Developed by Clarkisha Kent, use this guide to navigate the terminology and historical context of conversation about representation in media. Art by Sarah Epperson.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The representation guide is important because you cannot solve a problem if you do not know it exists. Likewise, to tackle systematic problems regarding representation in Hollywood and beyond (that system from systematic ills like racism, homophobia, and etc), one must have the tools and most importantly, the *language* to do so. Clarkisha Kent Generally, media representation can be described as the ways in which media presents, and sometimes interprets, various groups, peoples, and lived experiences. The history of representation in media cannot be discussed without looking at the history of America as the global leader in film and entertainment thanks to Hollywood. Therefore it is necessary to examine the unsavory history of the United States and understand that the reality of American history is not as glamorous or charming as the surface level appeal of Hollywood. In truth, the history of the U.S. finds itself mired in racial, social, and economic injustices and inequalities. Definition: a test designed to determine whether a film or any other piece of media has provided the audience with adequate representation of femmes of color. This is meant to encourage discussion on what good representation can look like for femmes of color and it is not the be all end all test (but it is a good place to start). The Kent Test is named after and created by culture writer and critic Clarkisha Kent. Instructions: Add points in accordance with the following elements of the Kent Test. The lowest number of points a film or other piece of media can achieve is 0 while the highest number of points is 8. After reviewing the above corresponding list of terms, use this guide to have a discussion about representation in media. The following list of databases, social media accounts, websites, and etc are good starting points for individuals interested hearing different perspectives on representation in media: As a University of Chicago graduate with a B.A. in Cinema and Media Studies and English, she brings with her over five years of pop culture analysis experience, four years of film theory training, and a healthy appetite for change. Her writing has been featured in outlets like The Root, Into, BET, Equality for HER, The Establishment, HuffPost, Wear Your Voice Magazine, and Essence. She is also the creator of #TheKentTest, a media litmus test designed to evaluate the quality of representation that exists for women of color in film and other media. Currently, Kent is working on finishing a novel about a Black female outlaw and a TV comedy pilot about an immortal familiar.Introduction
Terms & Definitions
Term Definition
ableism The systematic discrimination against disabled individuals and the belief that they are inferior because of their disabilities.
anti-LGBTQ The prejudiced treatment, stereotyping, or discrimination of LGBTQ people.
archetype A familiar character that has emerged as a result of many years of fables, fairy tales, etc.
cisgender An adjective used to describe a person who identifies with the gender they were assigned with at birth.
colorism Defined by author Alice Walker as prejudice in favor of lighter skin color and against darker skin color within and between groups and cultures.
counter-type The portrayal of a marginalized group in a manner designed to debunk existing offensive stereotypes. Counter-types often end up creating a new, still very limiting and restrictive stereotype.
demographic A tangible, research based characteristic of a population that may include race, gender, sexuality, disability, class, etc.
empty diversity A surface level attempt to include people of different backgrounds in a production while simultaneously centering whiteness as the norm. This type of diversity is empty because it prioritizes whiteness while positioning people of color (or other marginalized groups) as the “other.” See tokenism.
Fatphobia Intense disgust and hate in regards to individuals with fat bodies. Includes systematic means of oppression, like discouraging certain forms of healthcare due to weight, disqualification in regards to employment based on appearance and etc.
inclusion The meaningful act of "including" marginalized people in institutions that they have historically been barred from. Inclusion requires the tools to enforce the necessary institutional changes that will allow marginalized individuals to thrive.
LGBTQ An acronym of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer. The acronym is often expanded to LGBTQIA+ which includes intersex, asexual, and other groups that fall along the spectrum of gender and sexual orientation.
lived experience Used to describe firsthand knowledge and impressions of living as a marginalized member of a marginalized group as they dwell among the majority group.
patriarchy The institutional system that prioritizes men over non-men.
pop culture Popular culture is “the accumulation of cultural products such as music, art, literature, fashion, dance, film, cyberculture, television and radio that are consumed the majority of a society's population” (ThoughtCo 2018)
pop culture analysis Studying cultural aspects of mass media (such as film, TV, advertising, etc).
queer An adjective used by some people whose sexual orientation is not exclusively heterosexual and/or whose gender identity is not cisgender.
racism prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior. See also, White Supremacy.
social media Websites, applications, and platforms designed to enable users to create or share content across the internet.
stereotype An offensive and reductive image or portrayal of a specific demographic. Stereotypes are not based in fact but instead perception.
tokenism The act of including only one member of a minority group in a production in order to avoid criticism about “diversity”/“inclusion” and to appear more progressive.
transgender An umbrella term for people whose gender identity differs from the gender they were assigned at birth. Always use the descriptive term preferred by the person.
white privilege The institutional system of preferential treatment that favors whiteness.
