WTF, Hollywood! Where’s the Hispanic representation?
It’s Hispanic Heritage Month in the United States. A celebration that was originally a week long in 1968 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, turned into a month long fiesta spanning from September 15-October 15 by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 (hence the odd start date in the middle of September). Although a month of recognition is very nice, it is difficult to celebrate considering the underrepresentation and extremely slow progress made for Hispanics and Latinxs* in Hollywood.
(Hispanics are individuals of a Spanish speaking culture, whereas Latinxs includes people of Latin American descent who live in the United States.)
We looked at a study that evaluated Hispanic and Latino representations in 1300 popular films, and the results are disappointing to say the least:
3.5% of leads/ co-leads were Hispanic/Latinx across 13 years
Six (the number, not percent) Afro-Latinxs were leads/co-leads in 13 years
5.9% of ALL speaking or named characters in 2019 were Hispanic/Latinx
THREE Hispanic/Latina women worked as directors in 13 years
How is it that Hispanics are the largest minority group in the United States at over 18% of the nation’s total population, yet they are met with less than 6% of characters representing them in the media?
The problem extends even beyond the terrible numbers, as most of the “representation” offered is full of stereotypes. Women are supposed to be spicy, sexbots, Latin lovers or maids. Men are either thugs, banditos or violent revolutionaries. The most ironic of all, Hispanics are way too commonly portrayed as immigrants who cannot seem to get the hang of American culture no matter how hard they try. In most cases they’ve been in the US for as long (and a lot of times longer) as most Anglo-Americans.
Without representation off screen, Hollywood is not going to change (as it clearly has not). It all starts in the writers room – with the absence of Hispanic/Latinx writers, there’s no one to offer an accurate perspective of a Latin character.
Many celebrities have actively spoken on the issue of Hispanic representation. Actress Camila Mendes, from Riverdale, has opened up about casting agents claiming she did not look “Latina-enough” for roles. Her role in Riverdale as the wealthy and powerful Veronica is a surprising refresh of most stereotypes. Zoe Saldana is one of the very few Afro-Latinas represented in films, and her role in Avatar is nothing short of incredible. Celebrities such as Penelope Cruz and Sophie Vergara are constantly filling roles that are basically nothing but a stereotype, such as in “Pirates of the Caribbean'' and “Modern Family”.
It comes to no surprise that films do not reflect diversity. Hollywood, it’s time to actively make a change. The problem extends into the real world, with many organizations preaching diversity yet doing little to act upon it. Elon University is a perfect example. (Happy Hispanic Heritage month to the 6.5% of students, 3.1% of staff, and 2.2% of faculty at Elon). It is incredibly disappointing to see how Hispanics and Latinxs are reflected in the U.S., yet hopeful seeing that other minorities are finally hitting the big screen! “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” has reached over $320 million worldwide within the first two weeks!
Hopefully next Hispanic Heritage month there will be some more positive reports, but let’s not stop the fiesta for now. Let’s celebrate Hispanic & Latinx individuals and all the beautiful aspects they add to our world. Happy Hispanic Heritage month to everyone!
*Latinx is a gender-neutral label that originated in the U.S. The term Latinos is grammatically correct in referring to males and females in the Spanish language. Although the term Latinx is not traditional with Spanish grammar and pronounced differently in the Spanish language, Hispanic Heritage Month is a United States Holiday. Therefore, the English-language term of Latinx will be used in this article to encompass all individuals of Latin-American descent. Not everyone uses this term, so it’s best to ask everyone how they like to be referred to.