If you think about the books, movies, and shows we’ve talked about this semester, there is very little diversity. There have been very few minority characters featured as leads in supernatural media. There is a bit more diversity when it comes to supporting characters, but even there some of the characters have fallen into racial and ethnic stereotypes. Why do you think there is such a lack of diversity in vampire-centric and supernatural themed media? What do you think of the few representations of diversity that do exist in these books, movies, and shows?
Ashley Heiberger
ReplyDeletePart I
I do agree that, “there have been very few minority characters featured as leads in supernatural media.” I believe that there is a lack of diversity in vampire-centric and supernatural themed media due to the fact that racism is still an issue today, even if we do not see it. People have stereotyped African Americans for a long time now and segregation still happens around the world.
This website shows countless statistics and opens our eyes to real numbers: http://filipspagnoli.wordpress.com/stats-on-human-rights/statistics-on-discrimination/statistics-on-discrimination-of-minorities/. Not only are African Americans arrested almost 93% more than whites on marijuana charges, but they are arrested for murder about four times more than white people (statistics from 1998). These statistics show the truth that our world shows unfair treatment to colored people. For this very reason, there is a lack of diversity in vampire-centric and supernatural themed media.
Laurant, in the Twilight series, had a tint of an olive complexion in the novels. However, in the Twilight and New Moon movies he was black. The producers, I am sure, wanted more diversity with the “minor” characters because Laurant died off in the second movie.
In TrueBlood, Sookie’s best friend Tara is black. Tara gets possessed by a witch, kidnapped by a vampire, gets an “exorcism” performed on her, was raised by an alcoholic, and becomes a lesbian. It seems to me that many black characters are made to be the witches in movies while vampires are the white characters. An example of this would be in The Everything Vampire Book, “In West African lore, the obayifo are witchlike creatures who maintain human form by day and prowl at night to suck the blood from children…” says Karg describing an African witchlike vampire creature (25). In addition, Lafayette is also black and he gets involved with Wicca witchcraft in Season Four (and is gay). All while Sookie becomes a fairy, is protected by Bill and/or Eric, has special powers to save herself…etc.
Ashley Heiberger
ReplyDeletePart II
Lastly, there is Blade. In class I learned he is half-vampire, half-human who is out to kill vampires. He also is an African-American who is the main character. In a short clip we saw in class, he really kick’s butt in fighting scene’s. However, I think this is a rare occurrence that we get see in the supernatural genre.
I think that the diversity should be greater in these books, films and shows because it should portray real life. If more diversity is added, there will be greater chance segregation and discrimination will subside. From what I have seen of minority characters, their performances were great. Most people say they cannot stand Tara, but she is my favorite character in TrueBlood (along with Eric Northman). I loved Laurant in Twilight; he played his character really well. I also think Blade does a great job too- from the short clips I have seen. Blade attire was even sold for Halloween costumes. The more diverse characters are added for main roles, the more people will become used to the fact that they can be heroes too.
Since the supernatural genre and vampire-centric themes are not excessively common, I believe that is the reason there is a lack of diversity. Common sense reasoning is that vampires are hundreds and hundreds of years old. Hundreds of years ago, slavery was common in that time era. Therefore, either those vampires still have a racial issues and/or it is not familiar to see a black vampire that was from that time frame. Having more diversity in the supernatural would be nothing but positive because it would, more than anything, make is more real to the audience.
Part 1
ReplyDeleteI believe part of the reason there is a lack of diversity in these media texts is because of the authors or creators. While writing the media report I found a quote by producer David Wright (Underworld) where he says, “we made a movie we would see ourselves” (“Making of Underworld: Behind the Scnes”) meaning media texts are made based on the perceptions and preferences of the producers and writers. Most of the vampire movies and shows, like: The Vampire Diaries, True Blood, and Twilight, are based on novels. In the case of these three texts, they are based on novels written by Caucasian females.
While these are supernatural texts, the novels do reflect the viewpoints of the authors and their own experiences in society. In their novels, they have created predominantly white communities because that is what they are used to and perhaps reflect the stories they themselves would want to read. Also in novels, I feel ethnicities aren’t always important because readers can create their own images of the characters, even if descriptions are provided. Descriptions are usually given once per novel, so the reader is not constantly reminded how the character looks. You do not see the character so they can be what you want. In the case of movies and shows, you see the characters so a lack of diversity would be clear and constant. Diversity is then added to the movies and shows by means of the supporting characters, like Bonnie, Tara, and Laurent, because these texts want to attract a more diverse audience. However, it is only the supporting characters where diversity is seen because drastically changing one of the main characters may upset fans of the novels. You have to please the original fans while still attracting new ones.
