Representation Blog Post

There's one group I constantly feel like is represented with many different stereotypes that are usually negative and not always fair: teenagers. Since the beginning of film, teenagers have been the forefront of many stories and coming of age tales in films from The Breakfast Club, to Clueless, to Mean Girls. These films portray teenagers in many different ways as they go through high school.

One example of how teenagers are represented is through their stereotypes. There are many stereotypes represented by high school teenagers in shows, films, and other forms of media such as the popular cheerleader, the athlete, the nerd, and the social outcast. These roles are often used in many films to generalize characters. They unfairly represent people in a way that isn't always true. For instance, it's rare to see a smart athlete or a nice cheerleader because it takes away from the high school tropes. In movie's such as the Breakfast Club where each of these character types end up in detention together, the movie aims to break down what people initially believe about each character and get deeper. In Mean Girls, the characters categorize their cafeteria into different stereotypical cliques such as the band geeks. I think if I were to use any of these stereotypes I would definitely try and challenge them by having each character act the opposite of what's expected.

I also think another way teenagers are portrayed is as very self-absorbed, technology addicted kids. As the era of technology advanced, so did the commonplace of seeing phones on shows and movies. Now more than ever, there are representations of teenagers texting at the dinner table and with friends which didn't use to be common. News is also spread faster online especially in a show like Gossip Girl, where the school's latest gossip is constantly posted on a blog for others to see. These characters are addicted to checking and reading the latest news about their peers. In shows such as Freaks and Geeks, the kids are portrayed as burn outs with no goals for the future. Since teenagers are often portrayed as lost and confused about the future, shows like that one try and emphasize that it is because they don't care.

Some of these characteristics ring true. Many people I know are stuck in the twisted addiction to their cellphones, myself included. However, I disagree that students don't care about their future. I believe someone people are just generally trying to figure it out and may need more time. The stereotypes such as the "dumb blonde" and " nerdy kids" are definitely unfair to many people. These portrayals can often seep into what people perceive in real life. Since we were raised seeing these representations on TV, many people are unfairly and poorly grouped. I hope in my project I can challenge some of what people may believe and open their minds to a new era of representation, one that is diverse and fair.