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The Importance of Diversity in Pop Culture | Connor Rollo | TEDxEdenHighSchool


couple years ago I was at home I was

couple years ago I was at home I was watching TV this movie comes on and I

watching TV this movie comes on and I

watching TV this movie comes on and I start to watch it and as I’m watching it

start to watch it and as I’m watching it

start to watch it and as I’m watching it I realized that all of the actors in it

I realized that all of the actors in it

I realized that all of the actors in it were people of color I was a little

were people of color I was a little

were people of color I was a little upset by this because there was no one

upset by this because there was no one

upset by this because there was no one in it like me but then I thought a bit

in it like me but then I thought a bit

in it like me but then I thought a bit of it more and I realize this must be

of it more and I realize this must be

of it more and I realize this must be how members of minorities feel when they

how members of minorities feel when they

how members of minorities feel when they watch most of the movies and TV shows

watch most of the movies and TV shows

watch most of the movies and TV shows available to us right now and yes there

available to us right now and yes there

available to us right now and yes there have been some great examples of diverse

have been some great examples of diverse

have been some great examples of diverse movies and TV shows recently but they’re

movies and TV shows recently but they’re

movies and TV shows recently but they’re currently not enough today I’m going to

currently not enough today I’m going to

currently not enough today I’m going to convince you that representation is

convince you that representation is

convince you that representation is important in the media and that there is

important in the media and that there is

important in the media and that there is not enough of it the media reaches many

not enough of it the media reaches many

not enough of it the media reaches many people all across the world which has

people all across the world which has

people all across the world which has many children too

many children too

many children too these children need role models they can

these children need role models they can

these children need role models they can see themselves in to give the good

see themselves in to give the good

see themselves in to give the good values as they grow older now I know you

values as they grow older now I know you

values as they grow older now I know you all probably have some childhood role

all probably have some childhood role

all probably have some childhood role model from a movie or TV show that

model from a movie or TV show that

model from a movie or TV show that you’re thinking of mine were the x-men

you’re thinking of mine were the x-men

you’re thinking of mine were the x-men yours may be Superman or a Disney

yours may be Superman or a Disney

yours may be Superman or a Disney Princess or Harry Potter children of

Princess or Harry Potter children of

Princess or Harry Potter children of color need these role models too but may

color need these role models too but may

color need these role models too but may not be getting them due to this lack of

not be getting them due to this lack of

not be getting them due to this lack of diversity diversity in me see it and

diversity diversity in me see it and

diversity diversity in me see it and media also gives relatable characters

media also gives relatable characters

media also gives relatable characters for example think of a teen who may be

for example think of a teen who may be

for example think of a teen who may be struggling with their sexuality it would

struggling with their sexuality it would

struggling with their sexuality it would really help for them to see a character

really help for them to see a character

really help for them to see a character who is gay or lesbian or bisexual for

who is gay or lesbian or bisexual for

who is gay or lesbian or bisexual for them to relate to and understand what

them to relate to and understand what

them to relate to and understand what they’re going through diversity also

they’re going through diversity also

they’re going through diversity also helps eliminate stereotypes there are

helps eliminate stereotypes there are

helps eliminate stereotypes there are stereotypes for all different rips of

stereotypes for all different rips of

stereotypes for all different rips of people and they don’t correctly betray

people and they don’t correctly betray

people and they don’t correctly betray the qualities of these people diversity

the qualities of these people diversity

the qualities of these people diversity and media also helps people increase

and media also helps people increase

and media also helps people increase their understanding of minorities when

their understanding of minorities when

their understanding of minorities when they interact with them in real life

they interact with them in real life

they interact with them in real life another point is that a lot of the

another point is that a lot of the

another point is that a lot of the biggest actors in Hollywood are white

biggest actors in Hollywood are white

biggest actors in Hollywood are white men if there was more diversity in

men if there was more diversity in

men if there was more diversity in movies and TV shows then there would be

movies and TV shows then there would be

movies and TV shows then there would be more minority actors who be able to rise

more minority actors who be able to rise

more minority actors who be able to rise the same level as some of these men now

the same level as some of these men now

the same level as some of these men now I’m gonna against you that currently the

I’m gonna against you that currently the

I’m gonna against you that currently the media is not diverse enough some of

media is not diverse enough some of

media is not diverse enough some of remember the Oscars last year now this

remember the Oscars last year now this

remember the Oscars last year now this big controversy over had the fact that