Part 2
ReplyDeleteCreating from our own perceptions is also why many of the minority characters are then stereotyped. Blade was created by Marv Wolfman, a Caucasian male. While reading the Blade comics from the 1970’s, I couldn’t help but notice how much of a stereotype Blade was based on his dialogue, appearance, and actions. Wolfman wrote the character based on his experiences and viewpoints. We use stereotypes when we don’t have personal experiences with other ethnicities and this was what Wolfman did, either based on his lack of exposure or how he thought the fans would want him portrayed. Blade wasn’t even popular in the comic book realm and would have remained an occasional supporting character if it were not for the film series. Even when given his own comic series, Blade was not positively received, maybe because he was being stereotyped until the 2000’s.
The few representations of minorities in these media texts are not necessarily positive. In the case of Laurent in New Moon and Kahn in Underworld, both are vampires and both die and even Lafayette dies in The Southern Vampire Mysteries. The characters that do live are then surrounded by a lot of drama. Based on my own viewings of True Blood, I feel Tara is the character who has the most negative experiences, whether it is the situation with Marianne and Eggs or basically being held captive by Franklin. The same goes for Lafayette in the series. The worst seems to happen to these two characters. Even Blade is not an ideal representation in the film series. Yes, he is an incredible fighter and saves the day but he is half-vampire. The rest of the vampire hunters: Whistler, Abigail, and Hannibal are humans and Caucasian. Whether intentional or not, this separates Blade from the rest of the hunters and says he is different. And by being a hunter he is not accepted by the vampire community, who are also Caucasians in the series. He is one of the few African-Americans in the series and his being half-vampire keeps him from fully being a part of either world. Supernatural media texts are becoming more diverse but, in my opinion, this diversity is not well represented.
When you hear the term “vampire” you automatically think of a tall, lanky pale white man with fangs, short black hair (with a deep widow’s peak), wearing an all black suit and cape. We think of many of these characteristics due to Bram Stoker’s Dracula. In the media, certain things simply work. As we know, sex sells, which is why many films, books, and television shows always have a romantic element that includes sex. That being said, it’s hard for us to depict a “vampire” as a black man, an Asian, or someone who is Hispanic. One reason we see a lack of diversity in our popular media is that audiences are comfortable with what works in vampire stories. We like familiarity.
ReplyDeleteAlong with the idea of familiarity, we see most vampires as white however, we also see many witch characters portrayed as African American. In True Blood, a witch possesses Tara although she isn’t one and Tara is African American. In The Vampire Diaries, Bonnie is a witch and she is African American as well. All of the witches in The Vampire Diaries happen to be of African American descent. But, why is this? Granted a majority of the witch characters are related to Bonnie in some way, making sense that they are black. Every witch and warlock on the show, relation or not to Bonnie is black. What does this mean? Are writers and producers of the show interested in making a correlation between witches and slaves? The show consists of many flashbacks from the Civil War era. For example, one of Bonnie’s ancestors, Emily, was a servant to a white woman (turned Vampire), Catherine. Or, was it simply a choice in casting? In the book, Bonnie is fair, with blonde hair. Did producers and casting directors just like the actress who plays Bonnie and therefore, made her ancestors look similar to her? Was this an unintentional or deliberate choice made by the creators? Why are the characters aside from Bonnie whom are witches and warlocks still black?
Personally, I think that when it comes to diversity in vampire media, in some places, it just doesn’t make sense. I think it is great to recognize people of all backgrounds in casting. However, when casting a majority of white characters for vampires and using a majority of black characters for witches, we begin to question the intentions behind these story lines and the underlying themes. This makes creators and writers look racist and bias towards certain minorities. But are these choices intentional? I think that the few representations we see of diversity in vampire media today are interesting choices. It is hard to deny that the coincidences of all witches in The Vampire Diaries are black and the story relates back to the Civil War era where the issue of slavery was controversial. Perhaps the creators of The Vampire Diaries were not racist, but simply wanted to show the power and unity among the slaves during this time period. The witches seem to be quite united and help each other throughout the story lines in The Vampire Diaries. The characters of the witches could still be a symbol of slavery but in a sense of unity, not in a sense of racism.
In vampire films and television shows, it also seems as if you are not a vampire, there is a chance you can be considered for a role if you are not Caucasian. For example, in the film Blade, the character of Blade is a vampire hunter and he is an African American. In Twilight, the werewolf, Jacob, is Native American.
