The show "Dear White People" has made its debut on Netflix and it was followed by less of a reaction than it should have received.
Meanwhile here I was thinking this show was going to be on every headline, blog, and news station but instead, I am met with seeing the constant media coverage of "13 Reasons Why" nearly a month after its release. As much as I would love to say I don't understand this, I do, and everyone who took the time to sit down and watch the show understands it too.
The release of the trailer to "Dear White People" was met with the usual reaction following traditionally marginalized groups having a genuine voice in this country usually is. I prefer to use the term "white-lash" to explain this phenomenon. The idea that whenever people of color begin making strides towards change or speaking out people respond with claims of "reverse racism" (not a thing), "promoting white genocide" (actual comments made by people in reaction to this show), or just straight anger followed by the promise to ignore the show completely. The claims that this show in any way promotes any of these ideas proves and displays the very point of the show by itself. People refuse to wake up. Not only are people refusing to wake up but people are practically sitting in a corner covering their ears while loudly singing "God Bless America" claiming racism is dead.
Let me break it down for you.The show depicts the experiences of black students attending an Ivy League like school and dealing with the complications of interracial relationships, black culture, political and social movements, homosexuality, police brutality, a blackface party and more. These all seem like important topics, right? As the show points out multiple times, America has a nasty habit of ignoring media portraying the actual experiences, varying personalities, and cultures of people of color. A show depicting the reality of American race relations is likely to be met by crickets because Americans have yet to accept that racism is still alive and well in this country or that people who aren't white have many different groups, subcultures, and experiences instead of the common belief held by white people that every Black, Asian, or Latino person shares the same life experiences. White Americans, in particular, remain blind to the struggles of people in this country. It can be argued that this is due to a lack of media attention, but it seems more likely to me that this is due to the fact that white Americans don't want to believe it and therefore don't end up watching or partaking in the media that is brutally honest in explaining and displaying the problem.
People who went out of their way to watch this show are probably not the ones who needed to watch it. People who watched this show probably already know, or wanted to know the state of race in this country both in the past and the present. People who need to watch this show the most, probably won't. The same pattern repeats itself over and over. People of color get a voice, and that voice is stripped away or ignored. I realize the irony of a white girl raised in Pennsylvania saying all of this, but it needs to be said by someone and the minimal media coverage is unacceptable in my eyes.
The show is not about white people. It is not demeaning, demoralizing, or insulting to white people. The show is not out to attack white people. The show is there to depict the experiences of people of color in an honest, articulate, and artistic nature and hopefully get some people to wake up about the current state of race in the country we all claim is free and equal for all. The fact that I even need to have this discussion with people proves the fact that America is still a racialized and hierarchical society.
Let me close with this, if you claim "All Lives Matter" watch the show. If you find yourself angry at the title, watch the show. If you hear someone discussing the show and find yourself questioning the intention, watch the show. Being aware of the state of the country and experiences of others doesn't make you the problem, it helps in allowing you to become part of the solution. The show is not there to make white people feel guilty or ashamed for being white. It will not harm you to watch this show, it will help.
