When Black Panther hit the screens I enjoyed many of the African aspects of it. The Lesotho blankets were my favourite as some of my family lived in the Drakensberg and the blankets were a part of the every day experience for many of the people there. The white man's story has been told in a thousand different way but other smaller groups struggle to find a story that shows them in a favourable light.
Race is only one aspect that is often under represented. Gender is another aspect. The objectification of women is often at the forefront of my mind when this topic is brought up. BBC has a great article that goes into more details.
The problem comes when the representation of a group is inaccurate or continues toxic ideas. Huff Post.
Hang a lamp on it.
Some in the media say there inaccurate or toxic representation is more about hanging a lamp on it. I'm not sure if this is just a cope out and they were always aware that they were perpetuating a toxic representation or if they only use this excuse when they get caught.
I've noticed a change in the way Maori men are represented on TV. In particular in ads. The stereotype that is exemplified in movies like Once were warriors were rehashed on TV. Now Maori men are good with money, in long term relationships and are good fathers. See if you can find some ads that show a positive view of the different races in New Zealand.
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