I am unsure what to make of this lack of diversity in the films however I believe creators and writers cast this way because it works. Just like sex sells, white vampires are what works in vampire media. When you think of the typical “American Family” you think of the 1950s television shows where you see a mother, daughter, and two children. When you think of “vampires” you think of the image Bram Stoker painted for us through his words in Dracula.
When considering diversity in the media, I think you automatically have to evaluate who exactly the audience is. Supernatural and vampire media has always been around in the media, given texts such as Bram Stoker’s Dracula or Nosferatu, but this specific genre has just recently become a way of life and a serious aspect of popular culture. It is so prevalent within movies (Twilight) and especially television (The Vampire Diaries, True Blood, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) these days, that we have to understand that the typecasting of these particular shows plays a hand in their ultimate popularity. When tackling a new genre, it is always easier to go with what is familiar and desirable to audiences—and in the case of the vampire, the Caucasian sex symbols do the job in creating brooding monsters with intense sex appeal that will undoubtedly attract females and teenagers alike.
ReplyDeleteCreators and producers are clearly attempting to familiarize a genre that is unfamiliar—they are attempting to make the supernatural and the vampire believable and relatable to an audience’s reality and lifestyle. In order to kick start the vampire frenzy, casting Caucasian leads seems to fit, especially if the movie or television show’s characters were cast based on how they were written in previous books.
With that being said, from what I’ve seen or read about, diversity is strictly present in supporting roles. Importantly, these characters do not have heroic statuses or positive images all the time. In Twilight Laurent seems like a reputable character, who tries to save the Cullen family by warning them against Victoria. Yet, in New Moon, he gives into his hunger and becomes a monster in his attempt to feed off Bella. In True Blood, Lafayette Reynolds is not only black, but also a homosexual. Homosexuals are another clear minority in this country and his character must survive in the south with two stereotypes hanging over his head, with witch ancestry in his blood as well. Blade may be the only lead character who is African-American, but he is not even fully a vampire. He is half-human, half-vampire with good intentions, and he is ostracized from characters such as the Cullens because he is genetically different. He is also very reclusive, and his spirit only truly shines when he is violently battling vampire enemies.
In movies such as Twilight, it is disheartening to see that the Cullen family is all white. They are not a biological family—Carlisle is responsible for choosing mortals that seem appropriate to join his vegetarian clan. He could easily have chosen someone who is African-American or Hispanic, but in order to keep up appearances in the communities they live in, his family is strictly white.
Despite the endeavor to change the way viewers see their worlds, producers of supernatural media have kept certain aspects frighteningly the same, especially race. Viewers want a media experience that they understand, and although we are always hopeful that the underdog will come out on top (Jacob, for example, is a Native American vying for Bella’s love against a very standard and white Edward Cullen). Yet, we are comfortable with white heroes and heroines, while viewing characters such as Laurent, Lafayette, and Blade as flawed with some positive qualities and, if they are wholly negative, some hope for redemption.
Samantha Howard
ReplyDeleteI think that the reason for the lack of diversity in vampire media proves that racism is still an issue in our society. In my sociology class we learned about institutional racism which according to the Cambridge British English Dictionary can be defined: “racism (= when someone is treated unfairly because of their race) that has become part of the normal behaviour of people within an organization.” Although the usage of white characters in vampire and supernatural media is not a policy written in stone, it is a subtle reminder that the issue of racism in the United States isn’t a thing of the past. It may not seem like racism because it is the norm for these shows. The commonly accepted formula for supernatural and vampire media is to have a white main supernatural character and more recently television has been including diversity with the supporting characters. I’m not sure if it is the writer’s intention to be racist or if it is just a product of the racist roots our society has. It is very clear that vampire books, television shows and movies have the least diversity of any other supernatural media.
I have seemed to notice that many African Americans have been placed as supporting characters with some sort of magical powers. In Charmed a black woman played the Source’s psychic. Lafayette in True Blood becomes a medium in season 4 of the television series. He is in contact with the spirits of the dead- those he does want to see and others who he doesn’t. His cousin Tara is a black woman who has had an “exorcism,” attracted Maryann the Maenad and most recently began practicing witchcraft with a revengeful power hungry witch. In The Vampire Diaries Bonnie, a light-skinned black teenager is a witch. Most of the witches featured in the show aside from “the original witch” happen to be black.
