Joeli Valerio
FIQWS
Professor Ewan
05/01/2019
The Need For Latinx representation in T.V and Film
When I was a child, what was important in my youth was television. These shows I watched were full of Caucasian kids and Spanish stereotypes. Novelas apparently represent how the Hispanic culture is. Growing up, I was presented with female characters who were blonde, skinny and light-skinned meeting the men of their dreams. It never struck me how unrepresented I was, and the more I searched for girls like me with curly hair, with acne that was Latina. I as a Latina was shocked and disappointed that there were none. The United States is a country that’s a melting pot full of cultures and many of those cultures are not represented properly. That is why in the film and T.V. industry there should be an increase in Latino representation with fewer stereotypes and integrate more pride for these cultures.
According to Adrienne Massanari in “Latino(a) Stereotypes in Film and Television : The Latin Lover, the seductive Latina, the maid,or the machinist”, Latinos are normally categorized in four ways: The seductive Latina is an archetype often seen in many films, television series and telenovelas. Janet Miranda in “Lack of Latino representation distorts culture through whitewashing” points out that in film and T.V, “most female characters are… hypersexualized like…Sofia Vergara in Modern Family, who exudes the spicy Latina trope.” Sofia Vergara has been in the film and TV industry for many years and has been utilized in seductive Latina roles. According to Sabrina Vourvoulias in “Hollywood typecasting limits Latinas to sexualized roles.” that “a recent study from the Annenberg School for Com- munication and Journalism of the University of Southern Califor- nia…while Latinas were more more likely to be featured in popular films than any other race or ethnicity, no other race/ethnicity is more sexualized.” Therefore, “Hispanic females (37.5 percent) were more likely than females from all other races to be shown partially or fully naked on screen” (Vourvoulias). This gives young Latinas that live in the United States a type of behavior they apparently have to act like in order to succeed in the media industry. This stereotype is endless in film and T.V but Spanish soap operas as well have these stereotypes inputted. Marisa Trevino in “Latino women suffer from stereotyping.” comments that, “the worst offender when it comes to promoting archaic depictions of Latinas as dim-witted, over-sexed bombshells can be found on Spanish-language television.” This stereotype will only seek the continuation of type casting and since, “ sex sells, and Latinas have always been very much a part of that equation” the winners will always be the film productions getting all the profits. When will there be a film with a Latina not showing, “exposed skin between the mid chest and upper thigh region” (ibid)?
Moreover, the more unrepresented Latino children are in T.V and film the more likely children will be insecure of their ethnicity. Linda Rivas a writer for the Uwire discusses in the article, “Column: Beauty doesn’t discriminate, you shouldn’t either” how she was affected by the beauty standards on how an ideal Latina is supposed to look like. Rivas explains, “I would watch TV with my mother, and all I would see were thin, tall, colored-eyed, white women, especially in the telenovelas my grandmother loved to watch. All I would see would be the white faces of the main characters…while the darker, indigenous actors would be given the roles of maids.” Me being a girl with curly hair and of tan skin made me feel as if I am supposed to look like those novela protagonists which makes me feel unrepresented. Riva adds on stating how she, “would skip meals, bandage my waist while I slept and tape the tip of my nose to the center of my forehead right between my eyebrows because I was hoping it would make my nose permanently more narrow and pointy, more Caucasian-like. I wanted to be pretty.”. This shows that a “lack of representation in the media increases beauty complexes — if you don’t see anyone representative of you who is considered beautiful, then you assume you must not be beautiful” (ibid.). This lack of representation in Film and T.V. may cause a child’s self-esteem to lower causing them to believe they need to adjust themselves, physically. It cannot be shunned away that “the effects of Caucasian-led TV and film industries failing to provide representation that is not a Latina or black woman with Caucasian features”(ibid.). That’s why Joseline Polio in “Opinion / Latinos need to be represented more in media” states that, “It’s important children aren’t only exposed to media with positive role models but role models who look and have the same culture as they do. This would allow them to see people like themselves succeeding. Unfortunately, Latino children don’t see that since Latinos are either cast as the bad guy or not at all.” In order to represent Hispanic cultures, we need to stop this bad representation because this bad representation affects the young Latino generation which can claim there ethnicity is shameful to them.
