Storyteller Insights: Differing Perceptions of Foster Care Portrayals
Youth with first-hand foster care experience were 3.43 times more likely to believe the portrayal of foster youth in the movie “Instant Family” was accurate compared to youth with no first-hand foster care experience.
This research snapshot highlights a striking revelation: youth with foster care experience are over three times more likely to view Instant Family as an accurate depiction compared to those who have never experienced foster care. This underscores a crucial point—real stories resonate.
The film was inspired by the personal adoption journey of director Sean Anders, who also wrote the screenplay (with John Morris) and served as one of its producers. On the other hand, those unfamiliar with the system approach the film with skepticism, illustrating the need for media to bridge the gap between fiction and reality.
A SHIFT IN FOCUS
In a world where media shapes perceptions, the portrayal of foster care has long been mired in stereotypes, casting a shadow over the real experiences of those within the system. In the past, for example, issues like child abuse and neglect have dominated storylines, painting a picture of dysfunction. Yet, films like Instant Family break this mold. These narratives veer away from one-dimensional portrayals, offering a richer, more empathetic view of the foster care experience.
This research snapshot shows that in order to create positively impactful stories that resonate with audiences, storytellers must engage those who have lived experience with the complex human and social dynamics they seek to represent. Instant Family and other nuanced portrayals of the foster care system challenge long standing misconceptions, and pave the way for a more informed and empathetic understanding of foster care by embracing authenticity over cliché.
Below we break down the findings.
THE STUDY
This research snapshot is based on the findings from a larger research study, in which we surveyed 42 youth, aged 18-26, across California. We examined the differences in how young people with foster care experience and those without foster care experience perceived the accuracy of the depictions of foster care included in Instant Family and other, recently released films that depict the system. For Instant Family, participants viewed a scene that featured one of the children fostered by the protagonists (description below). The data were then analyzed to identify significant differences.
Our findings reveal a profound divide in perceptions of Instant Family between youth with and without foster care experience. Those with firsthand experience found the film's portrayal of foster youth to be strikingly authentic, identifying closely with the characters' emotional journeys, especially in scenes depicting complex feelings like betrayal and disappointment. They lauded the film for mirroring the multifaceted realities of life within the foster care system.
Media Example Synopsis: Instant Family
Instant Family follows the story of two foster parents, Pete and Ellie, who unexpectedly foster three siblings whom they later adopt at the end of the film. The specific scene shown to survey participants takes place after a court hearing where Pete and Ellie attempt to gain legal custody of the three foster children through adoption. The eldest of the foster children, Lizzie, reads a statement to the judge, detailing a negative experience with the foster parents, resulting in the children being placed back into the custody of their biological mother. The next day, the social workers on the case arrive with unexpected news–that the children’s biological mother was not ready to take them back. It becomes apparent that Lizzie took the initiative to complete the paperwork for the family’s reunification, despite her mother’s renewed struggle with her substance addiction. Overwhelmed by this revelation, Lizzie runs away in tears, with Pete and Ellie chasing after her. They eventually catch up with her and offer reassurance of their love.
FINDINGS DISCUSSION
Our findings reveal a profound divide in perceptions of Instant Family between youth with and without foster care experience. Those with firsthand experience found the film's portrayal of foster youth to be strikingly authentic, identifying closely with the characters' emotional journeys, especially in scenes depicting complex feelings like betrayal and disappointment. They lauded the film for mirroring the multifaceted realities of life within the foster care system.
“I have been in this situation before and the way the actress portrayed the foster youth’s betrayal felt so similar and real. It was an accurate representation…the girl was behaving appropriately to her situation, but people [who are] unaware of the care system might have perceived this reaction as negative and over emotional.”
In contrast, those unfamiliar with foster care were more critical, viewing the movie as an overly idealized representation. They pointed out the disparities in the foster care system, such as varying levels of support and resources, and felt the film offered a rosier picture than the actual experiences. This difference in perspective underscores the impact of personal experiences on media interpretation, especially around sensitive and complex issues like foster care.
“There is so much case to case variation, but foster parents don’t often have the money/resources for the “perfect” house, case workers aren’t always so engaged with youth, etc. This clip makes foster care look a lot better than reality. It is a hopeful view of foster youth (including reunification), but maybe not the most accurate.”
CALL TO ACTION: The findings highlighted in this research snapshot demonstrate the need for more accurate representations of the foster care system in media that serve to bridge the gap between perception and reality. In addition, many individuals’ views and behaviors are heavily influenced by the stories they encounter in film and TV. Emphasizing harmful stereotypes of foster youth in media can contribute to the further stigmatization of foster youth and discourage potential foster parents. Storytellers can play a vital role in promoting a more informed and compassionate understanding of foster care.
“Children and young adults in foster care are often depicted as villains in media. These negative images are rooted in deficit-laden ideas of who they are and reified through harmful stereotypes and tropes.”
“I think when people hear the words ‘foster care’ it brings to mind a lot of negativity and fear, and what I found in my travels through the system, over and over again, is that you meet the kids, and you go ‘Oh, they’re just kids. They’re just kids, and they need families and they need love, and they have love to give, just like any other kids.”
Recommendations for Storytellers
We offer the following recommendations for storytellers:
Consult with People with Lived Experiences: Collaborate with foster youth, foster parents, biological parents, and case workers who have experienced the foster care system firsthand to ensure that stories are authentic to real-life experiences.
Diversify Representation: Incorporate a broader spectrum of experiences and stories related to foster care, including positive and nuanced portrayals, to counteract the perpetuation of negative stereotypes.
Raise Awareness: Use storytelling as a means to raise awareness about the foster care system, its challenges, and its successes. This can help create a more informed and empathetic public.
Challenge Stereotypes: Consciously challenge and debunk stereotypes and biases that have been historically perpetuated in media. Showcase the positive contributions of foster parents, case workers, and the real-life experiences of foster youth being normal kids rather than overly inspiring and resilient or hopeless “charity cases.”
By adopting these recommendations, storytellers can play a crucial role in reshaping public perceptions of the foster care system and contributing to a more accurate and compassionate understanding of this important social issue.
Authors: Demontea Thompson, Emma Terrell, Dr. Alisha J. Hines
Acknowledgments
This research was funded by:
Many thanks to CSS interns Jessica Dam and Fernando Becerra for their assistance with this study. Thank you to the Center for Scholars & Storytellers Lab, an amazing group of people who consistently helped refine the data collection and analysis in this project.
Thank you to our Advisory Council, Taylor Dudley, Thomas Lee, Nicole Cadena, Cheyenne Cobb, and Mike Farrah who mentored and guided us along the way toward understanding the impetus of this work and deepening our understanding of the populations we aim to impact.
To the survey respondents, we thank you for shedding light on the issues presented in the original survey. And to the foster care community, thank you for being vocal about what matters to you.
To see the methodology and references for this report, click here.
To see our Foster Care and Adoption Toolkit, click here.
What’s Your Money Story?
One of my first students at Pockets Change told me, “If I don’t have a plan for my money, my money’s gonna have a plan for me.”
It’s a simple statement that also happens to be some of the best financial advice I’ve ever heard.
We start forming relationships with money between 3-7 years old; while we’re listening to Elmo sing about getting new shoes or sneaking to the doorway as our parents watch Succession. Fictional characters’ wants and needs fill more than screens; they shape our financial narratives.
Across storylines, characters exemplify money personalities in action. Every iteration of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles spends their (literally) hard fought loot on pizza, but each member embodies distinct habits & tendencies. That’s why our multigenerational Hip Hop & Finance programs start with finding your money personality. We use a simple, 2 question money personality quiz to determine one of four money personalities. The questions are rooted in financial psychology and behavioral economics.
Through money personalities, Students, teachers, and family members of all ages have been able to forgive themselves and move forward. The 4 personalities are full of relatable tendencies that make sense of the seemingly irrational ways we deal with money. Do you only buy things on sale? You may be a complicator! Do you end up blowing the big check you just got because it was from an Evil Corporation? You might be a money monk.
The money havers and knowers love telling young adults about the necessity and urgency of making a financial plan. Set long term goals, invest for your future, make a vision board, max out your 401k, build generational wealth.
Save, invest, and protect the right percentages of your wages, advocate for raises, stick to your plan, and everybody will be wealthy and we’ll have world peace. Do the right thing? Spike Lee made a film about how easy it is to do that.
It’s why many officials want financial education taught as a part of math class. Hard work + discipline = success… except when it doesn’t.
There’s no mathematical or magical formula for perfecting our finances. Budgets are personal and cash flow projections are literal guesses. If all that seems fake, and made up, good! So is money.
Take a breath. [Editor's note: ‘take a breath’ is the definition of inspiration]
Money is about more than numbers, it’s a tool to create change. As storytellers, content creators, and community builders we have a tremendous power to deconstruct money myths and cultivate empathy for the financial exploitation, discrimination, and oppression young adults are being called to navigate.
Our research partner, Knology, found Pockets Change’s approach highly effective in building financial resilience through hip hop pedagogy. Through shared practices and resources we have meaningful money conversations across mediums.
Storytelling creates a transformative space for real, open, and empowering conversations about money. As our students explore their own relationships with money, multimedia creates paths to overcome obstacles, encourage empathy, engage curiosity, and envision possibilities.
Our shared money stories shift narratives that have held back our communities for generations. We encourage content creators and program leaders to reflect on where financial themes could enrich their next project.
Bring Money Stories to Life with Actionable Insights:
Expand storytelling beyond the “middle–class centric” values and assumptions too often depicted. Explore the breadth and depth of how our relationships with money show up.
Share empowering stories of navigating uncertainty and enhancing financial wellbeing even when money is scarce or employment precarious.
Promote self-acceptance and efficacy with the message that “whatever it is you have; these are the ways that you’re able to save and this is what you’re able to do to grow.” As one individual told us, the program approach was valuable because it taught youth how “not to have money control you.”