White Supremacy The simultaneous belief that white people are superior to all races of people (and should therefore dominate society) as well as a historical and institutional system of oppression that centers on the exploitation of peoples of color and their homelands by White people and European nations.
Forms of Erasure
Term Definition
Erasure Defined as the removal, destruction, or loss (accidental or not) of a fact, piece of information, or history. In terms of representation, it is most certainly the purposeful omission of a particular group or person from their narratives/history. Can also be referred to as narrative colonization.
“Bury Your Gays” Due to society’s rampant homophobia, queer characters are often portrayed as villains. In rare cases where queer characters are not portrayed as a villain, the is queer character is often punished for being queer with a story line that abruptly ends with death.
blackface The use of theatrical makeup (including literal black paint), hair styling, affect, or dress used by a non-Black person to appear Black. Blackface is also used by non-Black people to capitalize on the appeal of Black culture. Blackface is racist.
brownface A racist form of theatrical makeup (including literal brown paint or bronzer) or dress used by a non-Brown person to appear as a member of the South Asian, Indian, [non-White] Middle Eastern, Arab, Pacific Islander or [non-White] Latinx community. Brownface is racist and is often used by productions to avoid casting a person of color belonging to the above groups.
ciswashing or cisgender-washing The act of casting a cisgender actor as a person/character who is historically/canonically a transgender or gender nonconforming person. Often ciswashing results in the overtly transphobic outcome of cisgender women portraying trans men, or cisgender men portraying trans women — thus erasing and invalidating the realities of the transgender or gender diverse experience.
genderbending The act of intentionally casting a character who is historically/canonically one gender as another underrepresented gender. Example: Doctor Who portrayed as a woman.
lightwashing The act of casting a light or fair skinned person of color as a person or character who is historically or canonically a dark skinned person of color. Example: Zoe Saldana as Nina Simone. See sidewashing.
male gaze Media curated for the straight male perspective. Example: Beer commercials featuring bikini clad women.
pinkwashing The growing practice of advertising a corporation or other institution as LGBTQ+ affirming (regardless of whether or not it is) for the purpose of increasing sales. Pinkwashing often occurs during June which is Pride Month.
racebending The act of intentionally casting an actor of an underrepresented race to portray a character who canonically belongs to a privileged race.
redface The use of costume and theatrical makeup (including warpaint, feathers, headdresses, etc) used by a non-Native person to appear as a Native, Indigenous, or First Nations person. Redface is racist and is often used by productions to avoid casting an actual Native, First Nations, or Indigenous actor.
sidewashing The problematic act of interchangeably casting actors of color in certain roles for which they lack the cultural background or lived experience. Example: Casting South Asian actors as Egyptians.
white gaze Media curated from a perspective that prioritizes whiteness. Also described as “the study of the other” because it frames whiteness as the norm, portraying all other experiences to be novel or bizarre.
whitewashing The act of casting a white actor as a person or character who is historically or canonically a person of color.
yellowface The use of theatrical makeup (including the racist use of epicanthic eye folds) used by a non-Asian person to appear as an Asian (most commonly East Asian) person. Yellowface is racist and is often used by productions to avoid casting an actual Asian actor.
Historical Overview
The Kent Test
Discussion Guide
Additional Resources
Meet the Contributor
Clarkisha Kent is a Nigerian-American writer, culture critic, columnist, and up and coming author. Committed to telling unique and inclusive stories from nigh-infancy, she is fascinated with using storytelling and representation not as a way to “overcome” or “transcend” her unique identities (as a queer Black African woman), but as a way to explore them, celebrate them, affirm them, and most importantly, normalize them and make the world safe enough for people who share them to exist.