those who did not see the stereotypical representations.
The inclusion of authentic, racially diverse characters is particularly impactful for children who are members of underrepresented groups. Seeing characters who not only look like them but who also share their experiences can help them to absorb positive messages that boost their self-esteem. Additionally, when children who are not from underrepresented groups see these rich characters portrayed, they may learn how to respect and empathize with individuals from other racial groups.
Authentic Representations Create Excellent Content
A list of the top-grossing films of 2019 in the US shows that authenticity sells. Many of the films that appear on the list, such as Frozen 2 and The Lion King, were created by production and development teams that travelled to the countries that appeared in their films and learned about the cultures that they depicted.
Lived experiences are particularly crucial when depicting characters from diverse racial groups. Acclaimed films such as the Oscar-winning and high-earning Black Panther and Pixar’s animated Soul (which has already been nominated for 2 Golden Globes and received 3 trophies from the Critics Choice Super Awards) were developed by directors, producers, and writers who shared their characters’ identities and experiences. As a result, they captured nuances that made the films deeply resonate with diverse audiences which, in turn, enabled the films to become blockbusters.
Films and television shows that feature authentic representations of race also stand out because they depict dynamic, three-dimensional characters that defy common tropes. This is important because children more strongly remember and connect with characters who have well-rounded and relatable qualities. In fact, many leading resources that offer tips for developing compelling stories advocate for the creation of detailed characters who have believable desires and fleshed out personality traits. When racially diverse characters are depicted as dynamic individuals who both inhabit and shape their worlds, they easily captivate viewers with their enduring appeal and attract a loyal fan base.
Authentic Representations Evoke Change
While it is crucial for all children to see themselves represented on the screen, creating characters through which viewers can also hear themselves, see their diverse abilities portrayed, and embrace their unique personalities can also dismantle harmful racial stereotypes and biases. A recent analysis of contemporary media showed that Black characters are often portrayed as unemployed and aggressive individuals. Other findings were that Latinx characters tend to be portrayed as individuals who are unintelligent and short-tempered; East Asian characters are often portrayed as characters who fulfill the “Model Minority” stereotype; and Arabic characters are often portrayed as criminals. While inauthentic representations persist, research shows that positive, authentic representations of people of colour can make public attitudes towards these groups more positive.
With the exciting possibility of making an enduring impact across the media landscape, content creators have an opportunity to transform films, TV shows, and video games into powerful catalysts for positive social change.
Actionable Insights
Encourage writers, directors, artists, and other industry professionals who have diverse racial identities to share their authentic stories.
When representing racially diverse characters, consult with as many individuals who share characters’ races, cultures, and experiences as you can. Since no single experience will apply to all individuals from a given racial group, consult with diverse experts at every stage of content development and production.
Create racially diverse main characters who have a variety of personality traits, quirks, abilities, appearances, and conflicts that make them relatable and able to stand on their own.
Hire voice actors who share characters’ racial identities. Many talented voice actors are aware of the impact that authentic representations have on young audiences, and are eager to work on projects that champion authentic stories.
Hold frequent user testing and focus group sessions with members of the racial group that you are depicting, to ensure that your characters and stories are respectful and resonate with your target audience.
The compelling strength that Tiana brought to my world through her well-developed personality ignited my decision to become a children’s media consultant: a role that has enabled me to watch and contribute to the trend of increasing authentic diversity in media by supporting industry leaders. During and beyond Black History Month, I celebrate and acknowledge storytellers’ efforts to authentically represent racially diverse characters so that their stories can be remembered and relished long after the credits roll. While we have trends yet to change, I truly do believe that we are almost there.
Josanne Buchanan, BSc.
Children’s Media Consultant at OK Play / Research Assistant at Children’s Media Lab
Finding Your Spark in the Digital Age
Growing up in the American school system, my English teachers always obsessively praised Shakespeare as the greatest playwright to ever exist, assigning his plays as part of our required reading. Whether it be Othello, Romeo & Juliet, or Hamlet, I often struggled to grasp the content and message of his plays. However, one quote from Shakespeare has always stuck with me. In the play As You Like It, Jacques says “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”
The Digital Age
In today’s digital age, we are constantly performing for each other every moment of every day. Social media has blurred the line between audience and performer. We stare at our small rectangular screens for affirmation and self-worth, constantly comparing ourselves to the accomplishments and livelihoods of others. What do we want more than to lie in our bed at the end of the day and just watch our life as a satisfied audience member? Whether it be LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok, we are constantly reminded that there are people who are more attractive than us, who are more accomplished than us, who are better than us. Now, these platforms aren’t inherently bad. We are more connected with our friends and family around the world than ever before. Information has never been more accessible. However, the algorithms have created a system where we aren’t the consumer, but the product. This can take a toll on an individual, especially in a capitalist society that demands that we perform as a measurement of success. We’re constantly questioned by teachers, neighbors, friends, and family about what we want to be when we grow up. Is it a realistic and sustainable goal? How can you actively pursue it? Do you have a back-up plan? And the consequences are considerable. As the pandemic continues, the number of people reporting anxiety and depression nationwide is at an all-time high, hitting young people the hardest. Thus, content creators and industry decision-makers have a moral responsibility to address these issues, as what we view on-screen reaches beyond entertainment into the topics of mental health, identity, and purpose.