Media’s Role in Shaping Your Perception of School
Your snooze your alarm for the last (and fifth) time before finally lugging yourself out of bed to get ready for first period. You have an AP test today you’ve barely studied for after getting home late from volleyball practice, a sport you’re only doing so you can write a college essay about your budding athleticism. Speaking of, applications are due this week and you need to recount every instance you’ve done something meaningful in the hopes that your accomplishments will be niche enough to get you an acceptance.
You’re walking to campus, weaving through the heavy press of people all trying to get somewhere, probably to their lectures that started 15 minutes ago because contrary to what your high school teachers told you, professors don’t care about attendance. You’re left to your devices which is why your last meal was an expired bowl of ramen noodles and you forgot about today’s club meeting. Maybe if you budget your time right (consult your local business major) you can still make it to the party tonight with all of your friends who insist going out is what college is about!
High school and college, both critical points in the lives of any young adult and yet simultaneously the most confusing of years. You have two goals that seem irreconcilable - socially developing and thriving and building an impressive academic repertoire. You are stuck on this seesaw of life, trying to balance and stay steady but you always find yourself tipping towards one end or the other.
Finding this balance between two equally important aspects of life is a challenge adults haven’t mastered quite yet. With the heavy presence of social media, TV and film, this pressure worsens. Youth feel the need to fit into the mold of a high school or college student that the media they so heartily consume has dictated to be true.
Movies that come to mind include “Legally Blonde” and “Pitch Perfect” both of which portray an unrealistic and damaging view of what it means to be a college student. In the former, Elle Woods gets into Harvard Law School with minimal qualifications and in the latter being part of the acapella club supersedes all other areas of life including academics and family.
These are two of many examples where media creates unrealistic and unattainable expectations for budding students or it narrows its focus on either the social or academic aspect of school, but never both in conjunction. All of this may contribute to the declining mental health and increased stress of students who feel cheated out of their life experiences when they arrive at school and find it to be nothing like what the media predicted.
The National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments reported that 44% of college students across 133 campuses reported feeling depression, 37% had high anxiety and 15% said they considered suicide. Creators can do their part to shift this narrative and produce content that alleviates students of the unfair or unrealistic expectations they believe to be associated with school.
Student #1, a senior at UCLA, looks back on what defined her high school experience and what served as the unrealistic standard she tried to uphold in college. Others students shared that high school involved playing a sport, after school activities and endless outings with friends but Student #1’s emphasis on stress stood out.
“I view [high school] as being unreasonably stressed about college and always going through weird character-developing moments to help you figure out who you are and who your friends are. ”
While the awkwardness of discovering oneself is a normal progression of high school, Student #1 explained that many TV shows made her believe that she could only embark on this self-discovery journey if the things she experienced were extreme, dramatic or all-consuming. She referenced TV shows like Euphoria, Gossip Girl, the OC and 90210 for creating scenarios that would never happen in real life and for fueling her disappointment when high school and college inevitably weren’t like that. It prompted her to wonder if she was forgoing a good high school experience or not preparing enough for college and life beyond.
Euphoria was celebrated for its honest portrayal of drug addiction amongst teens but it also bookmarked every high school experience with drugs, sex and crazy parties, something Student #1 felt shouldn’t be favored over showing an ordinary, awkward and sometimes boring but equally formative time in high school.
Student #2, a sophomore at UCLA agreed and said high school was more about “being socially awkward and having bad friends.”
She adds that TV shows also rely too heavily on stereotypes of high school students and cliques that can perpetuate toxic environments in real life. Rather than focus on unrealistic and isolating tropes like “the jocks” or “the popular kids” or “the nerds” she encourages the media to portray high school as a safe place to explore oneself and be ordinarily extraordinary.
The media has been criticized for this in the past and one of the underlying problems is casting. Teen characters are often cast as unrealistically and stereotypically attractive adults rather than teenagers. Myrna Hart, researcher at UCLA Center for the Study of Women, says this feeds into a larger issue about body-image, role models and perception of age.
“Viewers never really know what an older woman, say 50 or 60 or 70, should realistically look like,” she says in an interview with Teen Vogue. “This precludes women from having any positive role models for aging.”
A 20 or 30 year old adult’s appearance is fully developed and stays the same, which doesn't reflect the fluctuation of features that teenagers experience. If a character that a young viewer idolizes lacks the imperfect skin, changing weight and messy hair typical of a pubescent teen, there is a harmful disconnect from reality.
PhD and clinical psychologist Barbara Greenberg in an interview with Teen Vogue says that this "leads to all kinds of body-image and social-comparison issues and we know that social comparison can be a thief of joy.”
Students #1 and #2 push for more teenagers being cast as teen characters and for more ordinary and simple depictions of the high school experience. They believe there is value in capturing the quiet but important moments of self-discovery and identity exploration too.
The portrayal of college students in the media also creates a heavy disconnect between the screen and real-life. The use of stereotypical characters and romanticized plot lines contributes greatly to the schism students feel between being social and academic and their overall fear and uncertainty about the future.
When asked, students insisted that the media taught them college was not just about doing everything, but being good at everything too. It was about partying, drinking, having a friend group but also going to all your lectures, getting all As, volunteering, doing internships and holding board positions in clubs.
An example of one extreme is the TV show Girl Meets World where students abandon academic pursuits and treat the classroom like an open forum to discuss friendships, family and identity formation. On the other end, shows like Big Bang Theory show characters whose every aspect of life is defined by school and work. The show demeans characters who have aspirations and interests outside of academia and STEM.
Student #3, a sophomore early in her time at UCLA agrees it is important to be academically successful but wishes that the media portrayed academic interests in a more holistic manner.
“Doing good academically is actually important. In movies the people who work hard in school are made fun of but in reality it’s so important”
On the other hand, Student #4, a senior ending her time at UCLA, says she found college did embody some of the social stereotypes she saw on TV.
When asked what she sees as a typical college student she says, “it is a greek life college kid who focuses on classes but also goes out on weekends and is pretty lazy other than that.”
The conflicting opinions of students proves that yes, college life looks different for everybody but more importantly, that the media doesn’t show the importance of balancing both lifestyles, of pursuing a social life without forgoing an academic one and vice versa. This well rounded reality is a hard one for students to accept when they don’t have a clear and accurate example of it in the media.
Student #5, a senior who is the voice of many misrepresented students, wishes the media was instead honest about school and life falling somewhere in the middle.
“I wish the media addressed the way everyone wants college or their lives to look awesome and as good as possible and showed the moment of finally talking about how it isn’t perfect”
It is important to both study and socialize but there are healthier and more effective ways to maximize your time in college. The key is not falling into an extreme category of just partying and drinking or dedicating all your time to school and studying, rather structuring your time in college can help you balance it all.
The Jed Foundation encourages students to order their priorities, show up to class as much as possible, join clubs and socials and expect the path to be imperfect.
“Adjusting to college life isn’t easy for anyone, but in time you’ll figure out what works best for you,” the Jed Foundation says. “And, at any time along the way, you can reach out for the support you need and deserve.”
College is also a time of struggle for students discovering not just their academic interests but who they are and who they want to be. According to social comparison theory, people, especially students, determine their personal, social and academic worth and interests by comparing themselves to others. In fact, some peers are more likely targets of this attention than others based on their visibility and levels of perception.
With today’s youth easily and constantly perceiving television and film, it is no wonder students look toward their screen-counterparts for how to behave, look and act. Social media has also greatly contributed to this kaleidoscope of perception. With influencers and celebrities up close and personal, it’s easier for consumers to think their life should mimic theirs. As a result, average consumers build a warped idea of wealth and success but also a narrow idea of what it means to socially and academically thrive.
Some influencers are not in school and they find happiness in the daily content they post. Other influencers are in school but also balancing brand deals and red carpet events. Social media’s persuasive nature can convince impressionable youth that their success should look identical to that, that their lives need to be parallel to Charli Damelio’s or Kim Kardashian’s. In reality, social and personal success is multifaceted and a college student with 0 Instagram followers can be just as happy and prosperous.
With self-development falling directly into the hands of what we see in the media, it is more important than ever to abandon outdated and damaging stereotypes in favor of honest and authentic representation and to offer support to students who need it.
Student #4 encourages the industry to “ talk more about the mental health aspect of the high school/college experience” while Student #5 wants them to address “more issues with eating disorders and people trying to be stereotypically skinny and perfect.”
For kids approaching the milestone of high school and college, these changes could alter their perception of what it means to be a successful and happy student.
As Student #2 so aptly says, school is not a race to being the most beautiful, most successful, most intelligent, it is about learning something meaningful every step of the way.
“It is about preparing for life. Educate yourself and find how to problem solve in academics and your social life. Have fun and experience things to learn the correct way to respond and to be happy. ”
A Note from the Gen Z Authors of the 2023 Teens & Screens Report
Less romance and more friendship - this is what the adolescents of our 2023 study have asked to see from media, entertainment & storytellers (among other things).
As researchers in the industry, this felt like a headline-worthy discovery. But as young people, this felt like an idea that could casually blend into our many conversations and reflections on community (or lack thereof) that have been centerstage for our generation this year.
Late night musings with friends, discourse on social media, and personal meditation on what it means to connect and bond with others have all been consequential “gifts” from the COVID-19 pandemic. The outbreak and the isolation that came with it occupied pivotal years of emotional and relational growth for much of Gen Z, with current high school freshmen being in 5th grade (!) when stay-at-home orders were first announced.
Even as we’ve returned to more in-person routines, articles and YouTube essays on persisting loneliness continue to float around: some with a more analytical perspective, exploring reasons we may have entered “the Friendship Recession,” others more personal and titled with a simple but heartbreaking “I have no friends.”
