WAS1 Productions

Normally I don’t do think pieces, but this bug got caught in my head and I wanted to share it. It’s a view for diversity representation that I think could resonate to many nerdy white dudes.

I’ve been thinking of the complaints of the diversity of actors in recent reboots/sequels to traditional films which have some people’s undies in a twist. When you’re a white dude, especially a young one, you don’t even think about how all media reflects your experiences, so seeing lady ghost-busters or Furiosa in Mad Max can shake things up.

My formative years were spent in one of the whitest states in the nation, but I think I have a good metaphor to show why wider representation is important. I remember being into obscure and nerdy things in high school and how wonderful it was to find my tribe, people who were into Doctor Who and who liked the B-52s or Devo and who introduced me to punk rock. Even so, I think I was the only person I knew who liked Rush until I went to college. Having people who appreciate and don’t make fun of the things you like is important.

Now given how important it is to find peers who are into the same things and who celebrate them with you, imagine if you were queer or trans, a person of color, or even a girl who wanted to play in the boys sci-fi sandbox. Think of how lonely that would be and why seeing someone who looks like you in the things you enjoy would be very empowering.