Aside from their prominent role as magical beings or witches, blacks and other minorities have little representation as vampires. This is especially true for main vampire characters. I’ve never seen it, but The Blade Trilogy seems to be the only popular vampire series that features a black man as a main character. It also seems to me that many producers and directors are making the decision to make supporting characters more diverse in the television adaptations of novels. Tara from True Blood is supposed to be a white girl in the novels and Bonnie from The Vampire Diaries is supposed to be a red headed white girl with freckles in the novels.
More children’s geared supernatural media contain even less diversity than those intended for adult fans. Movies like Harry Potter and Twilight feature very few if any black characters. Laurent from Twilight is black, but he has a very minor role and only appears in the first two novels. The show Wizards of Waverly Place, on the Disney channel features a half Spanish family as their main characters, but again their cast is for the most part white.
I’m sure there are small-scale productions featuring diverse casts and including diverse main characters, but the mainstream popular media is lacking. It is clear that television is shifting to include more diverse supernatural casts, but at this point the diversity is in the supporting characters. I have chosen to focus on the lack of black-leading characters in supernatural and vampire media, but that is not the only area lacking diversity. There is an apparent inequality in gender, race and sexuality in vampire media. It seems to be that it’s not changing quickly because television likes to do the familiar, and using white-leading characters has always worked in the past. A major shift like that (especially if it is changing a leading character from a novel from white to a minority) could create only a cult following, not the widespread following that will make the network money.
Looking back at many of the vampire/ supernatural films, books, and TV shows there is not much diversity. If you think back to the early book that really set the characteristics of a vampire you will find that there is one feature that answers this question. Every time vampires are described they have the red eyes, dress dark, can’t go out in the sun, and most importantly they have very pale white skin. This is the reason for why there isn’t much diversity in many vampire based shows, films, and books.
ReplyDeleteWith the early characteristics of vampire underlined and followed in almost every media form there isn’t much room to stray away from them. The characteristics of a vampire are so well know that when you take one away it will completely take away from the show, book, or films. They have been followed in such great detail over many years that straying from them is really seen that often. The only real example I can think of that have diversity in it is that of Blade which did have some success. My opinion on why Blade had their success is not because they had a black vampire but because they had so much action and suspense in the film. I believe that over shadowed the fact that there was a black vampire being shown. With that being said though diversity in all vampire/ supernatural media being shown there is usually barely any diversity. How many times have we seen a Latino vampire? Or even a vampire of Asian background? It is a little surprising to me that there hasn’t been much of an uproar about this. I would have though minorities would have presented this a while ago with the amount of success these films, shows, and books have had. Thinking back at the vampire/ supernatural films and TV shows that I have seen I do not think I have ever really seen any character of an ethnic background. Blade I have only seen a few clips of online but going off those the film looked a little appealing. I am not sure if that is because of the action like I stated before or because it was something different from the “stereotypical” vampire. Another reason I think that we do not see many characters of different ethnic backgrounds is because if they show or portray them in a bad light then racial issues are going to be brought and it will overshadow the film, show, and or book. There should be more stories though with different types of vampires and or supernatural creature. It is a good switch from the same creatures we have grown up with and some ethnicities might spark some more fear then others. It is a good way to come up with new stories that might spark people’s interests. If all the characteristics are followed other than the one of having pale white skin then it will provide a good spin off the traditional vampire type film. Supernatural creatures are hard to really show different ethnicities other than zombies where you can see their skin colors and some other physical features. Other than zombies many supernatural creatures’ physical features aren’t shown to the extent of being able to see different ethnicities.
Due to the defined strong characteristics vampires have had over the past decades changing them is not seen very often. The films, books, and films that have tried have also chosen a strong genre in which to show the character picking the movie up and not relying solely on fear or horror. There should be more media areas that try to use more ethnic groups because I feel it would open up a lot more areas for creativeness.
There could be many different reasons for the answer to this question, and I’m not sure I agree with any of them. Also, it is difficult to speak on the topic being of a Caucasian background and not fully understanding how someone of a different race may perceive this to be.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that came to mind was the reading in which vampirism was related to homosexuality. Homosexuals are a minority and do play a supporting role in numerous media that we have seen this semester. What we see in True Blood and Interview with a Vampire is characters that are either homosexual or have homosexual tendencies. In this regard there is some diversity to vampire and supernatural media. However, when we try to link strong, vampire characters to racial and ethnic minorities it is an area that is lacking and underrepresented.