So what’s the sitch? Earlier this year, U.S Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared an epidemic of loneliness and isolation, his advisory confirming that the pandemic simply brought an existing issue to the forefront of our collective consciousness. Social connection has already been declining for decades prior, with the rate of loneliness among young adults having increased every year between 1976 and 2019. Quite surprisingly, young adults today are twice as likely to report feeling lonely than those over 65.
Gen Z is already discussing solutions: #UrbanPlanning on TikTok currently has 434.2M Views, with a frequently discussed topic being “walkable cities” and how they are needed for social well-being. A trending sub-topic is the necessity of “third places,” a social environment such as a bookstore or diner, separate from one’s living or working spaces, “where you relax in public, where you encounter familiar faces and make new acquaintances.” Think Central Perk in Friends!
The problem is, there aren’t many third places left for young people. From the death of malls, to the criminality of “loitering,” and a transactional culture that demands spending money to hang out in such a place - where do young people go?
Arguably, as “digital natives,” media (particularly, social media) is where young people tend to land on as their third place.
How does this digital third space contribute to this generation’s collective identity? In our opinion, what’s crucial for storytellers to grasp about Gen Z isn’t the latest slang or weekly trends. Rather, what’s important is understanding the expanded worldview that comes with growing up on the internet and being able to interact with a myriad of different perspectives. What’s important is understanding how the opportunities they’ve had to explore their own identities and understand others’ identities have shifted and changed the kinds of stories they’re open to, the kind of characters they want to see front and center, and the storylines they believe to be authentic.
And while it’s essential to examine how this “digital native” identity sets Gen Z apart from previous generations, it’s also important to acknowledge that they are the same as previous generations: they are social beings that need face-to-face interaction, something that digital connectedness cannot replace.
We received the following response from a 12-year-old participant in Oklahoma:
“The Sand Lot is a baseball movie i like. i wish i could go outside and play like [they] did at the time. today its not safe”
Though simple, his words felt like a poignant representation of what many of our respondents seemed to be hinting at: that the core essence of kids (at heart) and teens will always be the same – from camaraderie to curiosity and a sense of adventure (or even just playing outside) – and it appears that somewhere along the way, this may have been forgotten in storytelling.
So young people are feeling a lack of close friendships, a separation from their community, and a sense that their digital citizen identity has superseded their sense of belonging in the real world - What can you do about it?
Well, it goes without saying that life and art are in perpetual conversation with one another. But, we cannot underestimate the role art has in this dynamic: Oscar Wilde shared in his 1891 essay, The Decay of Lying, that despite the existence of fog in London for centuries, its beauty and wonder is noticed because “poets and painters have taught the loveliness of such effects…They did not exist till Art had invented them.”
Storytelling (as an art) has the incredible power to influence the mood of the zeitgeist and the lens through which people see the world. Ask young people what it is they want to see, then listen: Shine a light on the ideas, characters, and relationships they desire in your stories, and the same light will appear in the real world.
The Social, Political and Personal Effects of Trans Media as told by Tre’vell Anderson
Queer history is not often what society’s heteronormative lens perceives it to be. Queer history dates back to a time when the word did not exist but people who expressed their truest selves did. Tre’vell Anderson, in their book “We See Each Other: A Black, Trans Journey Through TV and Film” explores their own journey of self-discovery as bookmarked by queer media throughout the ages.
Anderson is a journalist who co-hosts podcasts FANTI and What a Day and advocates for trans visibility through their board position in the National Association of Black Journalists. Their inspiration for “We See Each Other: A Black, Trans Journey Through TV and Film” was a culmination of the questions and comments they had on the history of trans images on the big screen.
“Often film and television in our culture is deemed as superfluous, having no meaning or not being important or significant. But, for so many of us film and TV has been a possibility model in terms of how we could potentially show up in the world and it became important in the telling of this history.”
The Morning Consult and Trevor Project reported that out of 2,000 American adults polled, only 29% said they know someone who identifies as transgender. Anderson is quick to point out that most people merely believe they haven’t.
“Trans people have always existed, we are existing in everybody’s community right now. Perhaps you don’t know that trans people exist in your community or you don’t know that you’ve met a trans person because you, the individual, have not made that space around you safe enough for that trans person to tell you.”
Hollywood’s Role
GLAAD has been tracking the presence of trans characters in its annual Where We Are on TV report for many years, noting that in the most recent season of TV analyzed, five percent of characters were openly trans. This represents a higher percentage than the number of openly trans Americans in recent data, meaning that many Americans likely have a better chance of encountering a trans person on TV than in their hometowns.
Many Americans have learned everything they know about the trans community from the media and the trans narratives they feature. Media is still showing transgender individuals in scenes and experiences that are intended to implant the idea that being transgender is synonymous with something “ridiculous, horrible and abhorrent,” as Anderson states. It plays a large role in not just the erasure of trans history but it creates a complacence in audiences where they don’t question these narratives of transgender people that are being constantly perpetuated.
“What people learn about us as trans people is coming from film and TV, coming from our cultural productions. So how does what we see on TV and in movies manifest as the very real violences that we as trans people, especially black trans people and especially black trans women see in film?”
In Anderson’s opinion, films like “Psycho” and “Silence of the Lambs” that show transgender people or people in drag as killers, predators, groomers, and/or criminals promote dangerous ideas to their audiences. They feel that audiences are more inclined to accept seeing trans people on the screen being killed because, subconsciously, they do not value the lives of these characters as they might other characters in the story.
“You don’t even question it, which is evidence of how in a lot of ways, so many people, trans people included, become complicit in transphobia and anti-trans hate, transmisia... So a lot of my work at this moment is about getting people to realize the ways in which we are all complicit in the violence that we say we are against.”
However, Anderson points to the people who spearheaded trans visibility in media: Candis Cayne - the first transgender actress to play a recurring transgender character on the primetime show, Dirty Sexy Money, Chaz Bono - whose transitioning journey was highlighted in the documentary, Becoming Chaz, and was screened at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Network, and Laverne Cox - the first transgender person to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and who later won a Daytime Emmy Award for being an executive producer on “Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word.”
“You have these people but then you also have a generation, generations of trans folk who are working actors, working directors, producers, who are visible on social media and beyond at the same time.”
Political Backlash
Despite this progress, Anderson explains how they, in their book and in their life, see trans visibility as a double-edged sword. While this visibility is impactful in portraying the trans community in a complex and positive manner, it also places a spotlight on the community that can be exploited to stoke fear, political action, and in some cases, violence.
“That visibility, which has allowed so many people to be seen, which has allowed so many people to actualize their truth because they now have an example of what that could look like at the same time this means we are seeing the trans community in particular, but the LBGTQ+ community more broadly, facing legislative attack.”
Supporting the trans community has become highly politically charged. It is all too common for conservative social media users to post angry messages about listing personal pronouns or for conservative parents to appear on the news complaining about trans athletes competing against their children. Legislatively, this culture of outrage has resulted in laws over who can use which bathroom, bans on gender-affirming care, and even the regulation of speech surrounding LGBTQ+ issues in schools. These harmful policies dehumanize trans people, deny them basic human rights, and send a message that how trans people express themselves is intolerable.
Even before the term transgender existed, people who identified as such were present. In these instances, the lack of language perhaps offered them some reprieve from the hatred transgender people experience today. Anderson points out people like Marsha P. Johnson - who wasn’t calling herself a transgender woman - and Slyvester James Jr. - who wasn’t identifying with today’s terms like gender non-conforming or non-binary but was still expressing oneself in an androgynous manner. Now language is being weaponized by people who are too narrow-minded or hateful to expand their words and perspectives.
“By weaponizing the visibility of a community that folks feel like they don’t know because of language, while also exploiting what is just a natural gender ignorance, folks who don’t know this new language or haven’t heard it, who aren’t in social justice or socially component communities when it comes to transness and non-binary identity are doing this because it allows them to have a greater base of support of hate.”
Supporting the Trans Community
Anderson’s book, “How We See Each Other” is an essential resource in not only understanding the good and bad ways that transgender people have been represented in the media overtime, but also what storytellers should be doing to support the trans community when they need it most. Within its pages, Anderson encourages everyone to look at what content they are consuming and employ that awareness to create a safer environment for trans people in everyday life.
“What I’m talking about in the book is how so many of these images have helped me create out of the depths of my imagination this being, this person that I am today.”
While there exist people whose only intention is to erase and diminish, to tell the transgender community who they can and cannot be, Anderson preaches a brave and earnest freedom that has been the antidote to all of this hatred.
“I’m going to be who I know I am. I’m going to articulate myself based on the truth of my own internal knowing not what you or a doctor or the Republicans or the Democrats say we are.”
The conditioning that says your autonomy and freedom should be stifled or that you are confined to the box that society has placed you in based on the gender you were assigned at birth is rightfully being broken with this proud way of thinking and existing.
Media corporations and people in society as a greater whole can all contribute by starting simply with looking at their own actions and beliefs. Anderson urges everyone to look inside themselves and recognize whether they are creating a safe space for trans people in their local communities. Whether you know or not that you are coming in contact with a transgender person, there should be an inherent respect and safe intention in everyone’s actions.
For Anderson that means fighting back on transphobic jokes, asking employers if the insurance offers gender-affirming care, advocating for gender neutral bathrooms in communities or any other small but impactful step you can take locally.
In the film industry, this means working to create more opportunities for transgender people to find jobs and find fame simply by being who they are.
“We don’t have a transgender movie star, like a transgender Will Smith or Denzel Washington or Viola Davis. That largely connects to the opportunities that trans actors and actresses have been given and offered. In this industry we don’t have a Hollywood studio led by any trans people.”
These are institutional changes that society should make to broaden the scope of knowledge and human experience that the media is showing but more than that, it starts with a single person’s actions.
“I know it sounds innocuous but the reality is that we need people to stand up for and assert the humanity of trans people proudly and loudly.”
