11/12/2023 0 Comments Popularity of hidden figures bookFor people of colour, who are either underrepresented or misrepresented in the media, what Hidden Figures brings to the media is the opportunity for non-black people like myself to learn about the struggles of black women, and how their individuality and humanity will always speak more to their character than the generalizations presented in the media. By being presented with figures who embody positive, human traits, children can embrace their individualism and bring themselves to success rather than be defined by generalizations and stereotypes. As a non-black person of colour myself, seeking representation in the media was important to me and my self-esteem. To see a positive representation of black women is to see themselves within these women. Its impact is substantial, as it is common for impressionable children to look to the media for role models to understand what is deemed acceptable and normal by their societies. Taking into consideration the stereotypes mentioned above and the way they affect the public’s perception of black women, as well as a black girl’s self-perception, this defiance is important to understand. Through the defiance of the stereotypes we always see in the media, Hidden Figures becomes a humane representation of black women, and an important source of empowerment for young black girls. They are humans who have had their brilliance confined to the shackles that a racist, misogynistic society has created, people who have had to go through five times the obstacles that their coworkers have gone through and beings whose struggles and fights for their humanity were forced into systemic silence. They are not the irrationally angry people we see on comedy shows nor are they objectified to the point of inhumane sexualization. Their intelligence is shown through their ability to not only continue working at NASA, but to contribute significantly to historically momentous aspects of American and universal astronomical and revolutionary history. Their strength and endurance shows the difficulty that black women have lived through in America. These barriers are exemplified when the women in Hidden Figures have to work in an office that is brimming with the common racism of that time and are constantly told that they do not belong in an institution they have worked so hard to be a part of. Hidden Figures shows the world that black women hold the strength, resilience, and utter brilliance to fight against systemically oppressive barriers. Black women faced two immense barriers to their success: their gender and race. It is set in a time where working outside of the home in a STEM related environment, even as a white woman, was a leap for womankind. In a world typically riddled with dehumanizing traits, Hidden Figures defies these and shows people a humane portrayal of black women. They affect other people’s perceptions and treatment of and towards them, as well as create an unfair environment for black women. The consistent perpetuation of stereotypes and misrepresentations of black women are prevalent in Western media. Hidden Figures, by telling the world the brave stories of three incredible women, Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, shatters the continuity of the media’s misrepresentation of black women and gives the world an opportunity to learn about the impact that these women have made in the face of their hardships, and gives young black girls the representation and inspiration they need to see. As a non black woman, I was able to make many empowering observations about the movie that are important to be noted by non black people as a way of understanding the hardships faced by black women in America due to the normalcy of misogynoirism. Most forms of representation have been dehumanizing and based largely off of stereotypes. Its impact lies in its portrayal of black women in America, which in the media has previously been shown in extremes: as women who are aggressive and irrationally angry, or as objects meant to be hyper-sexualized and inhumanly defined solely by their sexuality. Hidden Figures is the movie of the true story of three African-American women working for NASA during the Space Race, a historically significant time for astronomy. The power of the media carries the expectations and hopes of many underrepresented minorities. Through its representation and depiction of people, this powerful tool of expression and communication is able to adhere to and/or alter the way people perceive others. It has been shown time and time again the significant impact that the media can generate amongst the public.
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