However many in “Luscious Latinas: The pros and cons of an evolving stereotype.” according to Valerie Menard, “Latinas seem much less affected by this stereotype than by one that portrays them as passive and gullible.” Thus, Latinas begin, to not care that they are being described as according to Liz Felix, in “Latina Representation on TV: We’re More Than Just a Spicy Chicken Sandwich!” , “a Spicy Chicken Sandwich!”. Many seem to find it accepting since Megan O’Dell in “Combating media stereotypes in Latin American culture.”Hispanic culture has endured stereotypical cinematic portrayal in American film since the 1930s”. With Latinas not caring about certain stereotype film companies will take advantage of the profits and keep on typecasting us. The more we allow Latinas and Latinos to be seen as fools, exotic objects, drug dealers, or machinist, these stereotypes wouldn’t seem as offensive anymore which shouldn’t be our mindset. Yet, we wonder, “Why wasn’t the saintly single mother and love interest to Ryan Gosling in “Drive” portrayed by a Latina actress, as originally intended in the script, but instead given to British ingenue Carey Mulligan? ” (Ramos). Look at the word saintly it’s very apparent in the sentence wonder why Latinas aren’t seen as saintly single mother better yet gold diggers and seductive single mothers. Our culture, hard work, and true lifestyle should be embraced and not a tag that has been in the industry for 89 years.
In conclusion, in the film and T.V. industry, there should be an increase in Latino representation with fewer stereotypes and integrate more pride for these cultures. The stereotypical exotic Latina with the red dress should not be the tag Latina women are given making us feel discouraged. The youth being affected by the beauty standards, as well a drug dealer being the representation of Latinos making the youth ashamed or influenced that this is what you have to follow or adjust how you are. Latinos are one of the biggest minorities in the United States. Why can’t we see big on the screen like we are seen in the population? When I go to times square with my family I see a variety of ethnicities walking. I would like to see this variety of ethnicities on T.V and film reflected properly and not just an all Caucasian cast.
Work Cited
Felix, Liz. “Latina Representation on TV: We’re More Than Just a Spicy Chicken Sandwich!” La Prensa San Diego, 21 March 2014, https://search-proquest-com.ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/docview/1511436657/abstract/ABF9774862AC4B55PQ/1?accountid=996. Accessed 26 Apr. 2019
Polio, Joseline. “Opinion / Latinos need to be represented more in media.” UWIRE Text, 11 April. 2018, http://link.galegroup.com.ccnyproxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/apps/doc/A534231063/STND? u=cuny_ccny&sid=STND&xid=01f7ecd6. Accessed 26 Apr. 2019.
O’Dell Megan. “Combating media stereotypes in Latin American culture.” UWIRE Text, 2 Oct. 2013, http://go.galegroup.com.ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/ps/i.do&id=GALE|A344501244&v=2.1&u=cuny_ccny&it=r&p=STND&sw=w. Accessed 26 Apr. 2019.
Miranda, Janet. “Lack of Latino representation distorts culture through whitewashing.” The Daily Cougar: University of Houston, Tuesday 27 March 2018, https://advance-lexis-com.ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/api/documentcollection=news&id=urn:contentItem:5RYR-NDF1-JBSN-31YK-00000-00&context=1516831. Accessed 26 Apr. 2019.
Ramos, Jonathan. “Latinos spend most at cinema, but least represented on screens.” UWIRE Text, 3 Dec. 2013, http://link.galegroup.com.ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/apps/doc/A351492804/STND?u=cuny_ccny&sid=STND&xid=a171470d. Accessed 28 Apr. 2019.
Riva, Linda. “Column: Beauty doesn’t discriminate, you shouldn’t either.” UWIRE Text, 7 Apr. 2017, http://uwire.com/?s=UWIRE+Text&x=26&y=14&=Go. Accessed 26 Apr. 2019.
Trevino, Marisa. “Latino women suffer from stereotyping.” The Record (Bergen County, NJ), 24 Jan. 2005 http://bi.galegroup.com.ccnyproxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/global/article/GALE%7CA1275 49832/37693e6a5b60641d224c6a2b63eec4b2?u=cuny_ccny. Accessed 26 Apr. 2019.
Valerie, Menard. “Luscious Latinas: The pros and cons of an evolving stereotype.” Hispanic Publishing Corporation, May 1997,
https://search-proquest-com.ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/docview/237027974/fulltext/EEB7183354F64FC2PQ/1?accountid=9967. Accessed 26 Apr. 2019.
Vourvoulias, Sabrina. “Hollywood typecasting limits Latinas to sexualized roles.” The Bay State Banner, 21 Aug. 2014, https://search-proquest-com.ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/docview/1558538322?accou ntid=9967. Accessed 26 Apr. 2019.
Miranda, Janet. “Lack of Latino representation distorts culture through whitewashing.” The Daily Cougar: University of Houston, Tuesday 27 March 2018, https://advance-lexis-com.ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/api/documentcollection=news&id=urn:contentItem:5RYR-NDF1-JBSN-31YK-00000-00&context=1516831. Accessed 26 Apr. 2019.