For Anderson, they believe that if there had been this education and awareness of transgender communities when they were growing up, they could have had an entirely different experience, one that they are hoping young transgender people can finally have today.
“Who might I have been if I knew the outsized impact that Black folks have had on culture and society since the beginning of time? Who could I have been if I had known about the trans pioneers? Imagine who I could have been if I had all of those things, imagine who [transgender people] could be when fully equipped with the information that accurately reflects the society that we live in currently and that we have always lived in.”
This bittersweet provocation proves the importance of enriching society with more culturally component resources and education and not allowing the erasure of entire communities from history.
“It requires us to remain vigilant in our storyteller, in our advocacy and everything else in between.”
This issue of trans-visibility and trans-violence is not just an issue for the moment. It is something to consider and combat everyday through education, compassion and practiced acts of inclusion. Storytellers and filmmakers can use their platforms to create more content that inspires audiences who, like Anderson, struggled to see themselves reflected in the media. Writers and journalists can tell the stories of individuals who are queer and can accurately comment on the experiences they face. It is the responsibility of creators and consumers alike to increase visibility with everyday small but important actionable changes.
Max, 19
Media Consumption: everyday in a variety of contexts (work, school, to relax, etc.)
Favorite Media/Technology: YouTube
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
To keep in touch with my family, we typically text or call each other. My dad's a big YouTube buff while my mum is all about Facebook. And yeah, they keep tabs on me through Life360, which lets them see my location.
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
Usually with my friends I will call or text them. I rarely go on social media anymore. But when I used to I would send funny videos or photos to them and they would send some back to me.
What do you use media for?
I'm really into using different types of media to promote my music and get my name out there. On top of that, I'm the social media manager for my internship, which eats up a good chunk of my day. Of course, I also use media to relax and stay connected with loved ones, not to mention tackling all the schoolwork.
What is your least favorite thing about media/technology?
My least favorite thing about media is how these platforms are wired to foster confirmation bias, creating a self-reinforcing echo chamber. They do not encourage critical thinking or challenge existing beliefs. The algorithm pushes an unending stream of like-minded individuals who validate and reiterate those beliefs.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
One thing I would want them to know is that I am in love with the stories and worldbuildung that they make. It’s truly incredible.
What media do you interact with the most?
I interact with YouTube the most mainly because it is a the platform allows for the kind of in-depth commentary and analysis that is not possible in shorter TikTok videos.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?
I mainly keep up with current events by reading articles or tuning in to news podcasts on Spotify.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
If I find myself in a public space or prefer a quieter morning routine, I usually end up scroll through Instagram. When I have a bit more free time to unwind, I turn to YouTube. For the few night I have off I watch a movie on my TV or laptop. I’m fully relaxed and get to escape from the stresses of the day.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
You know, COVID-19 really opened my eyes to the sheer volume of online content that's out there. It's kind of daunting to think about just how much media is available to consume, and yet someone is always consuming it.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenging times?
Well, I was actually quite lucky during the COVID-19 outbreak, as I didn't need to rely too much on the media. You see, in Florida, the restrictions were pretty chilled out, which meant that I could head down to the beach a lot, just like so many others did too. So, yeah, I pretty much spent most of my time at the beach, soaking up the sun and splashing around in the waves.
Interviewed by: Caleb Kalu, UCLA student
Cate, 16
Media Consumption: Average 6 hours on weekdays, average 11 hours on weekends
Favorite Media/Technology: Instagram
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
I’d say that me and my family don’t really communicate or interact with each other a lot online because we don’t use that platform as a main form of communication. It's a very distant relationship but we use family group chats to share good meals or to update each other.
How do you and your friends interact with media/technology?
I would say we interact with each other a lot on social media because it is where we have a lot of our conversations when we’re not in school, we talk a lot about drama and our lives and stuff that’s going on or we use it to complement each other on each others posts just to interact in general.
What's the most used media among your friends?
Definitely Instagram because that’s where everyone is at, everyone has the app and like honestly that’s where people like to stalk you with. That’s where everyone shares aspects of their lives and you can directly communicate with people from Instagram.
What do you think about Instagram removing likes?
I 100% like it, I think that it’s a great thing they did that because I know people are always concerned with likes and honestly since they removed the feature I don’t care what I post anymore as long as I like the post I post it without thinking or without having the concern that oh I'm going to take this down because I don’t have a lot of likes.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
My least favorite thing is that it's a big distraction, I've become dependent on my phone it removes my focus from other important things that I need to get done.
What do you use media for?
I use media mainly for entertainment I like staying in the loop for pop culture, shopping, watching movies or shows and I also like sharing aspects of my life, my accomplishments with people who follow me and friends and stuff.
How are you using media during the COVID-19 pandemic?
It was different in social media because in social media, I deleted all my media platforms because it got very toxic for me during COVID since I couldn’t go outside and interact with people. All I was exposed to was online and so I took steps to delete it because it got really unhealthy because it was all I was focused on but in technology I used Zoom a lot to attend classes online but on social media I didn't have any.
What was toxic about it?
I think because everyone was at home it just got boring all the time and so being on it and seeing all my other friends hanging out when I couldn’t go out was very sad to me and I didn’t want to see it altogether, so I just deleted it.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/ play/ interact with to know?
For developers, I feel like they need to have more regulation on what gets shared on media platforms because there's a lot of dangerous subjects, a lot of dangerous people online that people get exposed to and it's also just really affects their own personality and wellbeing. There should be more regulation on what gets shared online and what the type of people can have access to online but for influencers and content creators I would say, be honest in the content that you are creating, be careful what you share and don’t create some false reality to people who watch your content because if you're just doing it for the views then it's very toxic and if you're gonna be promoting items that aren’t good for your fans knowing you have a really big following look up to you, be more aware of what you post and be honest with your following.
Because you’re a teenager, how do you think media affects you differently? Do you feel like technology and media satisfy development needs like romantic relationships, belonging or do you feel like media makes it worse and doesn’t satisfy those needs?
It definitely hurts your wellbeing because when you’re really young you compare yourself a lot. You're at a stage where you're not really developed. Social media has affected my well being because I compare my life with other adults and 16 yr olds. It makes a downward comparison because you compare your life with others online and it creates a negative outlook on what you have and make you really ungrateful and not seeing things for how it is because you’re comparing on what other people choose to share when it's not what their real life is like.
If you were a parent, what age would you give your child access to media and how would you guide them, would you be strict or not?
At 15 or 16 I would give them access to media because I wouldn't have a phone if I was 12 because I would post really embarrassing things and just thinking about your digital footprint just save yourself from the embarrassing posts. I would give them access when they are older, mature and more sure of themselves to use it. I wouldn’t be too strict. Our mom raised us with a lot of privacy and freedom and I would want the same for my kids as well like maybe following them is the most I would do but regulating what they share I wouldn’t be strict because if I was a parent I would teach them the dangers and hope they apply them as they navigate the digital world.
Interviewed by: Cassandra Rabaya, UCLA Student
Fiona, 16
Media Consumption: 7 hours per day
Favorite Media/Technology: Instagram or Pinterest
How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
We watch movies together, and on social media I’ll just send them stupid stuff just for fun. It's like, almost like communicating with them that way. So it's just basically saying, “hey look at this thing.”
How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?
It’s pretty much the same, sending stupid stuff. And, I think like, if you want to, you could strengthen the relationship that way. But also, sometimes like, it doesn't really work out as you think it would. And like, things just get weird. And you're like, it's like, just the same as normal talking. But there's like certain rules when you're texting that are like, you have to understand what to do. So it's kind of like a whole other form of culture.
What do you use media for?
I use it for basically everything, entertainment and school and stuff.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
Oh, my favorite thing is probably like, looking at entertainment. And like, being able to share it with people who want to share it, too. And the least favorite thing is probably, like, just bad things on the internet that gets spread around. And like, I just really don't like that. Because like, there's just a whole bunch of negative things that it just spreads instantly. Like everyone knows it, then.
What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?
Well, I think people who create media have to be very careful about what they do and say. So I personally like a lot of them. And like, sometimes I'll be like, Oh, another rumor came out, or like, clearly this thing that this person did, it's crazy. Especially people who create content for younger people specifically, I think they should really watch out for like, what they do and be very cautious and mindful about things they do. Because I'll see things like weak like they said something really bad, or they did something really bad. And like it'll just change everything. And you're like, I do believe like, the children have been watching this person. They are actually really bad people. So I think they should like, try to be a good person if you want to like, have a platform.
What media do you interact with the most?
Other than movies, probably Instagram and Pinterest. And I do use it for school a lot. It's like very common for it to be in school. And then they make it — oh, I post all the assignments online, which I think is very good. Because if you're sick, or if you miss it a it's all online. So you can get caught up very easily on that. But other times, like the teachers are very bad with technology. So makes the class a lot more difficult and like, hard to understand.
Where do you get most of your information about what’s happening in the world (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.?)
I get it mostly from the Internet! Usually I just scroll past it and am, like wait what was that? And it’s usually a meme or something about something crazy that just happened. I also get lots of information from my parents, because they always look at the Internet too.
What media helps you stay busy/stay calm during challenging times?
I’d say Instagram and video games, because they’re very distracting.
What lessons have you learned from the COVID- pandemic and other challenging times?
I’ve learned a lot of the times you have to just follow the rules and do what the government says otherwise it all gets out [of control]. Like in New Zealand they had the restrictions and they all went back to being normal really quickly because they followed directions and they knew what to do.
Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of the COVID- pandemic and other challenging times?
Yeah I definitely do think so. I've been using it a lot more, I think because when we're in the pandemic, we couldn't really go out and talk to people. So the friends that I was friends with in person, we kind of got closer because like we were all that we had, like we couldn't really go connect with other people. So you just like talk online a lot.
