Role Models

WHEN JODIE WHITTAKER WAS FIRST cast as the Thirteenth Doctor, some unhappy Doctor Who fans lamented the loss of a role model for boys.

Brushing past the fact that, even without the Doctor, male role models are still vastly overrepresented in almost all industries, including pop culture, this statement rests on the sexist belief that women cannot or should not be role models for boys or men: that they can’t look up to their mothers or grandmothers, to their sisters or aunts, to Nakia or Wonder Woman, to Ruth Bader Ginsburg or Beyoncé. It’s an unsettling reaction that only proves the need for more diversity. Thankfully, the Doctor is already on the job. At San Diego Comic-Con, Whittaker was asked what message she hopes boys will get from watching her tenure as the Doctor. “That it’s okay to look up to women and that that is exciting and not to be feared,” Whittaker said, without hesitation. “It’ll be really exciting when women aren’t treated as a genre,” Whittaker added, highlighting a vital problem: When straight, white cisgender men star in a major film or TV show, that film or TV show is expected to be seen by everyone. When anyone outside of those narrow parameters stars in a film or TV show, it is considered niche.

Not only does this pattern have a devastating effect on the kids and adults who rarely or never get to see people like themselves on screen in a central role, but it also discourages the kids and adults who often do get to see people like themselves on screen from ever looking for connections to characters who look or exist differently than they do. It’s robbing them of a chance to work on a vital skill (empathy), and distancing them from the rest of humanity in the process.

At a press conference last March for A Wrinkle in Time, a science fiction adventure story with a female protagonist, director Ava DuVernay encouraged boys to see the film.

“[Zach Galifianakis] was the first person to say, ‘This is something for boys, too. Boys need to be able to see themselves as vulnerable and themselves being able to follow a girl and not always having to be macho,’” DuVernay said.

This discussion isn’t just about gender, but about all “other”-ed identities. Films and TV shows that center around black characters and actors, such as Black Panther or Black Lightning, are another common “niche” in our big budget genre fare. However, as the box office results for Black Panther and the second season renewal of Black Lightning suggest, these movies and shows are not being enjoyed just by black audiences, nor should they be.

Mainstream characters that exist outside of the parameters of straight, white male-dom are not just for the “other” demographic parameters they tick off; they are for everyone. So, if you like trippy stories about kids traveling through time and space to find their fathers, watch A Wrinkle in Time. If you like stories about superheroes trying to save their community, watch Black Lightning. If you like science fiction about aliens who travel through space and time, watch Doctor Who. It’s as simple as that.

“IT’LL BE REALLY EXCITING WHEN WOMEN AREN’T TREATED AS A GENRE.”

If you’re lucky, in addition to being entertained, you will also learn something about what it is like to experience the world in a way different from the way you yourself do... And I’m not just talking about having the ability to produce, control, and manipulate electricity. Seeing an “other” cast in a role or story you care about isn’t a loss; it’s a wonderful opportunity.

“[Doctor Who] is a show for everyone,” Whittaker said. “I think us three sitting here [Whittaker, as well as co-stars Mandip Gill and Tosin Cole] didn’t always have, when we were growing up, people on television that looked like us or sounded like us. Heroes don’t have to tick the same box. When you’ve been thrust into a genderless role, it’s incredible, but ... let’s not have this conversation in 2020.”

It’s not enough anymore for women and other underrepresented identities to be treated as niche entertainment. It never was. We all deserve better representation in our most powerful, far-reaching pop culture roles.

By Kayti Burt