My Experience
When I first went to college, I began having panic attacks for the first time in my life. Moving away from home and becoming independent was something I was not prepared for. I just felt overwhelmed by all of these expectations and responsibilities to perform. Still, the stigma around mental health especially in the Asian community dissuaded me from seeking help. I powered through it on my own, with some successes and many failures along the way. However, by my junior year, the panic attacks became so unbearable that I knew it was time for the last resort and I decided to seek therapy. And I’m glad to say that it’s been of tremendous help. Don’t get me wrong, I still get anxious, but I’ve slowly begun to learn to take everything one step at a time, to appreciate the little things, and most of all, to not align my self-worth with my accomplishments. Being an avid film lover, I wondered if there was a movie that captured my lived experience but could not find one that truly spoke to me. Then, on Christmas Day, Disney+ released their latest installment to the Pixar canon, Soul.
Finding Your Spark
While movies are meant to entertain, I’ve always been drawn to films that inspire. Soul accomplishes both by treating its audience not as mindless zombies but as capable, intelligent beings with articulate thoughts. Its central theme is that finding a purpose or passion isn’t what makes someone a person — just existing, and living, makes you a person. True fulfillment can only be found when we stop performing for others and find beauty in the everyday things that life has to offer. It can be the effervescent glow of sunlight as it gleams through our bedroom window, the taste of morning brewed coffee, the sound of laughter with a loved one, or the smell of the sky after a night of pouring rain. Getting through a tumultuous 2020 is an award in itself, you shouldn’t feel self-critical if you didn’t get your dream job or GPA. Having goals is normal, but don’t let your dreams and the desire for success distract you from the beauty of life, otherwise, you’re at risk of it becoming an obsession and you may become like one of those monsters in Soul, withering your life away filled with regret once death comes knocking. Your spark isn’t a passion, it’s the very essence, or soul, that indicates a human is a human and you are ready to live.
In Pixar’s previous film Inside Out, Riley has an imaginary friend named Bing Bong who I consider to be the greatest Disney Pixar character ever. He represents the spirit of childhood within us all, and he sacrifices himself so that Joy could get back to headquarters, causing Riley to forget him in the process. It represents that we must lose our childhood innocence to function in society, but I argue that it’s that exact childlike wonder that holds the key to our fulfillment. Life itself is simply meant to be lived, so enjoy the little things and be grateful for what you already have instead of longing for what you don’t. As creatives, you can teach your audience through your content to learn more from young people, maintain that youthfulness in your soul, and most importantly, never forget your Bing Bong.
Actionable Insights
Treat your audience with intelligence and don’t be afraid of weighty themes
Write characters that don’t tie their self worth with their passion/career, and instead live a balanced lifestyle
Start a conversation about using social media responsibly, emphasizing the content rather than the screen time
Emphasize in plot points the importance of actively living every day with gratitude, finding joy in the little things, and not comparing one’s self to others
Provide resources and supplemental material for children and adolescents seeking help
CSS Intern
Gender Representation On-Screen
Children begin to form ideas and concepts of gender early on in life. Specifically, by age 2, children start to use gender to guide their social and learning preferences and by age 3, children’s awareness of gender develops into a rigid social category and they become increasingly aware of basic gender stereotypes. With this, it can be argued that preschoolers are particularly vulnerable to these types of stereotypical messages both in society and in the media.
Although children gather (and observe) a lot of information about gender from their parents, peers, and teachers, screen media also plays a large role in children’s learning about gender and gender roles. Children in the 21st century are spending significant amounts of time watching, engaging, interacting, and communicating with a range of media and media characters. However, when closely examining the types of characters they are interacting with (specifically in children’s television programming), scholars have found a consistent presence of one-dimensional, stereotypical characters that are often defined by their social group, such as their gender. Specifically, these stereotypical portrayals are largely evident when examining the appearance and behaviours of female media characters.
