Popular culture or show that I decided to focus on for this discussion is Black-ish. The show, Black-ish, premiered in 2014 and is an American sitcom. The television series is tan on ABC and was created by Kenya Barris. The show’s story-line is based on an upper-middle-class American family led by Rainbow Johnson and Andre Johnson. The majority of the characters in Black-ish are biracial and black. These characters have been utilized to represent a variety of groups in terms of diversity. Biracial couples, as represented in the show, was not acknowledged in society in the past due to racial tension and racial differences that existed in the United States.
The show, Black-ish tries to present a social message on racial diversity and acceptance of diversity in gender diversity. The Black-ish family, being led by Andre Johnson, presents diversity in gender identification and presents the concept of acceptance of gender diversity. According to Larrazet & Rigoni (2014), when it comes to difficult times, such as facing challenges with inequality, poverty, climate change, diversity, and conflict, media can provide solutions to these obstacles being faced. Therefore, Kenya Barris’s created show, Black-ish, plays this essential role in identifying biracial couples and gender diversity in the media by presenting primary characters in the show being from a minority racial group. The message present in the show has a social significance as it impacts society’s perspective towards these racial and gender identities. The representation of these diverse groups in the media will enhance their acceptance in society; thus, promoting diversity in the media and society.