big controversy over had the fact that

big controversy over had the fact that none of the actors were people of color

none of the actors were people of color

none of the actors were people of color who were nominated this is terrible but

who were nominated this is terrible but

who were nominated this is terrible but it’s not only the Academy’s fault

it’s not only the Academy’s fault

it’s not only the Academy’s fault a study from a university in California

a study from a university in California

a study from a university in California shows that only a small amount of

shows that only a small amount of

shows that only a small amount of characters are woman about 33.5% and an

characters are woman about 33.5% and an

characters are woman about 33.5% and an even smaller amount are minorities about

even smaller amount are minorities about

even smaller amount are minorities about 28% and out of 11,000 194 characters

28% and out of 11,000 194 characters

28% and out of 11,000 194 characters only 228 were lesbian gay bisexual or

only 228 were lesbian gay bisexual or

only 228 were lesbian gay bisexual or transgender

transgender

transgender this means that majority of characters

this means that majority of characters

this means that majority of characters are white straight men it means there’s

are white straight men it means there’s

are white straight men it means there’s not enough minority characters so

not enough minority characters so

not enough minority characters so there’s not enough characters for

there’s not enough characters for

there’s not enough characters for minority people to relate to and the

minority people to relate to and the

minority people to relate to and the children who may be black gay Latino or

children who may be black gay Latino or

children who may be black gay Latino or any other minority don’t get that role

any other minority don’t get that role

any other minority don’t get that role model I was talking about earlier

model I was talking about earlier

model I was talking about earlier another huge issue in the industry is

another huge issue in the industry is

another huge issue in the industry is whitewashing for those of you don’t know

whitewashing for those of you don’t know

whitewashing for those of you don’t know whitewashing is when a white actor is a

whitewashing is when a white actor is a

whitewashing is when a white actor is a non-white character this means they’re

non-white character this means they’re

non-white character this means they’re not enough roles for minority actors and

not enough roles for minority actors and

not enough roles for minority actors and the Mississippi Honor it limits the

the Mississippi Honor it limits the

the Mississippi Honor it limits the amount of representation in the media

amount of representation in the media

amount of representation in the media some examples are the upcoming movie

some examples are the upcoming movie

some examples are the upcoming movie ghost in the shell’ in which a white

ghost in the shell’ in which a white

ghost in the shell’ in which a white actress plays a Japanese character or

actress plays a Japanese character or

actress plays a Japanese character or from a couple years ago movie called

from a couple years ago movie called

from a couple years ago movie called Aloha in which Emma Stone plays a

Aloha in which Emma Stone plays a

Aloha in which Emma Stone plays a character who is Chinese even though

character who is Chinese even though

character who is Chinese even though Emma Stone is white and sometimes even

Emma Stone is white and sometimes even

Emma Stone is white and sometimes even when minority characters are present

when minority characters are present

when minority characters are present they can portray a stereotype one of the

they can portray a stereotype one of the

they can portray a stereotype one of the most common stereotypes in the media is

most common stereotypes in the media is

most common stereotypes in the media is the woman who needs to be rescued by the

the woman who needs to be rescued by the

the woman who needs to be rescued by the man who ends up saving the day that’s a

man who ends up saving the day that’s a

man who ends up saving the day that’s a very common stereotype and there are

very common stereotype and there are

very common stereotype and there are tons of stereotypes for all different

tons of stereotypes for all different

tons of stereotypes for all different people like white Americans are lazy and

people like white Americans are lazy and

people like white Americans are lazy and obese feminine men are gay women aren’t

obese feminine men are gay women aren’t

obese feminine men are gay women aren’t as strong or smart as men and some can

as strong or smart as men and some can

as strong or smart as men and some can be more harmful like Middle Eastern men

be more harmful like Middle Eastern men

be more harmful like Middle Eastern men are terrorists these are just

are terrorists these are just

are terrorists these are just generalizations that don’t correctly

generalizations that don’t correctly

generalizations that don’t correctly portray these different groups of people

portray these different groups of people

portray these different groups of people and they can create prejudices when

and they can create prejudices when

and they can create prejudices when dealing with them in real life

dealing with them in real life

dealing with them in real life I hope leaving here today that you were

I hope leaving here today that you were

I hope leaving here today that you were more aware of the importance of

more aware of the importance of

more aware of the importance of representation and the effect it could

representation and the effect it could

representation and the effect it could have on people especially on the

have on people especially on the

have on people especially on the children who need these role models

children who need these role models

children who need these role models growing up thank you

growing up thank you

growing up thank you [Applause]

[Applause]

[Applause] [Music]

[Music]

[Music] [Applause]

[Applause]

[Applause] [Music]

”

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