For example, content analyses have consistently observed that girls/women characters are significantly more likely to be thin and sexualized than male characters (e.g., wearing revealing clothing). It has also been found that male characters are more likely to engage in problem-solving than female characters, specifically by using STEM and physical power, whereas females are more likely to use magic and talking to solve problems.
Regular engagement with these types of characters can alter and influence children’s beliefs and attitudes about various issues (e.g. gender roles) and might largely impact children’s perceptions about different groups of people. Recent studies have found that exposure to stereotypical television clips led to different effects than counter-stereotypical clips. For example, Bond (2016) discovered that girls who watched a stereotypical clip of a television show, were more likely to express interest in stereotypical feminine careers and were less likely to draw a female when asked to depict what they thought a scientist looked like.
Overall, it is clear that media has the power to shape children’s beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours about gender and content creators must be actively aware of this as they create new projects.
Actionable Insights
Here some actionable insights for content creators:
Aim for gender parity and gender equality. Male characters should not consistently outnumber female characters—they should be equal and featured in the same types of roles (e.g., lead roles).
This also means increasing the number of diverse characters in the cast, who may not identify as male and/or female.
Showcase women and female-identifying characters in complex and intricate roles instead of rigid, simple, and stereotypical roles.
A character’s gender should not define who they are. There is nothing wrong with behaving or appearing in a gender stereotypical manner, but consistently portraying women/female-identifying characters this way can be harmful. Give these characters more substance!
Create multi-dimensional characters.
Develop detailed character profiles that showcase the different layers to a character. If we want children to see themselves reflected on-screen, we must create realistic characters who have human-like qualities. This means showing all sides of a character—regardless of gender (e.g., strengths and weaknesses, varying emotions and personalities, struggling and overcoming obstacles, etc.).
Adrianna Ruggiero
Ph.D. Student, Ryerson University
Junior Fellow of the Center for Scholars and Storytellers
School Closures, Stay-At-Home Orders, and Screen Time
The Importance of Educational Television Programs to Children’s Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic
We’ve all been there…whether it’s with your own child, a younger sibling, or the kid you are babysitting, we have sighed in exasperation while handing over our cell phones or turning on the TV so we can do our daily tasks without distractions. Turning to media as a form of a modern day “babysitter” is all too common when caregivers are in a pinch and need a last resort to keep kids busy and happy. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, more parents and siblings are working from home while their young children attempt remote schooling and look for ways to fend off the boredom of quarantine.
Unsurprisingly, there has been a substantial increase in total TV usage in the US since the beginning of the pandemic, with daytime TV viewing for kids (ages 6 to 11) and teens (ages 12-17) both increasing around 300% on average. Throughout COVID, kids have been using media as their primary source of entertainment, information, social connection, and education. Young children and teens say their use of media is mostly due to boredom and other options being inaccessible to them. This is especially true of TV consumption, particularly for preschoolers who have less autonomy in manipulating technology but can passively sit in front of a television screen. As quarantine has stretched on, the attitudes of parents about limiting screen time, social media usage, and engagement with online entertainment in general have eased considerably, with many entirely giving up on trying to regulate their children’s media habits. How many hours a day your child is watching TV is less of a concern when you are trying to work from home and juggle the demands on your attention around the household. Now, with young children spending more time on screens during the day than ever before, it is the responsibility of adults and content creators to ensure that the programming available to children is approached with an understanding that the content is central to life as a kid during the pandemic.
Another area of a typical child’s daily life that has been drastically altered by the coronavirus is education and schooling. School closures and the rapid shift to remote learning have created gaps in access to social and educational resources, rendering many children vulnerable and struggling at home. Numerous K-12 schools and school districts, for example the Los Angeles United School District, have recently announced plans to remain closed for in-person instruction until January 2021. Educators have projected that students who remain enrolled in school this fall without in-person instruction will lose 3-4 months of learning, even with access to an average quality of remote instruction. The outlook is bleaker for those with connection to low-quality remote instruction or even none at all. As a result, glaring inconsistencies in educational availability and quality, both with regard to resources of schools and in the home, have made the gross inequities in the US education system difficult to ignore. With this in mind, what steps can be taken to facilitate the continued learning and development of children and teens during quarantine?
Here is the basis of what we know so far: (1) school-aged children are spending significantly more time watching daytime TV and (2) many children will not have access to in-person schooling this fall, which will result in unequal and exacerbated learning gaps. So, what if stations started broadcasting high quality educational media content created for children of specific age groups more frequently during the day while parents are busy working? Would this make the increased time children are spending watching TV during the pandemic worthwhile, by simultaneously increasing their opportunities for learning? As it turns out, the answer is yes!
