Day 15 Reflections

The broad answer I have to this question is that I have seen others speak about (and experienced in my own ways) what it can feel like to be a member of a marginalized community not seeing self in media (otherizing), and how affirming it can be on the other side to see oneself. Maybe it's a sense of understanding oneself in relation to how ones community is portrayed, in the ways to be seen in that identity and the ways that one is an individual in that group. As well as for members of a marginalized group, it can be helpful to have a comparison point for communicating aspects of that experience to others. To have a window into the experience of that marginalized group and hopefully experience depth in that experience (rather than tokenizing or having one experience within that community that is treated as monolithic).

I think it's fair to say that there are limits to the benefits of representation as well. In the way that appreciation (and appropriation) of black culture does not necessarily translate into respect or rights for black people. But I'm noting that as a "yes, and" rather than this being some kind of drawback to representation.