Interviewed by: Abbie Burrus, UCLA student, CSS intern
Lauren Taylor on “The Good Guys: How Character Strengths Drive Kids’ Entertainment Wins”
This interview with the first author of the Character Strengths Report highlights the findings of the study and further work that can stem from this research.
Every year, as our children grow and change, entertainment media takes on a larger role in their development. With children having more access than ever before to consume television, film, and other alternative media on a daily basis, it has become important to filter developmentally appropriate content from potentially harmful content. Media that teaches positive values and aids with growth and maturity not only has the power to change lives but can have remarkable effects on the entertainment industry itself.
The CSS report “The Good Guys: How Character Strengths Drive Kids’ Entertainment Wins” (Character Strengths Report) explores these concepts through Common Sense Media’s tagging system for content, which focuses on developmental appropriateness across age groups. The report, led by CSS Fellow Lauren Taylor, highlights how the presence or lack of character strengths in media relates to how kids and their parents perceive the content, and ultimately if the film succeeds. By comparing films lacking and presenting character strengths, results show that those displaying traits like teamwork and courage are more successful as measured by box office performance metrics.
Character Strengths Are Universal
Taylor and her team assessed the following character strengths in their research: communication, compassion, self-control, curiosity, empathy, gratitude, humility, integrity, perseverance, courage, and teamwork. The last two were most prevalent and the study reveals that the magnitude of their positive impact can be felt internationally, regardless of culture. Taylor says, “It shows the universality of emotions and that these skills are important no matter what and span across all human beings.”
What About Teen Audiences?
Not only does the report find that media representing character strengths and positive values correlate to higher box office success domestically and internationally, but it also highlights where change needs to happen. “We answered the goal of the project, but I’m also really excited about the fact that we identified where character strengths are lacking in film and that teens are being left behind compared to the child audience,” Taylor says. “I have a passion for teen audiences and helping them, especially with teen mental health problems, and I’m excited to continue to explore that with these findings.”
By looking at the frequency of certain strengths like courage and teamwork, but the infrequency of other equally valuable traits, Taylor discovered where media representation of character strengths needs to improve and why it's so important to do so. “Teenagers want more authentic content. They are rejecting storylines of what used to be popular, but the shift hasn’t been represented yet in film and television.” In an already flooded media landscape, there is a growing importance in listening to teens who speak up about what content is making them feel more accurately represented and understood and reflecting those comments in popular media.
This highlights one of the bigger issues the report uncovered: the communication gap between content creators and teen audiences. Media has issues with misrepresenting teens and their values, something that adds to the failing line of understanding between storytellers and consumers. “Teenagers don't respond to content they feel is trying to send them a message or that is shoved down their throat,” says Taylor. Instead of working through this barrier, “content creators begin to think teenagers don't want to know how to, for example, display humility and integrity and self-control. This means audience members and content creators need to talk more.”
An open line of communication will help better bridge the gap between studios and their audience and lead to the creation of work that is presented as authentic and genuine. Especially as technologies and the kids of this generation grow simultaneously, Taylor thinks these changes are worth the effort it will take to implement them. “There's a big shift between how I grew up and how kids grow up now so it’s important for researchers, content creators, and parents to realize media is not all good and it's not all bad.”
This nuanced approach to media – such as highlighting character strengths for the benefit of consumers and creators – is exactly what the Center for Scholars & Storytellers aims to accomplish. “It’s a tricky balance to strike and nobody is going to get it perfect,” Taylor says. “But understanding the negative consequences that media can have and combatting that with some of the positive uses of it can go a very long way.”
Making the Science of Adolescent Development Part of Your Story
During adolescence, we are rapidly learning and adapting in ways that naturally take advantage of supportive relationships, environments, and experiences that promote positive growth and development.
In the past few decades, the science of adolescent development has changed researcher’s perceptions of what adolescence is and how it should be supported. Today we know that adolescence is a time of remarkable opportunity. The years between age 10 to about 25 mark a period of rapid growth, development, and learning as we discover and adapt to the world around us. We forge our sense of who we are and who we aspire to be. We learn to make decisions, manage our emotions, and create deeper connections with peers, romantic partners, and others in our communities. We also build resilience and develop interests, passions, and meaningful goals that shape our adult lives.
During adolescence, we are rapidly learning and adapting in ways that naturally take advantage of supportive relationships, environments, and experiences that promote positive growth and development. This makes adolescence a key window for learning and discovery, as well as an opportunity to build resilience and mitigate the effects of earlier adversity. Experiences that provide autonomy and choice as we explore are particularly important, as we are primed to learn from and give back to our environments in ways that benefit our society through things like community service and civic action.
Unfortunately, the social systems that serve us during this developmentally sensitive period are often not structured to provide optimal support for learning and positive adaptation. In some cases, barriers to successful development—such as poverty, discrimination, and earlier trauma—can reinforce inequities and amplify risks for negative outcomes.
Public understanding of adolescent development lags behind what current research tells us, and popular culture often reinforces our worst assumptions. But it doesn’t have to be that way. The new experiences we encounter during adolescence, the mistakes we sometimes make along the way, and the success or failure of the systems that should support all provide fodder for great storytelling. Coming of age movies as diverse as Fame, Real Women Have Curves, and Eighth Grade have successfully depicted how adolescents discover their identities and learn to navigate the world around them, often through a process of trial and error. They also show how important supportive, caring relationships with friends, family members, and other adults are to their wellbeing.
Stories about adolescence can also help writers explore situations like poverty, racism, and marginalization that are obstacles to healthy development. Movies like Boyz n the Hood, Moonlight, and Winter’s Bone tackle the harsh racial and social inequalities too many adolescents face to create powerful, contextualized stories. Importantly, these aren’t just stories of resiliency in the face of adversity - they show us why it is imperative that we address racial and social inequalities and transform dysfunctional and discriminatory systems.
Here are some actionable insights for storytellers who want to tell a more complete story about adolescent development, with all its complexity and promise:
Make adolescents multi-layered. Avoid one-dimensional characterizations of adolescents as “the nerd” or “the bully.” Adolescent development is complex, and so are adolescents.
Show adolescents failing, then trying again. Adolescents are resilient and stories about finding your way through difficult times are always compelling. Just don’t forget to include the supportive relationships – with parents, peers, and others – that make that resiliency possible.
Include supportive adult characters who are outside the family. Adolescents are forming a lot of new relationships, which creates a lot of potential for different characters and connected storylines.
Tell stories about adolescents contributing to their communities and engaging in activism. Black Lives Matter, youth voting organizing, and stories of young people helping their neighbors and peers during the pandemic all have the makings of a great plot line.
Contextualize stories of adversity by talking about racism, discrimination, and social class. Conversations around racism, LGBTQ+ rights, and growing income inequality are changing the narrative landscape. They should be part of how we depict adolescents, as well.
We’ll return to these insights and more as we continue with this blog series.
Freelancer
Coming of Age in the Digital Age: Telling a Stronger Social Media Story
Although recent revelations show how damaging social media can be, it also allows adolescents to do important developmental tasks like exploring their identities and making independent decisions in a new way.
“Eight years after the original website went dark, a new generation of New York private school teens are introduced to the social surveillance of Gossip Girl. The prestige series will address just how much social media—and the landscape of New York itself—has changed in the intervening years.”
So reads the official series summary for the 2021 reboot of early aughts TV hit Gossip Girl. We’re currently steeped in ‘90s/‘2000s nostalgia, and the show was highly anticipated. But it’s since been widely panned in reviews as failing to recapture the vitality of its predecessor. Why?
One reason is that the primary storytelling device—an omnipresent narrator using social media— feels a little stale. For many years social media has been the bogeyman in portrayals of modern adolescence, to the extent that it has become a trope (see for example Hard Candy, 2005; Nerve, 2014; and 13 Reasons Why, 2017). And as use of social media as a storytelling device becomes more repetitive, these stories become more dark and cynical—and more predictable.
The reason this storyline is so common is that it reflects the popular narrative that social media is inherently damaging to adolescents. Our research has found that the “Social Media and Mental Health” narrative popularized in the media reinforces the deeply ingrained assumption that the modern world poses a series of threats to children and teenagers. Technology, in this narrative, exposes adolescents to “too much too soon,” damaging self-esteem, increasing the risk of bullying, and driving the fragmentation of community relationships and the breakdown of the nuclear family. In this line of reasoning, little good can come from social media, a perception reflected in Euphoria’s plot line about revenge porn and underage pornography, and the anonymous trolling that propels the story forward in Gossip Girl 2.0.
In reality, the role social media plays in adolescents’ lives is more nuanced. Although recent revelations show how damaging social media can be, it also allows adolescents to do important developmental tasks like exploring their identities and making independent decisions in a new way. Young people who feel marginalized at home and school often find support online, where they can connect with others who share their experiences and interests—especially important for young people who may feel stigmatized, like LGTBQ+ youth. Social media makes it easier to find community and become involved in civic action and volunteering. Adolescents organize for change online, connecting, learning, and building support for social justice in their communities. Social media has been critical for young people’s political advocacy around BLM, climate change, voting, gun safety, and other high-impact issues. These examples include all the hallmarks of good stories, including conflict, tension, and controversy—but also relatable characters and relationships an audience can root for.
Depicting social media as inherently dangerous does a disservice to adolescents who need support as they navigate their digital lives, and these days doing so may not even make for a good story. So how can we tell better stories and convey social media as a potential force for good?
Center stories around concepts of discovery and exploration over “doom and gloom,” to help people think about how technology helps young people find their identities.
Through plot, use social media as a device that connects adolescents to their communities, rather than tearing them apart.
Tell stories about how social media fosters civic and political engagement. Avoid stereotypical portrayals of young people as zombies glued to their phones, and instead show how they are becoming active and engaged citizens.