Media technologies have positive effects on the social and cognitive abilities of children, provided that media content is developmentally appropriate and emphasizes active engagement. For example, engagement with PBS educational media content resulted in academic improvements across the disciplines, including English language arts, mathematics, and science. Additionally, popular educational programs such as Sesame Street and Blue’s Clues have been shown to improve academic achievement and school readiness of children. These educational TV shows designed around a narrative curriculum are successful in teaching children intended lessons about both cognitive and social skills. Storytelling is a crucial medium for children to keep learning through the pandemic, but it is the nature of the content that they are watching which determines which, if any, educational gains they are making.
The opportunity for learning through educational media is not limited to academic lessons, but also applies to the development of social skills. This provides a promising avenue to teach children about new norms and expectations during the COVID outbreak, such as wearing a mask in public and using hand sanitizer. Another feature of educational media that is well suited to the pandemic, is that it has been found to be most effective when it encourages children to be active rather than passive viewers, creating a connection between on- and off-screen activities. This connection could be established through supplemental activities inspired by the narrative of the media content, such as completing a hands-on, creative project or by encouraging outdoor exploration after watching an episode. Such activities and active engagement with media in general are not only beneficial to children’s academic learning through educational media, but also to the facilitation of enriching off-screen activities that can be done in the home during the current period of quarantine.
Actionable Insights
Here are some actionable insights for children’s content creators during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep kids who are unable to attend in-person classes learning by capitalizing on the large increase of TV viewing among children during quarantine:
Keep in mind that school-aged children are spending upwards of 3 times the amount of hours watching TV since the pandemic. Developmentally appropriate television content is even more important now that kids are spending more time at home in front of screens.
Don’t rely on parents to monitor and regulate children’s media habits during the pandemic. Ensure that the options available to them are high quality and support active engagement from the viewer.
Educational programming is successful in teaching viewers intended lessons, both related to cognitive and social gains. This suggests that new norms and conventions surrounding COVID-19 can be effectively taught to children through television content. Focus on incorporating simple language and easily understood examples when featuring the pandemic in storylines. Click here for our child-friendly COVID-19 Lexicon.
Children who watch educational television programs have greater academic success and higher levels of school readiness than those who do not. Therefore, incorporate educational content into narratives to keep kids learning during school shutdowns. This has the potential to help combat learning loss associated with remote instruction.
Educational programming should engage children with both the world on-screen and off-screen. Create opportunities for children to connect the narrative they are watching on-screen with the world they are living in.
Emily Raich
CSS Intern
How the Pandemic Can Teach Kids About Compassion
What if this crisis became an opportunity for children to deepen their sense of care?
As a homebound parent with a preschooler, I’ve felt an array of emotions over the past few months during the coronavirus pandemic. I’ve felt sadness and worry about how many people are becoming ill, while being confounded by trying to juggle homeschooling and my own work responsibilities.
But I’ve also felt a great deal of gratitude for the kindnesses that have punctuated so many of my days lately, like when a neighbor left herbs from her garden at my gate or when a faraway friend whom I haven’t heard from in years sent text messages of love.
These positive experiences have affirmed to me that when times are difficult, our common human response is not to show reckless disregard of others but to show compassion.
We often assume that emergencies automatically lead to panic, but research consistently shows that people tend to act in solidarity and turn toward each other with a sense of togetherness. They volunteer, donate supplies, and spread goodwill, strengthening social bonds and helping everyone be resilient together.
“Affiliative, supportive, prosocial behaviors are more common, where widespread sickness and debility evoke acts of mutual aid among members of a community in crisis,” explains Steven Taylor, professor and clinical psychologist at the University of British Columbia, in his book The Psychology of Pandemics.
Compassion—noticing others suffering and being motivated to provide relief to them—grows early on in life. Five-month-old babies prefer helpers over hinderers. When babies between eight and 10 months old see people bump their knees or hurt their fingers, they already show the seeds of empathy with facial expressions, vocalizations, and gestures that reflect concern and a desire to understand others’ distress. By 14 months old, toddlers help others by handing them objects out of reach.
How can parents help their children realize their instinctual capacity for compassion during the coronavirus pandemic? Scientists have suggested three ways that children develop compassion that are relevant to these times.
1. Show compassion to kids so they experience receiving it
During the pandemic, many of our children are feeling uncertainty and upheaval, just like us parents. They miss school, their friends, and playing sports like they did before. For young children who don’t have the breadth of words to express their worries and fears, or older children who don’t have the emotional agility to get through tough moments, it can be overwhelming.