Sure we have Blade, who is a fierce and powerful black male in a lead role, but he alone does not accurately represent all races and minorities. As aforementioned the homosexual comparison that was made in the reading made a statement that referred to vampires and homosexuals as “unnatural” hence why they were relatable. When it comes to racial minorities in a way they too can be seen as unnatural, if natural is for these purposes, the predominant white-Caucasian in America. It is possible that TV directors, authors, and the like, are opposed to putting minorities in this role that represents something “unnatural.” Because minorities are less represented in the general population, it could be taken out of context if they were put into “unnatural” roles. This also dates back to the general history of America.
Minorities have fought so hard for their well-deserved equal rights in a country that claims freedom for all. Vampires and supernatural characters generally do not have the same rights as regular citizens. It may be too soon to put minorities in roles that portray characters whom cannot even be seen as equals under the law. I think this also goes for women. Though there are so many women vampires, it is way more common we see a white, male lead. This is how society has always been and it seems that the white male demographic wouldn’t have anything to argue about if they are playing the vampire characters. They have had full rights and citizenship since this country was founded. Even if they are playing characters with little rights on TV and in films, at the very core when we take away the fiction, this demographic has always had the power in America, and still does to this very day.
Additionally, Bram Stoker’s original Dracula was created without minorities. If anything, Dracula himself was the minority. A lot of what we get today dates back to the original ideas about vampires and the supernatural and for this reason it may attest to why minorities aren’t equally represented. However, I do not agree with this because a lot of what we get away has strayed quite a bit from the original in my opinion.
I don’t know if there is an actual answer to this question, but my speculations are all I have to go off of. Judging by what I have seen, vampires are strong characters. There should be equal representation of all races and ethnicities not just domination by the white male.
There is not much diversity, when it comes to the fantasy genre. Yes, there was Blackula and the Blade series in the 90s, but now diversity has been cast as the supporting characters in many supernatural media outlets. The only movie that I have in mind that is slightly current, which features a diverse leading character is, I am Legend, with Will Smith. Blade is based on a comic book and was created by two white men. However even the Blade character started out as a supporting role in The Tomb of Dracula. Why haven’t other producers branched out? Are the creators of these shows, books, and movies, racist or forgetful?
ReplyDeleteI believe that an underlying factor is that the folklore of vampires, werewolves and many other supernatural beings, originated in Europe. It is no mystery that the dominating skin color back then was Caucasian.
It seems to me that a lot of people that create the supernatural books, shows, and movies are predominantly white, so creating a diverse cast, may not be on the top of their list of to-do. I also feel that producers and authors want to appeal to pop culture, and not necessarily what is politically correct. The only concern that they have is to make money, not to start their own political agenda. Vampires have their own stereotypes. To start, the very first vampire that Bram Stoker created had pale skin. After this creation, the vampire started transforming into more attractive Caucasian people. I have also noticed that there are not many older or even overweight vampires. What is disappointing is that The Southern Vampire’s book had Sookie as a size ten, curvaceous woman. However Sookie, in True Blood is a petite and very thin. Once again I think this attributes to what we feel is “beautiful” in popular culture. It is no mystery that we want to see and be, tall, thin, young and beautiful, and being white just gives people more advantages in the world. Just open up any popular culture magazine, Us and People and you can see that this obsession with the “beautiful” is a fact of life. Let us not forget that most of the people that follow this obsession of beauty are the same people that are fans of the supernatural, young to middle aged women. This is just heightened even more with vampires because they are supposed to be attractive monsters, who have super strength and are immortal. Therefore they can never get old, and being fat would simply be out of the question. But let us not forget about the characters that the vampires often become infatuated with. Elena Gilbert and Bella Swan are extremely skinny. They do not have an average female body, where fat is often apparent. Bella had a fear of getting old, a fear that many of us have, but she was consumed by it, in the same manner that popular culture has become consumed with it.
In conclusion, there is not a lot of diversity in the fantasy genre, because the creators of the medium are often white. Not only are they predominantly Caucasian, but they want to appeal to pop culture standards. The people that follow pop culture, or are obsessed with it are the same fans of the supernatural genre, women. Thus they expect to see what they consider beautiful, because vampires have been created into beautiful monsters, with their own stereotypes of being strong, young and white.
