What Representation is Good Representation?

Though my childhood memories are a bit muddy, I still vividly remember watching Avatar: the Last Airbender on the television in elementary school. Though the eye-catching graphics and well-written plot were definitely strong reasons I was so attracted to the show, the main reason why it still holds a dear place in my heart was that I actually saw myself in the show. As an Asian-American (specifically Chinese-American) girl living in a predominantly white community, ATLA’s incorporation of Asian elements and characters was one of the first times I saw representation of my ethnicity in mainstream media.

Personally, even after reading these criticisms, I felt willing to acknowledge these misrepresentations and continue cherishing the show— not necessarily forgiving the cultural insensitivity woven into its mesh but still understanding that it truly did help, at least in the context of my childhood, as representation of teenagers like me. Some people may not, though, and that’s perfectly fine— but it brings us to the important question: what kind of representation is good representation?

In the land of modern technology, we live in an age where digital media has snaked its way into every crevice of our lives— especially entertainment. As harmless as leisure activities may be, it also holds so much power in our personal journeys of political socialization and swaying public opinion. Like always, with great power comes great…

Related posts:

Defining a powerful woman has never been so important as it is today. In the recent times, we have witnessed the radical awakening of femininity in our society through the Women’s March, and the ‘Me…

In a corporate setting, sexual harassment situations can be especially nefarious, as they are commonly driven by an abuse of power or professional status; this can make it difficult for victims to…

Having a decent online notoriety is significant for everybody, except keeping up appearances on rating destinations is especially critical for organizations in the Internet age. Cry is apparently the…