Episode 16: Make Some Mirrors - Diversity in Pop Culture
The Knave of Nerds, Roy, returns for Diversity Day. The discussion is around the current situation of diversity in pop culture.
Nerdy News:
Fans Petition Fox To Sell Fantastic Four Rights Back To Marvel Studios
Comes Up in Conversation:
Junot Diaz Pulitzer Prize Winning Author
"You guys know about vampires?" Diaz asked. "You know, vampires have no reflections in a mirror? There's this idea that monsters don't have reflections in a mirror. And what I've always thought isn't that monsters don't have reflections in a mirror. It's that if you want to make a human being into a monster, deny them, at the cultural level, any reflection of themselves. And growing up, I felt like a monster in some ways. I didn't see myself reflected at all. I was like, "Yo, is something wrong with me? That the whole society seems to think that people like me don't exist? And part of what inspired me, was this deep desire that before I died, I would make a couple of mirrors. That I would make some mirrors so that kids like me might seem themselves reflected back and might not feel so monstrous for it."
100 Top Grossing Films from 2007-2014
30.2% of the characters were women
19 total characters were lesbian, gay or bisexual — none were transgender.
73.1% of the roles were white
1.9% were directed by women
The Bechdel Test
It has to have at least two women in it who
Talk to each other about
Something besides a man
The Racial Bechdel Test
There must be more than one character of color
At least two characters of color must have a conversation
The conversation has to be about something other than a white person
The Russo Test
The film contains a character that is identifiably lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender
The character must not be solely or predominantly defined by their sexual orientation or gender identity.
The character must be tied into the plot in such a way that their removal would have a significant effect
What are your thoughts on diversity in pop culture? Let us know!