I think the lack of diversity in supernatural media is caused from Bram Stoker’s Dracula. We credit Stoker’s novel for pretty much every vampiric characteristic, and I think that the lack of diversity is a feature that can be traced back to the original “Dracula”. When we think of vampires, a pale lanky figure comes to mind, with pointy ears and fangs coming from European descent. I think that vampiric novelists stray from including more culturally and racially diverse characters as it is something that is seen as outlandish in the literary genre; although we have come to be more racially accepting since Stoker’s time, including a character of another race places uncertainty in the possible success of the literature, and it is just more ‘convenient’ to have vampires be of Caucasian-descent. If anything, the secondary characters have more of a diverse background, but that leads to stereotypes arising of African-Americans, Asians, etc. to be seen as only “secondary”, and never a leading role. I don’t think this is the media’s fault (for once), I just think it has been rooted into history of literature, similar to how racist ideas and beliefs have been rooted into our history and society. Obviously, racism is still present in society, although we have come so far from the Civil Rights movement…and it will only decrease with time, although racism and prejudice will always be a rooted belief regardless of time. Looking at the history of vampiric literature and adaptations, I believe that the lack of diversity in the genre is relatable to the emergence and development of female characters. As we have learned, female roles in vampire texts grew from the typical female love interest supporting character to having leading roles that represent female ideology in texts such as True Blood, Twilight, and other modern-day compositions. This gives me hope and belief that in the near future, there will be an all-African-American cast of a Dracula adaptation.
ReplyDeleteIt is true that the vast majority of vampire-centric media contain leading characters that seem to originate in some way from Dracula’s blood line; that is, figuratively, not literally. Perhaps this is not surprising since the characteristic vampire that Bram Stoker created continues to live on throughout the vampire-centric genre. Pale skin, piercing eyes, dark hair and features…when we think about these quintessential qualities, it becomes clear why diversity in vampire-centric media took so long to come to fruition.
ReplyDeleteIn films like Twilight, Jacob and especially Edward, offer the traditional, heterosexual, white males that Dracula affords in Stoker’s novel. Similarly, while the television show, Buffy The Vampire Slayer offers up a female lead, she is a popular, heterosexual, normal high school girl (except for her vampire slaying skills). These examples follow Bram Stoker’s traditional vampire storyline that excludes minorities and continues to be reminiscent of the Victorian Age.
It wasn’t until 90s and the new millennium that the vampire-centric genre began to broaden its horizons in accordance with society’s new libertarian views. Films, books and movies did so by diversifying the supporting characters rather than shocking audiences with nontraditional lead characters. Shows like True Blood, The Vampire Diaries and Charmed provide media viewers with portrayals of homosexuality and other ethnicities besides caucasian.
However, Blade is the first thing that pops into my head when considering true diversity in vampire-centric media. This film provides audiences with a lead that is not only a vampire, but also an African American. A more recent example of diversity in the vampire-centric genre, is I Am Legend, which cleverly features renowned, African American actor Will Smith as the lead character. I think Smith’s popularity and talent allowed this film to catapult the vampire-centric genre into new territories where it can really explore using diversity in its leading characters.
As the blog question for this week states, there really is a lack of diversity in vampire-centric and supernatural themed media. There are other types of diversity apparent, such as sexuality preferences; however, there really is no racial or ethnic diversity. There could be several reasons for this.
ReplyDeleteWhat first thinking about this topic, I immediately thought of the time period that media texts involving vampires and the supernatural were first being created. At the time of the creation of Nosferatu or the writing of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, racial diversity was simply just not accepted. This was a worldwide issue, not just a problem in the United States. These stories draw from society, and since diversity was not common or socially accepted, it would not appear in the story. An audience would not want to watch or read something that went against their values. (This can even be said today) It would potentially make it harder for them to identify with or even take a liking to the text. I find that diversity in vampire and supernatural media almost follows society’s historical perceptions of the idea. As time progressed, diversity was more accepted, and the same goes for diversity in this type of media, or any type of media for that matter. Historically (U.S. history speaking) the slaves were freed, yet still not fully recognized, yet eventually they gained the right to vote, and, much later down the road, earned equal rights. Blade was introduced in comic books in the 1970s, yet was not made into this full-fledged influential lead role on the silver screen until the late 1990s. There is just this huge correlation between history and what is on television or in the movies. Racial diversity can still be considered an issue today in society, and it is still an issue in vampire and supernatural media.
Vampires and supernatural beings also have a hard enough time being accepted in society and in their stories as it is. Adding in other aspects that some people may not accept, such as racial diversity, sexuality, and even gender, would potentially hurt the popularity of the genre (or show, movie, book, etc.). Of course this is speaking of the earlier texts. As previously mentioned, it can be said that there is a correlation between history and the content of these texts. At first, white males, with the exception of the supporting female characters, played the lead characters. Then, we saw the introduction of Blade in the comics, along with some strong female leads. It would make sense for media content to go along with what is actually going on in society, and this is very apparent when discussing this genre.