Create characters who connect through social media to lift each other up, rather than spread mean-spirited gossip.
When exploring the connection between social media use and mental health, lead with the positives, don’t just dwell on the over-familiar risks and harms. Social media can support young people’s mental health in important ways, too.
Now more than ever—with so much of our lives online due to COVID—it’s time to tell stories that capture the reality of social media and adolescence. Social media isn’t just a risk, it’s an opportunity, and in 2022 it’s only becoming more important for young people. Social media continues to evolve, as does adolescents’ use of it as a tool and a medium for expression. Stories about social media and adolescence should evolve, as well.
Freelancer
What We Talk About When We Talk About Middle School
Our research has identified the need for a new narrative around early adolescence, one that recognizes it for the remarkable period of discovery it is.
As Gen Xers entered and passed through adolescence in the ‘90s, they got a glimpse of what coming of age was like in the late ‘60’s through the eyes of Kevin Arnold and Winnie Cooper, the main characters on The Wonder Years. What they - and the countless viewers who’ve watched the Emmy award-winning series - since found was that the world around them had changed, but puberty and the middle school years hadn’t. As the particular upheaval of the 1960s and ‘70s unfolded around them, the show’s characters also experienced familiar turbulence and triumphs of early adolescence: exploring new interests, forming new relationships, and, discovering who you want to be in the world, all while your body is rapidly changing and maturing. By depicting middle school years as a time of discovery and yes, wonder, the show challenged our expectations about early adolescence.
What made The Wonder Years so compelling, both for nostalgic Boomers and Gen Xers who were the same age as the show’s stars, was how accurately it captured the experience of becoming an adolescent. The first few seasons were full of early adolescent milestones. Kevin had his first (and second and third) crushes, dealt with awkward physical changes, and experienced evolving relationships with friends and family. The show also tackled some of the higher-stakes events in adolescence like bullying, drinking, and difficult break-ups. Kevin and his friends sometimes made mistakes, faced disappointment, tested their own limitations, and failed. In The Wonder Years, early adolescence was often difficult and confusing, but it was also a time of transformation and discovery and joy. Both the difficulties and the joyful discoveries are critical to healthy adolescent development. They also make for very good television.
In 2021, ABC rebooted The Wonder Years, this time focusing on a Black middle-class family living in Alabama in the same period as the original series. Like the original series, it promises to share the ubiquitous moments that add up to the experiences of early adolescence—the “little things,” says the trailer: first crushes, first kisses, new experiences, newfound freedoms. The change in location and race of the family suggests that the show will also depict challenges that the white, middle-class Kevin and friends never faced (this will be explored further in a future blog).
Our research has identified the need for a new narrative around early adolescence, one that recognizes it for the remarkable period of discovery it is. People already think that adolescence is a difficult, risky time when we either need to be protected from ourselves, or we just need to “get through it” to the better parts of our lives. We need more shows like The Wonder Years, shows that portray early adolescence in realistic, sensitive (but still funny) ways. Of course, these depictions should also evolve to explore LGBTQ+ identity, racism, and other topics that were still backgrounded or even unspoken on network television in the late 1980s.
Here are some ways to tell better stories about early adolescence that show audiences what a remarkable time of opportunity - and wonder - it really is:
Accentuate the positive. Too often, narratives about early adolescence focus on negative stereotypes, emphasizing risk and vulnerability rather than opportunity. Instead, look for balance: when portraying the typical trial and error of early adolescence, avoid the temptation to overplay the ridicule angle and balance it with stories of resilience.
Avoid depicting stereotypical bullying and peer-pressure scenarios and instead show positive, supportive peer relationships. Early adolescent relationships are about much more than peer pressure—friends help us explore our identities and are crucial sources of support. And when depicting the joys and heartache of crushes, first kisses and break-ups, don’t belittle these experiences—they also help make us who we are.
Make early adolescents relatable. This is a time of life every adult has been through, and everyone has experienced both the difficulties and the joyful discoveries. Emphasize universal challenges and truths associated with the coming-of-age experience, but depict it in all its complexity—including diverse voices and storylines.
Have adults play a supportive role. Healthy relationships with adults are just as important for early adolescents as peers. Parents, teachers and other adults shouldn’t just be adversaries in your story—they can also be guides and resources (and sometimes comic relief).
So many of the milestones, feelings, and experiences that color our “wonder years” have not changed over time. Neither has one of the winning formulas to frame those years in a way that wins hearts and minds—by portraying them not as a period to just “get through,” but rather as an opportunity to experience life-defining development and growth. The reboot of The Wonder Years does just that, but makes the show relevant for an audience that is more diverse and, importantly, in need of storylines that represent their experiences of this period of discovery.
Freelancer
Foster Youth Storytelling: Less Vulnerability, More Resiliency
Both news and popular media are used to portraying foster youth as permanently damaged, either by the circumstances that led them to foster care and/or by the broken system that failed them.
Tune into any crime series for an episode or two and odds are you’ll come upon at least one plot line involving foster youth. After all, we assume that these young people make perfect characters for crime-and-punishment storytelling: they’re vulnerable, abandoned, and hopeless. The Law & Order franchise, and Law & Order: SVU in particular, regularly feature these types of storylines. Both news and popular media are used to portraying foster youth as permanently damaged, either by the circumstances that led them to foster care and/or by the broken system that failed them (for instance Dexter and Killing Eve). The central characters of both Dexter and Killing Eve are both cold-blooded killers shaped by their experiences as foster children. As a result, transition age foster youth are stigmatized and “otherized,” worth saving but never really capable of integrating into families and communities.
When they are not being demonized, the experiences of foster youth are often trivialized instead. From Diff’rent Strokes, to The Blind Side, we’ve seen the temptation to fast forward to the simplistic, happy ending without the complex, difficult aspects of healthy development and identity formation. These storylines don’t leave room to depict the varied resources and supports that transition-age foster youth need to thrive, or the ways in which their needs and desires are similar to other adolescents.
Each of these storylines - the hopeless and the minimized - demand greater nuance. A good example of how to do it is The Fosters (2013-2018). The show took a big step towards compelling storytelling about foster youth with a modern-family dynamic that avoided many of the common traps. The characters faced abandonment, abusive situations, and trust issues, but in ways that spoke to the complexities of finding your footing on the way to adulthood when you don’t have the usual connections to family and a stable home. It also demonstrated the resiliency of foster youth who have the right supports, like stable, ongoing relationships and a sense of community.
Over the course of its five seasons, The Fosters also showed the challenges and experiences that adolescents have in common, whether fostered or not. These included struggles like sibling rivalry, bullying, and racism, as well as the joyful discovery of talents, passions, and sexualities.
Depicting these shared challenges and opportunities for growth brought the characters out of the realm of “the other” and made them identifiable, winning audience fandom and critical acclaim in the process.
Our research provides a framework for better, more nuanced storytelling when it comes to portrayals of transition-age foster youth. Here are some ideas for how to do it:
Include the ways in which foster youth are similar to other adolescents, not just what makes them different. Realistic storytelling should show the everyday challenges and discoveries transition-age foster youth face as they become adults.
Show what foster youth need to make their journey to adulthood happy and successful. Don’t just depict their adolescence as a time to survive, but as a time to thrive, when they have caring relationships and stable living situations.
Avoid the overly simplistic “shame and blame” plots when it comes to birth and foster parents. Instead, place foster youth’s experiences within a larger narrative about the racial and economic inequalities that set the stage for a youth’s trajectory.
Widen the lens beyond the family and show community connections. The reality is that foster youth are often disconnected from the communities around them, and this can be as challenging as the lack of family. Make the place they live a protagonist too—opening up new opportunities for the central characters to grow, and new possibilities for original stories.
Freelancer
Reckoning with Race in Adolescent Stories
Diversity and inclusion in film and television contributes to young people of color’s identity formation in positive ways when they avoid stereotyping.
This year ABC rebooted the classic 1990s series The Wonder Years, a show we discussed in our previous blog as a portal for talking about middle school and early adolescence. The time period of the late 1960s remains the same and the two series share many of the same coming-of-age themes, but there is one big difference. Instead of focusing on a middle-class white family in California, the family at the center of the reboot is a middle-class Black family living in Alabama.
Changing the race of a character or the cast of a show or film, or racebending, has a long history in America. While it has often been a tool of discrimination and whitewashing, it’s been used more recently to increase representation of people of color and disrupt established narratives. The Wonder Years reboot does the latter.
Research has consistently shown how important it is that children and young people see characters who not only look like them but also sound like them. Diversity and inclusion in film and television contributes to young people of color’s identity formation in positive ways when they avoid stereotyping (and the same can be said for LGBTQ+ youth). The new Wonder Years joins shows like Reservation Dogs and On My Block in mixing coming-of-age comedy with the drama of growing up in a society plagued by discrimination and structural racism.
Based on an early viewing, the reboot accurately depicts the universals of early adolescence - not just its awkwardness and heartbreaks, but also the ways in which young people explore their identities, make discoveries about themselves and the world around them, and benefit from the support of caring adults. It has to tread the fine line between overgeneralization and authentic portrayal of the experience of Black families in the South in the late ‘60s. In the original series, Kevin getting pulled over and ticketed is an annoyance. In the reboot, Dean gets the “police talk” from his parents well before he can even drive.
These shows have a delicate balance to strike. We know that all portrayals of adolescence better serve development when they address this stage of life not just as one to survive - filled with heightened risk - but also as a unique opportunity to build lifelong resilience and agency. That’s why narratives that effectively tackle race and equity in adolescence are ones that not only present adversity in believable ways, but also authentically show characters growing in resilience by navigating through it.
Here are a few recommendations, informed by our research, to support that approach.
