It is a rarity to see biracial people in the media. Not so long ago, interfacial marriages were considered to be a taboo topic. The media was aware that it was going on but still pretended not to know in order to keep their idea of ‘main stream” consistent. I come from an Indian and Chinese family. Both cultures are distinct, different and sometimes conflicting. Both sides didn’t get along at first because of their different values and beliefs but soon resolved their difference to create a strong foundation for the sake of my generation. I have never seen anyone with the same ethnic mix in the media. It is apparent that biracial groups could be considered the minorities of all minorities but that does not justify the lack of exposure. Being the minorities of minorities would mean even less representation considering the current attention that minorities are receiving. The prominent biracial groups that are represented on television are those who are part white and part “something else”. It is very hard to find someone who comes from two complete minority gene pools. The media is slowly realizing that in a multicultural society, the face of mainstream is clearly exotic and distinct. The typical white male or
female is slowly becoming a past norm for the standard of appearances. Biracial people are slowly inching their faces onto the screens. Gap and Calvin Klein are great examples of companies that are changing the look of their models from the typical to the more exotic. Although most of their models still look like they are partly Caucasian, it is a very good direction to take the rest of the media along to.
Without representation, I don’t fully feel part of this society. By not including people like me in popular culture, I sometimes feel like a pariah or at least excluded from the norm. My family and friends have always gone to great lengths to let me know that I’m just like anyone else, but every time I flip the channels and look at ads, I don’t see my face. This is in no way meant in the literal sense. What I mean by “my face” is that there is no one in the media who I can associate myself with. This is what angers me. My life is complete but I can’t help being reminded every time I’m exposed to a form of media that I am different. Fitting into this society should be considered a basic human right and no one should feel left out or excluded.
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