Although it is easy to blame this issue on history, I still do not think that it is acceptable. Sometimes I feel like people just over look the issue in the media and in society as well. People are not really thinking about this topic too much. It is just something that is not talked about. I don’t really think that it is okay that when we speak of diversity in the lead roles of vampire and supernatural media, that Blade is pretty much the only character we discuss. Diversity in our world is growing, and it should be represented in this type of media, that always tries to pull from society as it is. I think the winner for best representation of diversity in a vampire and supernatural media text goes to True Blood. The lead character is a female, the lesbian and gay community is prominent, and there is racial diversity. True Blood, however, is one of the most recent texts dealing in this genre, and it is wildly popular. I think that throwing diversity into the mix not only makes it more realistic, but makes the show more enjoyable as well.
Over this semester we have discussed a wide variety of books, television shows and movies that involve vampires and the supernatural. In this media it was clear that minorities were not as widely present as leading characters, yet they had a larger presence as supporting characters. I am not surprised by the lack of diversity when it comes to the races within supernatural media. I feel this way because there is a lack of diversity of races within mainstream media still today. Racism is and racial stereotypes are still present in our movies, novels and television shows. Therefore it can only be expected for supernatural media to be the same way.
ReplyDeleteThink about it out of all of the superheroes how many of them are minorities? How many television shows feature a minority as a leading role? Caucasian people dominate the airwaves of media in all aspects not making supernatural media any different. I feel that this is possibly the cause for why minorities are not leading roles in supernatural media as well. If minorities were not being used often as the leading role in a comedy or romance then why would it be used in supernatural media?
I also feel a reason that African Americans may not be used often in vampire media is because of the idea of the classic vampire. “What’s commonly asserted when discussing vampiric traits is that many of them are derived from Bram Stoker (Everything Vampire Book 88).” In Stoker’s Dracula; the count is described as being very pale. In a way it makes sense as to why African American’s may not be cast as a lead vampire in a film or television series since their complexion is not “pale” as a vampire is supposed to be. Although this is a possible justification for the lack of African American leads, what about other minorities? Not all minorities have dark skin to throw off the believability of the actor being a vampire. Minorities just may not fit the classic feel or assumption by our culture as to what a vampire is supposed to look like.
Although minorities may not be often casted as a leading role in vampire media, they do have a more noticeable existence in media as supporting roles. The first minority I was exposed to in vampire centric media was Laurant from Twilight. I found it to be very ironic that the first minority I was presented with in vampire media was an evil character. In the first film he is presented as a bad vampire at the first encounter, but then at the second encounter in the first film he is warning the Cullen’s about James. We then again see him in the second film when Bella is alone in the field. Laurant at this time is trying to drink Bella’s blood. In the case of Laurant we see him in a somewhat negative light, he is perceived as evil to the viewers. The idea of African American minorities being represented negatively is not only present in Twilight. We also see this in True Blood Lafayette when we are first introduced to him in the series is a gay male prostitute and “V” dealer. This is a typical racial stereotype that African American minorities are drug dealers. Most of the plot within the first two seasons is about Lafayette and his “V” dealing in Bon Temps, not until the third and fourth season do we really see a different side to Lafayette with love and caring for others. In the books this is completely different since Lafayette is murdered early on in the novels. Tara Thorton, Layfayette’s cousin is also represented in a negative light. In the first season Tara is raised by an alcoholic mother and is told that she has a demon inside of her and eventually has an exorcism performed on her. Tara also becomes a lesbian in the fourth season. These three characters all are of African American descent, and all three are perceived in a negative light; I do not find this to be a coincidence.
I feel that it is clear why minorities are not represented largely in vampire-centric media. If they are not present in main stream media very often as lead roles why would vampire media be any different?
Lindsay Walker
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In my social psychology class we watched Michael Moore’s documentary, Bowling for Columbine. Although the main focus of the documentary was to expose the obscene amount of gun violence that exists in the United States it also revealed that racism and fear of the unfamiliar is still as present as ever among Americans.
The documentary explained how the media has cultivated “a culture of fear” among Americans in its representations of certain races and ethnicities. The media has a tendency of showing negative news events surrounding non- Caucasians, particularly blacks, and Hispanics. This media content elevates the stereotypes of these minority groups and creates an indirect element of prejudice. One particular scenario that I found unbelievable was a murder case that occurred years back. A white man killed his wife and child but blamed the murder on a black man. People were so quick to believe and so easily convinced that the black man was guilty. If this does not prove that racism and prejudice still exists in the United States then I don’t know what does.