Portray racism as embedded in everyday institutions, not just through transient interpersonal interactions. Highlighting how our institutions and social norms maintain racial inequality, limit opportunities, and create unequal access for people of color helps audiences to see their own roles in perpetuating these norms—and how it harms adolescents. For instance, in the fourth season of The Wire, the show portrayed to wide acclaim, an accurate view of Baltimore Schools: dysfunction, waste and mismanagement, a dearth of resources. The viewer absorbed the ways in which adolescents in such a large, underfunded school system struggle with navigating education and social pressures without the safety nets provided by more advantaged districts.
Use storylines that connect young people to their communities in positive ways. When adolescents are connected to their communities, both adolescents and communities thrive. Centering young people’s stories in the communities that shape them also makes for compelling narratives. The success of Hulu’s Reservation Dogs comes in part from its showing how the characters’ lives and outlooks are shaped by their experiences living in a reservation community. The characters and conditions that surround the four main adolescent characters are often played for laughs, but they also help make the story more meaningful.
Tell stories of resilience and agency, not just adversity. Authentic depictions of adolescents of color cannot ignore the challenges of growing up in a racist society. But depictions of some young people, particularly young Black men, being “lost” reinforces harmful stereotypes and can have a negative effect on identity formation. Stories that show young people not only confronting but also tackling oppressive, racist systems - not just racist individuals - makes for engaging storylines and shows audiences how structural racism works (see The Hate U Give).
Freelancer
When Dramatizing Adolescent Advocacy, Keep It Real
While a search for identity through advocacy tends to be the primary theme in works that explore adolescent engagement, a search for community can be an equally compelling source.
Dear White People begins with the character Sam White on her regular campus radio show, a device at the center of both the 2014 film and the Netflix series by the same name. The series questions whether and how the “post-race” claims from the ivory tower of a fictional Ivy League university translate to on-the-ground student life. Spoiler alert: those claims don’t always prove true to their idealistic word. Race relations at Winchester University remain, in a word, fraught. And a good number of its students are not okay with that.
As a reflection of our current, real-world moment, race is a central issue catalyzing advocacy among the series’ lead characters, but it certainly isn’t the only one. If anything, it’s the search for identity - who am I and how is that defined? - that drives the characters of Dear White People to challenge established systems. Unlike other depictions of adolescent engagement, such as The Hate U Give, which centers on a flashpoint of racial justice uprising, Dear White People focuses on advocacy as a workaday pursuit for its characters. True to life, these social justice storylines are peppered in with the rest of the adolescent experience: love and heartbreak, experimentation and error, friendship and betrayal. And that’s what makes it authentic.
While a search for identity through advocacy tends to be the primary theme in works that explore adolescent engagement, a search for community can be an equally compelling source. In Reservation Dogs, we meet four indigenous youths who are determined to cut ties with the Oklahoma reservation where they were raised, but who inadvertently strengthen those ties over the course of a season. They discover their craved sense of community right where they are and, as co-creator Sterlin Harjo explains, “decide to become vigilantes and clean up the community, but in a funny way.” The teens’ community engagement remains credible throughout every episodic adventure by avoiding sentimental simplicity and embracing how messy, funny, and sometimes painful these connections are. It’s life.
Our research-based takeaways for portrayals of adolescent advocacy:
Depict adolescence engagement in authentic ways. To be compelling, characters must be more than “do-gooders.” Let them seek out engagement organically, and as part of adolescents’ typical exploration of self-identity.
Don’t be afraid to be open-ended. Developing one's identity is complex and ongoing, lasting well into adulthood and one could argue a lifelong process of discovery. Similarly, our communities ebb and flow, while the fight against injustice is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon. Good stories embrace the open-endedness and ambiguity of this process of discovery, leaving open the possibility of new opportunities for growth and for making change.
Make community a character. The link between support for adolescent development and connected communities is proven and strong. Positive, meaningful relationships can be about more than just family and peers. Communities can also be protagonists – full of key players that help young people develop their identities as they become full members of the adult world. Reservation Dogs does this beautifully by connecting its main characters to various community members in hilarious and touching ways.
Comedy yields credibility. Engagement and advocacy can be portrayed as part of developing positive identity—but there’s a fine line between powerful and precious. Humor, especially around shared, everyday adolescent experiences (e.g. early romance) will keep characters relatable when they stand up for their still-evolving beliefs.
Freelancer
Nuance Needed in Adolescent Mental Health Stories
Even before the pandemic, mental health challenges were the leading cause of poor life outcomes for youth.
Though the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the mental health of adolescents in ways we are just beginning to understand, it’s also been a boon to our collective awareness of an issue that existed long before “social distancing” became a fixture in the national lexicon. Adolescence is a developmental period when many mental health problems like depression and substance use begin to emerge – and social and environmental factors can compound these issues. Even before the pandemic, mental health challenges were the leading cause of poor life outcomes for youth. In the 10 years before 2019, the number of high school students reporting persistent sadness or hopelessness had increased by 40% to more than 1 in 3 students. The pandemic has only magnified these pre-existing challenges with shuttered schools, social isolation, and compounded financial and psychological strain on families.
As the pandemic continues, general awareness of the importance of adolescent mental health has increased considerably. But awareness of a problem doesn’t automatically lead to sensitive storytelling. The backlash toward the television show 13 Reasons Why from media critics, educators, and parents points to the difficulties writers face when tackling mental health crises and suicide in adolescents. Graphic, sensationalized content about teen mental health often walks a thin line between relatability and exploitation.
When done right, though, fictional stories may lead to positive outcomes by reducing stigma and normalizing conversations about mental health. This was even the case with the controversial 13 Reasons Why, as research by the Center for Scholars and Storytellers found adolescent viewers were more likely to seek information about issues depicted in the show and have conversations with friends and parents about the topics. Nuanced portrayals of adolescents struggling with mental health and even suicide can be compelling and supportive of healthy development. Here are some recommendations for how to use our research in your stories about mental health:
Strive toward trauma-informed content. This means telling stories in ways that are sensitive - rather than sensationalizing - and empowering towards characters who are experiencing trauma. In the 2012 film The Perks of Being a Wallflower, we see the main character Charlie learn to cope with PTSD from sexual abuse through an evolution of methods – from friendships, to self-medication with drugs and alcohol, and finally to inpatient treatment. The Perks of Being a Wallflower reflects what we know about resilience in adolescence while telling a beautiful (and critically acclaimed) coming of age story.
Model resilience by balancing bleakness with hope. Experts suggest that talking openly about suicide can sometimes serve as a protective factor among adolescents, and CSS’s research reinforces this finding. The 2010 film It’s Kind of a Funny Story does an effective - and affecting - job of this. The main character Craig has the self-awareness to recognize when “normal” stress responses to external pressures become unhealthy, leading him to seek help for what has become full-fledged depression. It’s important to show viewers what supportive environments and relationships look like so that young people know these resources are available.
Move beyond “bootstraps” and “individual savior” storylines. Supporting adolescent mental health is not a one-person job or a matter of self-agency as many false narratives would have us believe. In reality, creating the kinds of deep and complex connections needed is a community-wide undertaking. Think about including not just families, but also schools, community-based organizations, and the healthcare system in supporting roles.
Finding an authentic balance in stories about adolescence and mental health can be difficult. But these narratives also have the potential to accurately and inspiringly show audiences what adolescent development looks like – and how we can support young people who are struggling, together.
Freelancer
Rebooting Adolescent Romance Stories
The experience of romantic awakening is individual and varied, but universal in its critical importance to developing social and emotional skills and discovering one's identity.
Young love is a story that’s been told in ways that both warm the heart and elicit sympathetic cringing. The experience of romantic awakening is individual and varied, but universal in its critical importance to developing social and emotional skills and discovering one's identity. These early relationships help us figure out who we are, make independent decisions, and learn to understand the concept of consent. And while they certainly have a biological component, understanding how to navigate them is not at all instinctive. That’s why young people need positive environments and supportive relationships with adults and peers to build healthy romantic relationships. But making authentic adolescent development a through line in stories about young romance doesn’t mean you have to give up the humor - or even the cringing.
The To All the Boys… franchise is a great example of how to do this. The Netflix film trilogy (adapted from the YA novel series) stays true to rom-com expectations while portraying adolescent love in an ever-evolving and age-appropriate way. What makes these movies so fun to watch - in addition to their appealing performances - is witnessing the main character Lara Jean figure out what she wants in her relationship, and what she wants for herself. Lara Jean and Peter’s relationship is filled with trial and error, ultimately culminating in a decision to give long-distance dating a go. Will it work out? The finale leaves it up in the air, but adolescent love is an exploration of the unknown, just as it is in adulthood. To All the Boys… doesn’t have to compromise the romance to tell a developmental story.
Here’s what our research shows about creative storytelling approaches that give adolescent romantic relationships the credit they deserve.
Treat them like the real thing. Romantic relationships in adolescence aren’t just “practice” for grown-up relationships—they are real, and they matter a lot to healthy development.
Make breakups matter, too. Break-ups are as important for healthy development as forming romantic relationships. You can make them dramatic without trivializing them - like Kurt and Blaine’s breakup in Glee - and play them for laughs while still making them consequential - à la She’s the Man.
More than just the two of us. Romantic relationships are never just about two people. They are supported and nurtured - and yes, sometimes hindered - by the relationships they already have. Compelling stories about adolescent love should portray these supports and the ways in which other relationships might work against them, too.
Zoom out. Social inequality plays a role in romantic relationships, as it does in every portrayal of adolescent development. Highlighting the big-picture social conditions that threaten positive relationship outcomes can help build tension in a more authentic portrayal of the challenges adolescents face, even when they have strong connections to each other. The now classic 2000 movie Love and Basketball does this brilliantly, in two ways. First, it is a thoughtful exploration of how gender norms play a role in romantic relationships. Second, it indirectly speaks to the ways in which stories about young people of color are marginalized in film by not making racism the central storyline.
