The Importance of Diversity on Film By: Ashlyn Hauser
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.
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