As a result, our kids may be irritable or have more meltdowns and tantrums than usual. But rather than seeing children as uncooperative, parents can consider whether their behavior is simply an indication that they might be suffering, too.
If we offer children warmth and tenderness when their routines are turned upside down, we can soothe them in their own time of need. Parents can extend compassion by making space to help their children become better aware of and process their feelings. Acknowledging and being sensitive to our children’s emotions can act as a salve and help them to see that this moment of hardship will eventually pass.
Parents can also frequently talk to their children about all the members of their extended family and broader community who have cared for them both recently and in the past. For example, parents can tell and retell their children stories of neighbors who brought gift baskets after their pet died or dropped off dinners when a grandparent was in the hospital. These conversations serve to remind children that they are connected to a network of people who are a generous source of compassion from which they can draw strength during times of suffering.
Receiving compassion offers kids a firsthand experience of what it feels like.
2. Teach kids to practice self-compassion
In turn, just as children receive compassion from parents, they can also learn to offer it to themselves.
When children are having a hard time during the pandemic, parents can encourage them to listen and respond to their bodies and minds with greater awareness, acceptance, and kindness. For example, parents of older children can teach them to take self-compassion breaks to handle stressful moments.
For younger children, this might mean guiding them to first pause and notice their tense muscles, rapid heartbeats, and racing thoughts. Ask them to recognize that they’re having a moment of hardship and children all over the world are having these kinds of moments, too. Teach them to breathe deeply from their bellies and offer themselves words of tenderness like “May I feel calm.”
Parents can also encourage their younger children to cultivate self-compassion by planning enjoyable activities to look forward to after a hard day of homeschooling or after realizing summer vacation plans are cancelled.
Self-compassion allows children to process and cope with difficult emotions. Eventually, it can help them see their common humanity—that everyone suffers sometimes—and know that it’s all right to feel bad.
Tending to their intense emotions helps children be restored and renewed, which in turn prepares them to serve others. Overwhelming personal distress can make children singularly self-focused and less able to attend to others’ suffering. Self-compassion practices can help them be more able to orient toward others and extend compassion to them—which is the last step.
3. Encourage kids to extend compassion to others
During the coronavirus pandemic, even though children are inclined to help, it can be hard for them to know exactly what they can do.
Children can start with small acts of compassion as a family—sending kind thoughts to essential workers, regularly FaceTiming with isolated older or immunocompromised family members, or helping gather canned goods for the local food bank. Parents can also review these other ideas from Youth Service America to help inspire children toward compassionate acts.
Research suggests that small differences in language matter when we’re encouraging our kids to help. Parents can nurture young children’s motivation by inviting them to “be a helper,” which can instill in them a compassionate self-identity. But there’s a catch: When tasks are too difficult and children experience a setback, those who were asked to “be a helper” are less likely to try to help again compared to children who were simply asked “to help.” So, in circumstances when children might not succeed at helping with something, it’s better to just ask them “to help.”
Even young children have undoubtedly picked up on their radar that life right now is quite a bit different than it used to be. What if this pandemic became an opportunity for them to learn that being human during hard times involves transformation and resilience, and that compassion helps us all to thrive?
Maryam Abdullah, Ph.D.
This article originally appeared on Greater Good, the online magazine of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley.
Five Ways to Reduce Racial Bias in Your Children
How do we combat racial prejudice? New research reveals how parents influence the formation of bias in children.
Children notice difference across racial lines. Even from a very young age, babies scan a face differently if it belongs to someone of a different race, suggesting that racial bias may be hardwired.
But noticing difference is not the same as having negative or positive beliefs around difference. Those types of judgments develop over time and are influenced by many things, including the social climate children grow up in and the experiences they have that confirm or disprove their biases.
This is where parenting comes in. Though it’s clear that parents are not solely responsible for biasing their kids one way or the other, science suggests that they do play a role—and an important one. In fact, their influence may extend well beyond a child’s early years and into adolescence.
Though how this works is not totally clear, recent research has shown that the process starts early and involves both explicit (deliberate) and implicit (unconscious) messages that parents send to their children. This is the good news: Parents can be a positive force in combating prejudice in their children. But the “bad news” is that kids can easily pick up prejudice from society at large unless parents do something about it.
Here are some of the ways that parents can help reduce negative bias in their children.
