Alternative Representations of Women

Much of our recent discussion in class has centered on the lack of diversity of experience and in representation of women on television. While these critiques are very useful in pointing out the lack of progress made in the media in putting forth alternative narratives for marginalized groups (women of color, queer women), I would like to highlight a couple of shows providing representation for groups of women who too often don’t receive them.

FX’s The Bridge, co-developed by Meredith Stiehm, focuses on the border between El Paso, Texas and Juarez, Mexico. At its best, what makes the show so fascinating is that it sets it sights on those on the fringe of society, taking the time to humanize them, refusing to make the foreign and the marginalized window-dressing the way that so many shows do. In the show we get female educators, cops, sex workers, journalists, drug kingpins. There’s something really wonderful about the variety of experience.

I want to give particular attention to one of the shows writers, Fernanda Coppel, a Latina lesbian playwright. One of the most interesting characters on the show is Adrianna, a lesbian journalist from Juarez. It’s been wonderful to watch her role grow from bit player to main cast as the show has evolved. Coppel has said in numerous interviews is that her goal as a writer is to create as many diverse roles as she can for Latin women. The Bridge is a promising start.

Another intriguing up-and-coming talent is Issa Rae. A native Angeleno, she is the creator-director-writer-star of the successful web series Awkward Black Girl. The show follows an educated young African-American women as she navigates life and love in the city. She has parlayed this success into a television deal with Shonda Rhimes’ (Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy) production company for a series entitled I Hate L.A. Dudes.

If anybody is interested, I definitely recommend checking both series out. It’s easy to criticize the lack of diversity, but it’s important to support the shows that offer an alternative perspective.