Jane the Virgin is an important show to me, as it addresses so many issues, while still being entertaining and wonderful. From the name of the show, people might just think it's a "chick show", while actually it addresses so much more than that through POC representation, the plot, going through multiple generations of a family, no stigma for being a virgin, discussion of the Bechdel test, and LGBT representation.
1. POC representation!
All the characters are represented fairly and there are so many people of color within this show. The grandmother, realistically, speaks in Spanish and there are subtitles in English to translate what she's saying. There's nothing really stereotypical about this show in my opinion because it doesn't play on racial stereotypes. Gina Rodriguez, the actress for Jane, even discussed this and stated, " I remember sitting in the waiting room and watching on the monitors the trailers of the CW shows airing at that time and thinking to myself “where are the people of color?” “What am I doing here?” “I don’t fit this CW mold.” Little did I know at that time that I would be one of the actors to break that mold. Of course much of the credit goes to the heads of the network who had the foresight to see the value that diversity would bring to the network. But I also had the foresight to know that I as a Latina had something to offer. I am glad that I showed up."
2. The plot. It's more than just a "chick show".
The plot is substantial and dramatic enough without making you scream about the intricacies, even though they are ridiculous at times. The show talks about important things as well, such as postpartum depression and citzenship(such as immigration reform). It deals with political, familial, emotional, and relationship issues while keeping you interested. Yes, the name of the show may sound silly at first, but it's more than that.
3. It goes through multiple generations of a family.
The main Latina women of this show are Jane, her mother(Xiomara), and grandmother(Alba)- all of whom experienced America in different ways. Alba experienced America differently as an immigrant, Xiomara as a first generation child, and Jane as a second generation child. This is important when understanding a variety of perspectives in a family dynamic.
4. Jane's not stigmatized for being a virgin.
In a world that is very sex centered, this show doesn't stigmatize Jane for her decision to be a virgin. Her family supports her in her discussion and Jane is multifaceted. She's not just a virgin, but she's also a mother, a writer, and a great family member. The show even goes into Jane wanting to give up her virginity before marriage and getting upset about her decision because she knows it's not within her morals to break what she truly believes in. This is very realistic, especially for young people.
5. It even discusses the Bechdel Test.
Most people view Jane the Virgin as a primarily feminist show through the very independent female characters. However, the show addresses the issue of how many shows don't even pass the Bechdel Test when Jane's advisor mentions how Jane has to write a novel that passes the Bechdel Test and then goes into how Jane the Virgin sometimes doesn't pass the Bechdel Test, especially when the two female leads are discussing a man. It's a good thing this show addressed gender bias in modern television, even in a subtle way.
6. LGBT representation!
The show even has characters who are on the LGBT spectrum and treats them the same way they treat heterosexual characters. Compared to other depictions of LGBT Latina women, the show doesn't sexualize them.
