The way the media portrays diversity has a significant impact on how we view the world and how we perceive other racial and ethnic groups. Diversity in the media is frequently oversimplified and restricted to particular traits, such as skin tone, gender, and sexual orientation (Mannarini, Veltri, & Salvatore, 2020). This oversimplification of variety runs the risk of homogenizing perceptions of various communities and eliminating their distinctive histories and identities. Therefore, it is crucial to examine how diversity is portrayed in the media to understand how it affects our perceptions of the world and how we see various groups. The fictional work, television program, or motion picture examined in this essay is Kimberlé Crenshaw’s “The Urgency of Intersectionality” TED Talk. To understand the experiences of oppressed groups, Crenshaw analyzes the significance of comprehending and appreciating the intersectionality of multiple social identities, such as race and gender. This article aims to examine how diversity is portrayed in the TED Talk, evaluate if it is a positive representation, and discuss the significance of diverse group representation.
The importance of intersectionality is powerfully and perceptively analyzed in Kimberlé Crenshaw’s TED Talk. Crenshaw contends that marginalized groups have a distinctive and complicated experience not depicted in the dominant narratives due to the confluence of different social identities, such as race and gender. She emphasizes that the systemic oppression and discrimination that these groups encounter are sustained by our unwillingness to identify and respect their experiences.
Kimberlé Crenshaw is the focal point of the TED Talk. Renowned academic, lawyer and activist Crenshaw has devoted her professional life to promoting social justice. She is a major character because she speaks and gives facts and insight. In this piece, Crenshaw is not portrayed in a stereotypical way or as having privilege. Instead, Crenshaw is portrayed as an authority on intersectionality and a spokesperson for underrepresented groups. The television program is based on a TED Talk delivered by renowned legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw, who critically studies how various media representations can influence a community’s social and political climate. In her discussion, Crenshaw makes the case that how the media portrays diversity can help oppressed groups grow while also helping to perpetuate prejudice and discrimination. She points out that because there aren’t enough intersectional portrayals in the media, people who identify with many marginalized groups may find their experiences and viewpoints are lost.
Crenshaw’s discourse, which emphasized the necessity of an intersecting approach to comprehending and combating oppression and prejudice, popularized “intersectionality.” This method acknowledges how various facets of identity interact and overlap to produce various types of oppression and discrimination. Additionally, it acknowledges that several forms of power exist in society, including those based on gender, color, class, sexual orientation, and other aspects of identity. In her TED Talk, Crenshaw provides various examples of how intersectionality and power systems combine to produce distinct forms of marginalization and oppression. She talks about the experiences of black women in the United States and how, because they are both black and female, their experiences of marginalization and oppression are sometimes disregarded or ignored. She also talks about the realities of LGBTQ+ people and how society frequently erases or ignores their identities.
The TED Talk’s portrayal of diversity is advantageous because it emphasizes the significance of appreciating and understanding the experiences of oppressed groups. Crenshaw offers a sophisticated and nuanced examination of various groups’ experiences, and his address is a call to action for more inclusion and equity. Beyond the TED Talk, diverse group representation is important in other spheres of life, including the workplace, educational institutions, and other settings. Based on their genuine experiences and accomplishments, the characters are presented in a good light. The television show does a great job of showing how various media representations can support underrepresented groups’ growth while also perpetuating prejudice and discrimination. Because it can assist in raising awareness of the experiences and perspectives of marginalized groups and advance social justice, various groups must be adequately represented in the media. Media representation can aid in challenging the prejudices and biases that the prevailing culture upholds. Representation in other spheres of life, such as the workplace and schools, is also crucial to build a more varied and inclusive society.
Diversity representation in the media has recently drawn a lot of attention. As society becomes more diverse, it is crucial to ensure that the media appropriately portrays this diversity. However, stereotyped, slanted, and inaccurate portrayals of various communities have frequently appeared in the media. This can significantly affect how people view and comprehend certain categories of people, maintaining negative attitudes and ideas.
The necessity for a more intersectional view of diversity is highlighted by Kimberlé Crenshaw’s work in the TED Talk “The Urgency of Intersectionality.” Crenshaw contends that it is insufficient to comprehend variety in terms of a single dimension, such as race or gender. To truly comprehend the experiences of marginalized groups, it is vital to consider the intersections of many identities, such as race and gender. The need to consider power dynamics in understanding diversity is also emphasized in the paper “Conceptualizing structures of power” by Kang et al. According to the writers, power is not dispersed equally throughout society, with certain groups holding more sway than others. It is crucial to comprehend these power relations to combat the oppressive institutions that are now in place.
The significance of including diversity and inclusion in simulation training in healthcare is covered in the academic source “Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Simulation” by Nakajima, Teame, and Kostiuk. The authors contend that simulation can be a potent instrument for promoting fairness, diversity, and inclusion by giving healthcare workers a chance to hone their abilities in a secure, controlled setting. The role of schools of public health in fostering diversity and inclusion is examined in the article by Merino titled “What Do Schools of Public Health Have to Say About Diversity and Inclusion?” The author contends that by equipping students with the knowledge and abilities required to address societal health inequities, public health schools offer an extraordinary potential to foster diversity and inclusion.
In light of the experiences of oppressed groups and the significance of identifying and appreciating their intersectionality, Kimberlé Crenshaw’s TED Talk offers a positive picture of diversity. In this discussion, Crenshaw emphasizes the importance of intersectionality and the necessity for greater inclusion and representation in all spheres of life. The analysis of this TED Talk serves as a potent reminder of the value of inclusion, diversity, and fairness and the part each of us plays in fostering a more just and equitable society. The episode emphasizes how various media depictions can support underrepresented groups’ growth while perpetuating prejudice and discrimination. The positive portrayal of the characters in the episode is based on their real-life experiences and accomplishments. Because it can assist in raising awareness of the experiences and perspectives of marginalized groups and advance social justice, various groups must be adequately represented in the media. Additionally, honest and non-stereotypical depictions of other groups are crucial for fostering understanding, confronting oppressive structures, and advancing inclusion, diversity, and equity in society. By examining how diversity is portrayed in the media, we can better understand the obstacles and chances for encouraging greater inclusion in all spheres of life.
References
Merino, Y. (2019). What Do Schools of Public Health Have to Say About Diversity and Inclusion? Pedagogy in Health Promotion, 5(4), 233–240
Crenshaw, K. (2016). The urgency of intersectionality. Kimberlé Crenshaw: The urgency of intersectionality | TED Talk. Retrieved January 27, 2023, from https://www.ted.com/talks/kimberle_crenshaw_the_urgency_of_intersectionality
Kang, M., Lessard, D., Heston, L., & Nordmarken, S. (2017, June 30). Conceptualizing structures of power. Introduction to Women Gender Sexuality Studies. Retrieved January 27, 2023, from http://openbooks.library.umass.edu/introwgss/chapter/conceptualizing-structures-of-power/
Nakajima, A., Teame, D., & Kostiuk, S. (2022). Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Simulation. Clinical Simulation in Nursing, 71, 4–8. https://doi-org.ezproxy.umgc.edu/10.1016/j.ecns.2022.08.004
Mannarini, T., Veltri, G. A., & Salvatore, S. (2020). Media and social representations of otherness. Springer International Publishing.
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