We talk a lot about the struggles of representation and gender parity in entertainment, and slowly but surely the industry is waking up. A new study from The Geena Davis Institute on Gender and Media has found that 2019 saw a record-breaking number of female lead characters in family films.
Last year, 48% of the 100 highest grossing family movies (defined as films rated PG-13 and lower) starred lead female characters. This number has doubled from 2007, where only 24% of films had female leads.
Davis expressed the importance of representation, saying “Media images have a huge impact on how we see ourselves and judge our value … When you see someone like yourself reflected, you take in the message: ‘There’s someone like me, I must belong.’ This is why it’s vital for children to see — from the beginning — fictitious worlds that reflect the real world, which is half female and very diverse.”
Davis added, “girls will be far more likely to see that they are just as important as boys, and that they do half of the interesting, important things … Boys will take this message in unconsciously too, and thus be more likely to see girls as equals.”
The study has also shown an increase in people of color and people with disabilities in leading roles. LGBTQ+ roles have dipped however, and there is still plenty of work to be done in terms of representation across all marginalized communities. Davis and her organization remain committed to holding Hollywood accountable and to help create awareness about the importance of seeing oneself onscreen.
Davis said, “There’s still much work to be done, but we are so encouraged by the progress being made.”
(via CNN)
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Today is the International Women's Day!
I would like to celebrate this special day by highlighting one of the most important women in Game Freak so far, Atsuko Nishida.
Responsible for designing some of the most fan favourite Pokémon.#IWD2020 #ThankYouNishida pic.twitter.com/pogrJ4AEnI
— Galar_Post (@Galar_Post) March 8, 2020
Today is #InternationalWomensDay and we recognise that women are still far from equal to men in today’s societies.
We can not have climate justice without gender equity.And remember; what we women want today – and every day- is equality, not congratulations or celebrations. pic.twitter.com/g1CuEN6YLX
— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) March 8, 2020
Happy International Women’s Day, Mary Suevians!
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