Highlight positive identity development. Romantic relationships are a productive vehicle for identity exploration, and can be used to convey the importance of staying true to that identity. For instance, in the movie The Duff, main character Bianca holds her ground after a superficially cruel insult from classmates, and ends up rewriting the social order while finding romance in the process.
Don’t sell out for laughs. Sure, adolescent romance is rich territory for mining jokes, but there’s a fine line between extracting the universally human humor in them and trivializing them. So far, the new Mindy Kaling series The Sex Life of College Girls, finds this middle ground. Though it certainly portrays the messiness of college-age relationships and sex, it counter-balances these with real moments that illustrate the importance of romance to healthy self-discovery.
Freelancer
The Case for Authentic Disability Representation in Media and Why Our Society Desperately Needs It
HIGHLIGHTS
• More than 95% of all characters with disabilities seen on television are played by non-disabled actors.
• Media can make a difference by helping to normalize disability and expose people, disabled and able bodies alike, to disabled characters they can admire and relate to.
• Hollywood is leaving approximately $125 billion annually on the table by not having authentic and accurate disability representation.
Our society is currently buzzing with diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) movements. From the classroom to corporate board rooms, and all over social media, you can find people of all ages discussing things like how to be anti-racist or how to properly use gender pronouns. While these are all vastly important conversations to have, the largest marginalized group in the world is consistently left out of this conversation: the disabled population. All of these DEI efforts are vital as we strive to continue learning and growing to make our world a more loving place, but we will never succeed if we’re ignoring the world's largest marginalized community.
The media mirrors this societal oversight — disability representation lags far behind every other marginalized group. In the U.S. today, one in four people (26 percent) have a disability and yet only 3.1 percent of characters on-screen are disabled. In children’s television representation is even worse - less than one percent.
With over a quarter of our population identifying as disabled, recent market research found that Hollywood is leaving billions of dollars on the table. That is a striking number, but not what’s most concerning. Media tends to reflect our society’s values so more importantly, above everything -- the lack of visibility all around is killing disabled people. Let’s explore why.
As children, we observe the world around us in order to make meaning of our own lives, identities, and experiences. When we see people we can relate to and look up to, it helps us create a sense of self. However, when we don’t see anyone similar around us we can relate to, we turn to movies and television to fill that role. When we see positive portrayals of characters we connect with, it can positively impact our mental health. My younger brother, who has Cerebral Palsy, had virtually no positive portrayals in media. No characters that looked like, talked like, or processed the world like him. Not only did that impact my brother’s sense of self, I realized the lack of representation in media impacted the way non-disabled people interacted with my brother and those like him.
We often fear what we don’t understand, and some disabilities may look or sound startling if you’ve never seen it before. This is where media has an opportunity to be largely impactful by creating exposure and understanding through authentic representation. Media can make a difference by helping to normalize disability and expose people, disabled and able bodies alike, to disabled characters they can admire and relate to. I witnessed this lack of exposure first hand with my brother, and his physical differences due to his Cerebral Palsy. People stared, but it wasn’t their fault; they had never been exposed to people with bodies that were built and functioned atypically. My brother uses a walker as a mobility aid, but often still falls down due to weakness in his leg muscles. Sometimes he’d knock things over in public on his way down, which made my family a spectacle. When we were younger I tried to hide my embarrassment, pushing my emotions aside, pretending it was no big deal. But I desperately wished others could see my brother as I did: just a kid with some extra challenges.
This lack of exposure and understanding has been seen throughout history, perpetuating more misunderstanding and stigma around the disabled population. Historically, disabled people have been killed, sent away, hidden from the public, or socially pressured to hide their disabilities if possible. This is why it’s vital that we include characters with disabilities in media, especially children’s media -- so we can normalize all types of bodies and neurodiversity. Studies have shown that kids who are exposed to diverse types of people at a young age grow up to be less discriminatory and more accepting individuals. If kids and adults could get to know and interact with more disabled people, whether in real life or on screen, seeing my brother wouldn’t be such an event to stare at.
COVID-19 pandemic emphasized society’s “ableist” values
A larger reason we must strive for more disabled representation is because authentic representation can actually shift societal cultural values. Our society needs to start valuing the lives of disabled people. In the beginnings of the COVID-19 pandemic, many disabled people in group homes were essentially triaged as less important lives to save and they and their staff didn’t receive access to essential COVID-19 precautions and resources. This resulted in an astounding death toll for this group. In New York, one study found people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, who were living in group homes with roommates and care staff, were dying at nearly 8 times the rate. In England, one article reported 60 percent of the deaths from COVID-19 in 2020 were disabled individuals and many of these deaths were preventable. Yet, mainstream media has not been covering this. The lack of news coverage is telling, and reflects our society’s ableism at its finest - the idea that non-disabled lives are more important than disabled ones.
Unfortunately, this is just one blaring example of ableism that directly resulted in a devastating number of disabled deaths. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities overall tend to have a higher mortality rate. In some cases there may be other health factors related to their condition that makes their lifespan shorter. However, in many cases it’s a lack of access to and receiving proper and effective healthcare that is the true barrier. Disabled people are dying unnecessarily, period. This can only change when our society as a whole starts valuing disabled lives - but first they must see ableism as a problem. One way we fight ableism? All together now! More accurate and authentic portrayals in the media.
Disability as a prop or “inspiration porn” in media
In 2020, CSS released a report on the importance of authentically inclusive representation in regards to diverse identities, with a special focus on race. One way to ensure authentic representation is by breaking harmful group stereotypes - for example in the case of race, not only showing Asians as quiet and nerdy, or Black women as sexualized and dominant. In the same way we must also be mindful with our portrayals of disability and what it means to be authentic. Oftentimes if disabled people are visible on screen at all, they are depicted as unintelligent (or off-puttingly intelligent), as a burden, or simply a prop to progress the story along. The character is reduced to one aspect of their identity, their disability. Often a main, non-disabled character is motivated by or learns a lesson thanks to this disabled side character. When portrayals are limited to this and people are diminished to just their disability, we as a society expect them to be merely a side character in our world which leads to more discrimination and exclusion.
While often well-intended, there is another problematic trope of these generic and cliché portrayals of disabled people. The main character, typically an able-bodied person, often helps or “saves” a disabled person, or even uses the struggles and triumphs of a disabled character to inspire others. This surface-level touching story is commonly referred to as “inspiration porn.” This can be tricky because good intent unfortunately reduces the disabled character to being objectified only to inspire others, rather than celebrating and spotlighting the disabled person as just a person. This instead promotes the message that disabled people should be pitied or need help rather than celebrating them for the intricate humans they are and what they have to give to the world.
In this way, the media we consume has the power to create negative biases towards disabled individuals unintentionally. However, we also know that when thoughtfully portrayed, narrative stories have the power to dismantle biases and shift our culture to be a more inclusive society. Researchers studied this phenomenon by comparing internalized racial bias to LGBTQ+ biases during the Obama years. You might think having a Black president would shift our internalized racism, however the levels of bias didn’t change over the eight years. Yet, during those same years, LGBTQ+ biases dropped significantly which researchers attribute to popular media and television shows that were LGBTQ+ inclusive, like Glee. So how can we do this with disability?
Getting it right: include disabled individuals
There’s a common saying amongst the disabled community: nothing about us without us. In the context of storytelling, this speaks directly to the idea that if the story features a disabled character, there should be people involved both behind and in front of the camera who can directly relate to the character. We have a lot of room for growth, as more than 95 percent of all characters with disabilities seen on television are played by non-disabled actors. However, there are a few recent shows that have made waves in authentic disability representation. Shows like Speechless, Special, and Everything’s Going to be Okay intentionally and authentically portray disability by actually hiring creators and actors who are disabled. The lead characters in Speechless and Special have Cerebral Palsy, as do the actors who portrayed them. In Everything’s Going to be Okay, one of the lead characters is Autistic and the actress who plays her has Autism Spectrum Disorder. These shows also had creators behind the camera who had direct experiences with the disabilities portrayed in the show and the combination of having actors and creators with lived experiences made these shows stand out and recognized for their work.
But let’s talk business.
So why should a behemoth industry like Hollywood care? For one, research shows that disability-inclusive workplaces significantly increase revenue, profit margins, and employee productivity. Inclusive or universal design, is the concept that when things are designed for people with permanent disabilities, everyone in society benefits. It’s sometimes referred to as the “curb-cut effect” as a curb-cut was designed for wheel-chair users, but people pushing strollers, or people riding bikes, or a film crew unloading equipment, also benefit. At the end of the day, Hollywood is a business, so to speak to that angle - in 2019 the Ruderman Family Foundation found that Hollywood is leaving approximately $125 billion dollars annually on the table by not having authentic and accurate disability representation. Talk about missed opportunities!
Imagining an inclusive world
All in all, it’s time we start recognizing and celebrating people with disabilities as a valuable part of our society because disability impacts ALL of us. Disability is the only minority group anyone can join at any time. Take a moment to let that sink in. Disability is the only minority group anyone can join at any time. In the UK they found that eighty percent of the disabled population were not born with a disability. That means that experiencing disability personally or through a loved one very likely will be a part of your life if it isn’t already. This is a universal experience that pervades race, sexuality, and socioeconomic status, so it’s time we start talking about it and representing it as so. Let’s use the power of media and storytelling to foster connection and belonging, to uplift others, and truly create a more inclusive world. Hire disabled people and let them tell their stories. My dream is to see a world where diversity is truly celebrated and embraced, and this includes disability. As we all know “with great power comes great responsibility,” so Hollywood - it’s time to walk the walk and step up to the responsibility of the power you have, to truly make our world a better place. I want to look around and see films and series’ that show people like my brother having a life filled with purpose, connection, mishaps, friendships and love. Because even though the challenges may look different on the outside, we can all relate to the pains and joys of what it means to be human.