Hispanic Misrepresentation in Media
There have been several changes throughout time that alter the course of life directly because of it. Whether it be changes in government, fashion, or key values, it all leads back to its one major shift: a shift in society. With the invention of movies in 1895 and the internet in 1983, representation has become a crucial part of the modern age. Media platforms are of more importance now than they ever have before, since this era thrives on technology. The media has been flooded with its societal norms and expectations, especially when it comes to ethnicity.
Have you ever been so excited to watch a movie with a character of your ethnicity, then have that joy shatter the moment you see false ideals or stereotypical behavior? This is a very common feeling among the Hispanic community, especially with movies that market themselves on authenticity. Most movies tend to portray Hispanics as loud, violent, and more often than not, temperamental. According to The Guardian, 57.8% of Hispanics in movies are depicted as criminals, and 40% are portrayed as angry and violent. This is a concept that has been reused and recreated, telling the stories of violent Hispanic criminals and painting Hispanics in a negative light. A series that displays this certain stereotype is Narcos, a show about the drug trade rise of the late 80’s in Colombia. This show goes over real-life stories, with detailed scenes about actions taken by law enforcement and the targeting of notorious drug lords in order to try and control drug production and cartels. Another series that demonstrates this similar concept is El Chapó, a true-crime life story of the notorious Joaquin “El Chapó” Guzman. Although El Chapo is based on a true story, the attention it brought left people with the idea that Mexico is a violent country and that every Mexican had a relationship with the cartel.
In many cases, some movies or series don’t even put in the effort to cast a Hispanic actor as a Hispanic character. In the popular modern series called On My Block, a white actress named Ronni Hawk plays a Hispanic character named Olivia. Olivia has a stereotypical background according to non-Hispanics, with her parents having been deported and now catering to family-oriented values. Olivia also has various Spanish lines, and in these lines, it's very clear to Hispanics that her actress doesn’t speak Spanish. It’s one thing to have a Hispanic character portrayed in a stereotypical way, but it’s another to not cast a Hispanic actor for a Hispanic character. In making this certain casting normalized throughout the entertainment industry, it creates a notion to other upcoming films that this is a shortcut of sorts, it lessens authenticity and credibility, and leaves no room for Hispanic actors to portray Hispanic characters.
Modern media has gotten away with these less than ideal portrayals of the Hispanic community, and have been praised for their less than creative stereotypes. Not only does this attitude towards Hispanics reflect a socially constructed viewpoint from decades worth of discrimination, but it reflects the way Hispanics will be seen in the future. Our future begins with our present, and how we deal with situations such as these now will only affect how we deal with them later on. If we continue turning a blind eye to the media’s portrayal and mindset towards Hispanics, society will destroy any semblance of equity or equal opportunity left. This sort of representation in the media leads to a misleading and harmful standard, and it's up to our society to promote and make change
