The Annenberg Appresentation Study seems to be trying to pressure filmmakers into adopting a diversity mandate.
What exactly is anti-art if not the insistence on race, gender, and sexual orientation in film? If I were in a position of power and someone proposed a quota to increase the representation of conservatives and Christians, currently nonexistent, to match their population (50%), I’d refuse.
Why is that?
Because the concept of “expression” just feels misguided.
A lot of pop culture from the 80s was predominantly black, yet it went largely unnoticed by me. Bill Cosby dominated primetime TV, Oprah Winfrey ruled daytime, and Eddie Murphy was a major film star. Music was led by icons like Prince, Lionel Richie, Tina Turner, and Michael Jackson. In comedy, Richard Pryor stood out. And, well, don’t even get me started on sports…
No one batted an eye. They were simply engaging and friendly. Their artistry resonated, made us laugh, made us think, and reflected our shared human experience. They were not categorized as black artists; instead, they were recognized as American artists.
Then there were figures like Boy George, Freddie Mercury, and Elton John. Their sexual orientation was never really an issue. We acknowledged it, but it didn’t define their contributions. They were individuality personified, seen as British artists with a broad appeal.
As for gender diversity in the 80s, think Annie Lennox, David Bowie, Mick Jagger… Again, there wasn’t fuss over identities; the focus was on the message emerging from America. This stands in stark contrast to today’s rigid narratives, which often seek to normalize ideas that don’t align with mainstream thought.
According to the study:
The research indicated minimal change in the representation of female characters in speaking roles. Out of 4,401 characters, only 33.6% were girls or women—up slightly from 29.9% in 2007, but just 31.7% in 2023.
And so what?
The study did also look at the representation of women behind the camera, and there’s been progress since 2007, with 21.7% of directors, 12.9% of screenwriters, 27% of producers, and 8.4% of composers noted (notably with zero female composers in the top 100 films). This seemed to plateau between 2023 and 2024.
But, who really cares?
It also mentioned that representation of Asian characters diminished in recent years, going from 18.4% of speaking roles in 2023 to 13.5% in 2024, while white characters saw an increase. LGBTQ+ representation also dropped, with a decrease from 88 speaking roles in 2022 to 60 in 2023 among the top 100 films.
Again, does it really matter?
Just look at what’s happening to franchises like Marvel and Star Wars. Casting and storytelling now sometimes seem to revolve more around fulfilling diversity checklists rather than engaging audiences genuinely.
If a character or story doesn’t resonate, it’s all for naught. And I think most regular folks struggle to connect with characters that seem overly focused on their identity or portrayals that come across as contrived or self-important.
Art should reflect our collective experiences, rather than drive wedges between us.
