'Girls' stirs talks of race and TV

Main cast of Girls

HBO's new series 'Girls', not even a month since its season premiere, has created lots of racial discussions in the last few weeks. The New York Times ran several opinion pieces discussing race and the show, which is about four young White women living in New York City.

The conversation has been very interesting. While several thought-provoking viewpoints have been made, the controversy surrounding this show does not divert my interest one bit.

Despite some complaints many have made about the lack of color on the show (which I noticed), no one has mentioned socialization of human nature. Clearly in an era where diversity is becoming more embraced and encouraged, not everyone has the colors of the rainbow represented in their social group. One of the shows writers may have put her foot in her mouth, but why is no one talking about how common it is for people to socialize and date people of the same race?

New York City is a large, diverse city with people of many backgrounds and cultures. Whites are a minority in many areas, especially in Brooklyn where the show is centered. You'd have to really go out of your way to avoid social and everyday interactions with someone of a different race or ethnic background. But when it comes to personal friendships, many people can still say that they mostly hang out with people who look more like them? Does that make someone racist? Obviously not. In the same way it doesn't makes you less of a racist, if you have a friends of different races other than yours. Who hasn't heard the "but I have a (insert race) friend..." line said as an afterthought to making an offensive comment?

So I beg to disagree. Speaking from my own personal experience as a young Black woman, most of my friends (actual friends) are other Black women in my age group. I have made friends with people of all races, however my lasting friendships are with women who just so happen to be Black. And guess what? If I were to write a show about my life, majority of the characters would be Black and Hispanic.

The racial talks about what's on TV, are even beginning to change the definitions. What does diversity in television mean today? Another token Black character? Or what about a Hispanic? Native American? and what about Asians? They are always left out. How many non-Whites have to be on a show for it to be considered diverse?

The studios can be blamed, but society needs to be held accountable as well. Another factor to take into account is consumerism; the type of consumerism that may expose personal preferences, which in turn may lead to another racial discussion. If you want to see something on TV, you have to show it in your viewership. Television shows with minorities probably aren't produced because they're not garnering enough viewers. Viewership equals ratings ($), and ratings drives production. If no one is watching, then the show will get the axe. The ugly truth could be that television shows with minorities just aren't bringing enough viewers for studios to keep producing, and that's simply because most of society (White) isn't watching. This is where it ends.

The same way many minorities want to see themselves represented when they turn on their TV's, is the same reason some Whites (the majority) want to see the same as well.

However that doesn't dismiss the topic that minorities just aren't on TV, as much as they watch. Because Girls is not like the other shows about privileged White girls, the expectations were seemingly high. The show provides a different view of young women today. And for a show like Girls to display these progressive, relatable attitudes in one of the most progressive cities in the world, it is clear why it left some disappointed. White women are not the only definition of funny, quirky and spoiled.

In all, if the show is reflecting the writer's experience and life, it shouldn't be criticized for portraying factual events. While characters can be attributed to any race, especially ones about spoiled, college girls (yours truly), if they imagined their characters to be White, no one should be angry at that. What if that's not part of her experience?

If a Black, Asian or Hispanic girl were added to the cast, would the writers' accurately portray them in the way viewers of that group would want? It's highly possible that there may have been complaints about the portrayals of said characters. For all one knows, the writers' lack of experience with non-White girls may have added the to the long line of stereotypes of minorities in television. And who would want that, when minorities are constantly fighting stereotypes that have been created by television? Examples like the thick-accented feisty Latina, the loud, sassy Black chick or the socially awkward timid Asian girl.

Television does need to change, but it doesn't start with Girls. It is not the first and won't be the last.