1. Expose kids to more positive images of other racial groups
Kids are immersed in negative stereotypes perpetuated by the media and culture, just as adults are. To counteract that, parents can expose kids through stories, books, and films to more positive, counter-stereotypical images of people from different racial and ethnic groups—including moral exemplars like Martin Luther King Jr. or Dolores Huerta. In studies with adults, this type of intervention has been shown over and over to be one of the most effective ways of decreasing bias.
Though less is known about how this might impact children specifically, at least one study suggests that they benefit, too. Researchers presented white and Asian children ages 5-12 with four positive vignettes involving admirable black people (such as firefighters or doctors), admirable white people, or flowers and then measured the kids’ implicit biases towards black people. Being exposed to the positive vignettes significantly reduced implicit bias in children nine years of age and older—though not in the younger children.
According to lead author Antonya Gonzalez, this study suggests that showing older kids positive images of black people may counteract negative stereotypes in society.
“Hearing these stories, the kids are internalizing an association between the group they’re hearing about and positivity, and that counteracts the stereotypical associations that they may already have,” she says.
However, just because younger children were not moved by the stories in her experiment doesn’t mean we shouldn’t expose younger kids to positive images, as well, Gonzalez believes.
“If there were more exposure and more exemplars, there’s a chance that might be enough to change associations” in younger kids, too, she says.
2. Help your kids develop cross-group friendships
Research suggests that cross-race friendships are an important factor in decreasing prejudice, probably because they help decrease stress and fears of rejection that may occur in cross-group situations. Having a friend from another group may also remove barriers to empathy and caring, which in turn decreases prejudice.
Research shows that having contact with different racial or social groups—especially when that contact is warm and positive—helps to decrease prejudice and to encourage more cross-group friendships. In a study with school kids of various ages, students who had higher levels of cross-race contact—including cross-race friendships—were more likely to see the way race plays a role in social exclusion and to view that behavior negatively.
In a longitudinal study with adolescents, those who had cross-group friendships were less likely to develop biases against immigrants in their community, even if their parents or peers were biased. These studies suggest that cross-group friendships might help mitigate biases that could otherwise form.
In one study, German teens who established a cross-group friendship during a three-year period demonstrated lower prejudice toward immigrants at the end of the study than those who hadn’t. In addition, the teens were more likely to develop cross-group friendships when there were more kids from different groups and more positive social norms concerning cross-group friendships in their community. This suggests that opportunity—meaning, living in diverse neighborhoods or going to integrated schools—is important.
Psychologist Rodolfo Mendoza-Denton encourages parents to take an active role in supporting cross-race friendships in their kids by organizing play-dates, inviting kids over to their houses, offering rides to sporting events, and creating other opportunities for their kids’ cross-group friendships to form.
“The default is to do these things with people with whom you already have an affinity,” he says. “You need to help scaffold these social experiences for your kids and be more intentional if you want to be sure that cross-group friendships happen.”
3. Cultivate cross-group friendships yourself
Parents can help normalize cross-group friendships by role-modeling them for their kids. This may seem superfluous, but research has shown that children’s racial attitudes are less tied to parents’ explicit messages around race than to the racial makeup of the parents’ social network.
Why does having cross-race friendships have such a strong impact on bias? Mendoza-Denton says that when you develop a cross-race friendship, you incorporate your friend’s struggles, motivations, and thoughts into your own self-concept—not in a way that’s confusing, but more expansive. For example, he says, you start to feel what they feel and empathize with them: maybe sweating when they give a talk or suffering when they experience heartbreak. And that experience of “inclusion of the other in the self” decreases bias against that person’s social group.
“It’s so much more organic to reduce bias by developing intergroup friendships, because it changes your attitudes through a very human mechanism, which is the interpersonal,” says Mendoza-Denton.
Though adding people to your social group based simply on race is probably unwise, it’s possible to search for common interests with people of different backgrounds, making it more likely that a friendship will happen naturally. Once friendship grows, empathy develops organically, says Mendoza-Denton.
4. Talk explicitly about race and the effects of racism
Many black parents give explicit instructions to their kids about the importance of race in society and what they can do to mitigate any bias they encounter. But well-meaning white parents are less likely to bring up race with their children, perhaps fearing that doing so would mean they don’t value egalitarianism or believe in a “post-race” society. The problem with that approach is that not talking about race can create a vacuum of information, which leads children to absorb biases around them—often in ways that are counter to parents’ own held values.
In one study, researchers had white parents read books depicting racial issues to their preschool-aged children (under the guise of studying the effects of literature on learning) while being videotaped. Racial attitudes were measured and compared afterwards in both parents and their children.
