The Importance of Diversity on Film By: Ashlyn Hauser

Across the world, television has been changing. How exactly? There have been massive steps in the representation of people of color, women, the LGBTQ+ community, and even shows and films including developmental and mental disorders. With shows like Atypical, On My ​ Block, and Tales of the City, diversity and intersectionality are on the rise. You may be ​ ​ ​ wondering, why is this so important? Showing an across-the-board diverse cast, especially in teen shows, could help teens identify with themselves more, showing a character in the LGBTQ+ community could be eye-opening for those who don’t understand, and it could change the assumptions or stereotypes of some.

Atypical is a coming-of-age television series on Netflix. Created by Robia Rashid, the ​ ​ series focuses on 18-year-old Sam Gardener (Keir Gilchrist) who’s been diagnosed with autism when he was a little boy. In his school, Sam is sometimes seen as a nerd by his peers, and is called a “freak.” When joining college, Sam was told that only 1 in 5 with autism graduate, and end in success. This haunts him, and he begins frantically preparing for everything. Many people believe that people on the autism spectrum aren’t capable of succeeding in life, and that’s where many are wrong. Sam shows that just because he was diagnosed with something that makes him a little different than others, he can be accepted and as successful as anyone else.

In Atypical’s most recent season, Casey Gardener (Brigette Lundy-Paine), Sam’s younger ​ ​ sister, is struggling with something she’s never felt before. She and her boyfriend, Evan Chapin, have been together for awhile now, and she’s happy. When her new friend Izzie comes into the picture, Casey is quite confused about her feelings. She was awoken by new sorts of feeling, and she doesn’t understand them at all. “I think Casey’s incredibly confused. She’s just turned 16.

She’s very focused on school — she didn’t even want a boyfriend. But I think that her friendship with Izzie has awoken something in her. She’s been put so much out of her comfort zone that she’s able to feel these new feelings without judgment. I think it’s terrifying her, but she does feel something so intense for Izzie,” Brigette Lundy-Paine stated in her interview with Vulture. ​ Tales of the City is a Netflix series that began following Mary Anne, who finally came ​ back to San Francisco to be there for Anne Madrigal’s 90th birthday. Throughout the show, you are welcomed by many more characters, but these characters and their stories is what makes the show so important for people to watch. For example, Jake Rodriguez (Garcia) and Margot Park

(May Hong) were a main love interest in the beginning of the series. After Jake comes out as transgender, their relationship becomes a little rocky with old memories of their relationship, and new feelings for other people. Margot at first was angered with Jake because she still loved him, but thought that it was easier before Jake transitioned. By the end of the show, Margot realizes that this is what Jake needed for himself, and if she truly loves him, she needs to let him go.

The last example of diverse shows is On My Block. On My Block is a coming of age ​ ​ Netflix show that deals with a group of friends navigating their way through high school. The main characters, Monse, Ruby, Jamal, and Cesar, struggle to keep their friendships afloat and face the challenges of adolescence in their predominantly Hispanic and black neighborhood in

South Central Los Angeles. Cesar Diaz (Diego Tinoco) was raised in a family involved in a gang. Cesar on the other hand doesn’t want to live that way, and just wants to be a normal teenager in high school. Throughout the seasons, he struggles with getting away from his family, but in the end, always has his friends there for him. So, you may be wondering, why are these shows so important? Having shows like these can seriously impact someone. Showing an across-the-board diverse cast, especially in shows broadcast to teens, could help them identify with themselves more, and that’s something On My ​ Block does. The cast is full of people of color, and that’s something new you’d find in television. ​ Teens growing up who feel like an outcast or “odd” gravitate towards these characters, and relate to them. Showing a character who’s part of the LGBTQ+ community can be eye opening for those who don’t understand, and that’s something that Tales of the City can do. This show can ​ ​ allow people who don’t relate to the storylines understand both sides of the story, and maybe open their eyes more. Atypical is a show that can end assumptions and stereotypes of people. ​ ​ Many believe that people on the spectrum can’t be successful, but Sam proves them wrong, and ends up being just as successful as anyone else.