Why TRUE Diversity in Reality TV Matters: A Thread

Let me define TRUE diversity as equitable representation of each major racial/ethnic group & should also include age, gender, and sexual orientation.

#Survivor #BigBrother #TheChallenge & others, listen up.

For background reading, please read through a thread I posted last year on in-group favoritism & out-group bias that addresses this very issue. I used #BigBrother as the example, but this phenomenon is true, really, of all reality tv shows. https://twitter.com/thejuliacarter/status/1144284056982626305?s=20

I won't repeat the whole thread (although I encourage you to read it.. I was spitting knowledge!), but in a nutshell, I argue that by not casting a fair amount of Black people (more than the token male & female), the show is setting them up for failure.

Let me preface this thread by saying I am going to use Black people as the example minority group, however, this can be applicable to all POC.

NOTE: there will always be outliers & those who do not fit the general pattern, but here, we will discuss the norm not the exceptions.

First, let's discuss assimilation, which is defined as "the absorption and integration of people, ideas, or culture into a wider society or culture." When players are thrown together on an island or in a house, often, at the forefront is cultural assimilation.

When the dominant culture is White, by default, the Black contestants must use much stronger, extraordinary social skills in order to assimilate into the dominant culture.. a task that isn't even a thought for the White contestants because they are amongst their "own."

This cultural assimilation may consist of a Black contestant thinking about which "personality traits" they should express or suppress in order to blend & integrate better, what parts of their background they should discuss, the words & vernacular they should use, etc.

While this may seem like a great place to interject "but every contestant does that," yes... to some extent. However, Black contestants are the minority & ALWAYS aware of the stereotyping against them. The added burden of actively fighting against fitting a stereotype is taxing.

It causes "stereotype threat," a psychological situation in which individuals feel at risk of confirming a negative stereotype about their social group. Black reality tv contestants are constantly on guard to NOT be a stereotype, leaving very little room to make mistakes...

We often see White reality tv contestants make "mistakes" that are quickly forgiven, have loud, rowdy personalities with not a single thought given to it being a character flaw or stereotype. The disparity in the margin for error & the flexibility to be oneself is game-changing.

The beauty in reality tv shows that bring together individuals from many different backgrounds is that it gives people an opportunity to interact & play with others who they may otherwise have never crossed paths.

The tradeoff, however, is that when you are playing a social game for significant prize money with strangers, it is easy to revert to what & who you know... in-group favoritism. There are reasons why we gravitate to people we look like & seek out people who share commonalities.

A White person who doesn't personally know many Black people back home & who hasn't really interacted with many may be less inclined to seek out a connection (and a potential alliance) with the 1 or 2 Black people on their season when they can easily make friends in the majority.

And THAT is the advantage of having a group of individuals with whom, at minimum, you can connect with on something as simple as race. It gives you an automatic in-group (that is also the majority in numbers) & potential allies.

This often results in the Black people being early boots and/or on the bottom from very early on, the "minority bias." Unless they can use great social game to work their way in and/or stay silent and go unnoticed, this is a common pattern that we see across the board.

One thing I want to address is that this is often NOT the direct fault of the players, as much of this bias is unconscious. However, we are in a day & age where we need to be aware of our biases & how they affect our decision-making. You KNOW the patterns. Don't perpetuate them.

This is a systemic problem that begins with high level executives & decision makers down the line to casting to players to editing & even fans. Until we see a change in the culture of reality tv & the systemic ways that disparage certain groups, we can expect the same results.

I call upon all networks to be fair & equitable in your casting. As I previously stated, we have a habit to stick to what we know & what we're comfortable with... so maybe that means your network needs more Black people at the top to speak for us & ensure representation!

NOW is the time. Do right by your network, your contestants, your viewers & be the change! The revolution is happening & you are in control of whether or not you are on the right side of history. But best believe.. I'll be here to call you out if you are not.

#BlackLivesMatter