Later analyses of the videos showed that many parents avoided mention of race—even if their children asked about it—and used “colorblind” approaches to the issues raised in the book. For example, they might say, “It’s important to be nice to everyone” rather than something about race. Though the parents assumed their kids would absorb their colorblind ideals and hold favorable views of African-Americans, the children’s views weren’t in line with these expectations, suggesting that a colorblind approach does not decrease biased attitudes in kids.
In fact, research suggests that parents need to be much more explicit about racism and its effects. When white parents were asked to have race-related discussions with their kids—either with or without watching educational videos about race—their children showed more favorable attitudes toward racial outgroup members only if their parents discussed race directly. Interestingly, though, the researchers had trouble getting the parents to have these discussions—even when instructed to do so as part of the study. Apparently, there are psychological barriers to discussing race among many Caucasian parents.
How can parents overcome these? It’s not easy, says Mendoza-Denton, because if you aren’t comfortable, you will avoid the topic. He suggests that parents need to increase their own comfort first by developing connections to people from other racial groups. That will make it easier for parents to have these conversations without resorting to fear and avoidance.
If you can overcome your own discomfort, there are many children’s books that expose kids to the values and experiences of different groups and could be conversation starters. Or you may want to follow Allison Briscoe-Smith’s advice on how to use the movie Zootopia to talk to your children about racial prejudice.
5. Work to combat biases in yourself
Research clearly shows that the impact of parent bias on kids shouldn’t be underestimated. Although explicit biases have negative effects on kids, implicit bias can also impact children.
In one study, researchers found that very young children exhibited more explicit negative bias if their mothers held implicit biases—regardless of their explicit messaging. There can be a mismatch between what parents say and their unconscious reactions toward minority groups—and children seem to pick up on this.
Though implicit biases may seem an impossible thing to control—after all, they are supposed to be unconscious—they are quite changeable with conscious effort. Research suggests that automatic biases can be countered by deliberate attempts to counter them, exposure to moral exemplars, or positive cross-race interactions. In other words, much of what influences children may also influence you.
Becoming more aware of subtle prejudices may be the first step, and you can always take an implicit bias test if you want to learn about yourself. But Mendoza-Denton believes that this information is most useful in parents who are truly willing to attend to their biases; otherwise, learning about their implicit biases could possibly backfire, making them feel exposed and defensive and increasing their avoidance of the issue.
In addition to developing cross-race friendships, he advises parents to read books, watch films, and consume media not aimed at them. For example, to understand the viewpoints and experiences of blacks, a white parent might read Ta-Nehisi Coates’s book Between the World and Me, or see the movie I Am Not Your Negro. Doing so may counter bias by enriching understanding of another’s point of view, especially if they are motivated to foster that understanding.
Parents may think that there is very little they can do to influence their children’s biases or feel that prejudice-reduction is a daunting task. But if we are to impact bias in the long-term, we must come to grips with how bias is transmitted early in life and fed by a system of segregation and negative societal views. Parents, it turns out, can make an important contribution.
Jill Suttie, Psy.D
This article originally appeared on Greater Good, the online magazine of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley.
Foster or Otherwise, Parenting is Parenting: Love, care, and try your best
Media content has the power to shape perceptions and views on a mass scale. Unfortunately, media portrayals of youth in foster care are often negative and perpetuate unhelpful stereotypes. In this special blog series, The Center for Scholars and Storytellers is exploring this topic from multiple perspectives to inform and inspire the creation of accurate, empowering, and socially responsible media portrayals of foster care.
Marianne Guilfoyle, Chief Innovations Officer at LA-based Allies for Every Child and a key foster care advisor to the Center for Scholars and Storytellers, often remarks: “If I had a nickel for every person who said they had considered being foster parents…” And she is right. It’s not that people haven’t considered fostering, it’s that they’ve never seriously considered it. And far too often, their reason is that they don’t think they could do it. Indeed, multi-racial, same-sex couple Ching-chu Hu and Jim Van-Reeth, who have adopted four children through the foster care system, say they constantly hear comments such as “Oh, I could never do that” or “You’re stronger than me!” Their thoughts on this? “We believe most people on the planet naturally have the necessary tools to be foster parents -- to love and nurture a child.” Positive media portrayal of fostering can play a large role in empowering people to see that they can indeed foster. We need to see more of these stories.
Another honest response they get from people interested in adoption are fears that adopting from the system is too “dangerous”, and international adoption will get you “safer” children with “less issues.” To this, Hu and Van-Reeth remark; “Children are amazingly resilient, and the issues we all face as parents are strikingly similar, whether a child is from the foster care system, international adoption, or is a biological child. The primary difference is that we came into it expecting challenges, whereas those with biological children may be caught off guard by difficulties if they arise.” Rich Valenza, founder of Raise a Child and himself a father of two children he adopted through the foster care system, echoed this sentiment, reflecting on how the conversations with other parents at school drop-off were often quite therapeutic. He noticed, “Whether raising your birth children or children through foster care, the parenting problems you face are pretty similar! You have expectations of what raising a child will be like, but the reality quickly sinks in for both scenarios that it’s often not the way you planned. You’ll never be fully prepared. You likely won’t hear “thank you for giving me an amazing life” from your foster children as you tuck them into bed, but it’s a safe bet that you won’t hear that from your birth children either.” Content creators should strive to show the parenting commonalities in raising children, from the struggles to the joys, regardless of how their children entered their lives.
But this is not to dismiss the trauma that foster children experience in leaving their home, and whatever difficult life they may have endured previous to entering foster care (or within foster care). And this needs to be appropriately reflected in media, too. Valenza is a proud proponent of family therapy and removing all associated stigma, “Whether you have birth or foster children, all families can benefit from therapy-- it needs to be seen as a bonus to your life, an education into yourself.” In addition to recruiting foster parents, Raise a Child makes an effort to continually support parents throughout the foster/adoption process. They are currently partnered with LA-based Allies for Every Child on a pilot program that provides extra support and training to remind parents, for instance, that when problems arise, “this is not about me, this is about the needs of the child.” Portraying counseling as normative in fictional media could go a long way in reducing the stigma of seeking professional help, both for parents and children.
One of the biggest lessons that Hu and Van-Reeth encountered over the years was learning, accepting, and supporting the perspectives of the foster children’s previous lives, and not judging the biological parents (who often grew up in similar situations). They explain, “No matter how horrific we may find their previous life, it was still their home, their reality, their “comfortable” environment. It is the lives they were used to, and anything different, no matter how safe, how loving, how supportive, is still different, unusual, and unfamiliar to their world. And it takes a lot of time and nurturing for them to trust a safe and loving environment.”
Worrying that a foster child you hope to adopt might be reunified with their birth family is another fear that can lead people to pursue private or international adoption instead. Indeed, Hu and Van-Reeth went through this in the most heart-wrenching way; “Losing our 18 month old son-who we had had since day one- to his birth parents who we knew were falling back into drugs, was the hardest moment in our fostering journey. Especially the fact that as foster parents we felt we had no voice, no “seat” at the judicial table. Those scars left indelible memories.” Ultimately, their son did end up returning back to their home, and is now adopted by the Hu and Van-Reeth. Those interested in fostering and adoption and those creating media about foster care should understand that there are different paths to take, depending on the long-term option desired, and the amount of potential heartbreak you are willing to risk. Media content can help by portraying all types of fostering, including:
A foster parent that just fosters with no intention of adopting (roles which are very much needed since reunification with the birth family is the primary goal for children entering into the foster care system.)
A foster/adoptive parent who takes in foster children who might become available for adoption (and therefore would adopt the child if it was a good fit), but the child could instead be reunified with their birth family.
An adoptive-only parent who will only take a child into their home if they are already classified as “adoptive,” meaning the birth parents have terminated their parental rights.
Finally, another reason people are hesitant to become foster parents is because they’re afraid they won’t be good enough, or they will mess up as a parent. But ultimately, as Velenza correctly puts it, “Worrying about being good enough parent is exactly what will make someone a good foster parent. This shows that they are conscious of their role, and it shows they care. And ultimately, that is what it takes.”
For foster parents, there are countless instances along the way that remind you you’re doing a great job. For Valenza, as his children get older he finds he gets immeasurable pride from seeing them thrive, and even beginning to realize and appreciate the work he does for the foster care community. As Hu and Van-Reeth reflect; “It’s the small things: it’s seeing them come out of their shells, adjusting, being nurtured, opening up, and giving a hug. It’s seeing them bring their defenses down, grow, and become stronger and more comfortable with the world around them. It’s giving them first-time experiences, whether that’s flying on a plane, going to a park, or even, shockingly, giving them breakfast.”
Actionable Insights
Write and cast realistic, everyday people as foster parents who aren’t perfect people, but care and are doing their best.
- Media that gets it right: Instant Family - the couple is refreshingly honest in their uncertainty and process to fostering, making them extremely relatable.
Show the similar joys and struggles that parents face, regardless of whether their children are biological, adopted internationally/privately, or from the foster care system.
Normalize seeking counseling and therapy, show how it is beneficial and healthy for the entire family.
Colleen Russo Johnson, PhD
Senior Fellow of the Center for Scholars & Storytellers