Although racism is not as prominent as it once was, it clearly still exists. This being said, I think it is safe to say that racism transcends into vampire and supernatural medium as seen through the lack of diversity. Typically, when people think of vampires they imagine Bram Stoker’s creation- an abnormally pale white creature, with dark black hair, fangs and a black suite complete with a cape. With the exception of Blade, we rarely see diversity among leading characters. Perhaps, this lack of diversity and indirect racism is not the fault of the producers and creators rather the result of this “culture of fear” Michael Moore discussed?
The authors of vampire book series like The Southern Vampire Mysteries, and Twilight are typically white females. They are therefore, only accustomed to and familiar with the lifestyle and experiences of white people in society. Since that is what they are familiar with I would assume that is what’s easiest for them to write about and incorporate into their stories. It is safer to write about someone or create a character that reflects ones own life then to attempt writing about something that one can’t identify with or relate to.
Lindsay Walker
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Producers and creators of T.V shows and movies demonstrate a similar mindset in that they want to attract viewers to ensure a profit. As society proves time and time again, people do not welcome what they do not know. We as human beings have an aversion to unfamiliarity and differences because they create a level of discomfort and fear and so it is almost understandable that producers would not want to venture away from this (casting blacks, Asians, Hispanics etc as lead vampires) in order to try something new. The lack of diversity definitely reflects a sense of racism and/or prejudice however, they are simply following the historic formula of white lead vampire that has proven successful among viewers for years.
What’s interesting though is the fact that diversity is more apparent and accepted when seen among the minor/ supporting characters. In True Blood, audiences are accustomed to several black characters- Tara (Sookie’s best friend) and Lafayette. Lafayette is even representative of two marginalized groups in society – African Americans and homosexuals. We also see such diversity in Twilight. Laurent is a black vampire character but we only see him in the first couple of books/movies.
On more then one occasion we have had class disscusions about how vampire centric and supernatural medium provide an outlet for people. That, many people (especially those that belong to marginalized groups or minorities) can relate to these characters and have a feeling of connection with them. For this, reason I think it is important to incorporate more diversity into these medium. Perhaps, increasing the diversity within these books, T.V shows, and movies will help to eliminate the fear of unfamiliarity that people still demonstrate today.
When I think of vampires, I automatically envision a tall, slender man with white skin and dark hair. Where are the women? Where is the fat vampire? Where is the black vampire? Even the first time I saw The Interview with the Vampire, I thought the idea of a blonde vampire was preposterous. The image I attribute with vampires is only ingrained in my memory because of its common recurrence in supernatural media. Why do writers and directors stick to this image or at least one very close to it? Sure, we have the occasional Blade or Carmilla, but it is rare that we see characters like this take on a leading role.
ReplyDeleteThe “lack of diversity” we see in vampire media may be meant to act as a means of representing a minority group as a whole. This may seem like an outlandish stance, but I think it is an important view to consider. When I think of vampires, I automatically revert back to the idea of “outsiderdom”. Vampires, essentially, are the minority. The vampire characters we see in these types of media are relatable to many fans because they, too, are on the outskirts of what is considered the “norm” in society. In this sense, vampires are a metaphor for all the groups vampire-centric media are leaving out of leading roles.
To view this lack of diversity in another light, we can look back to the old folklore in which vampires originated. Vampires originated from Eastern European folklore, therefore the original image of a vampire resembles that of someone from that area. When you think of voodoo doctors, do you picture a white guy from England? Probably not. Another common vampire trait is the idea that they can’t go out in the sun, which is why they have such pale skin. I am not saying that people don’t have naturally dark skin, but it just wouldn’t fit the pale image we all associate with vampires. Then again, when we think of the modern vampire media, no one really resembles Dracula anymore.
Lafayette from True Blood and Laurent from the Twilight series are two recent examples of black vampires in television and film. I would like to point out that parallel to what you stated in the blog question, both of these characters play supporting roles, not leading ones. They are also not exactly the best representation of their race, falling into the common black stereotypes present in the media. For example, in True Blood Lafayette is a drug dealer, providing vampire blood to the humans so that they can get high. Laurent, from the Twilight series, plays one of the “bad guys” and eventually attempts to kill Bella.
ReplyDeleteI am somewhat surprised by the lack of black vampires when I take the setting of a lot of vampire-centric media into consideration. From The Interview with the Vampire to True Blood, Louisiana is represented as a place popular to the vampire crowd. When you have a place so densely populated with Haitian Creole people, one would assume there would be a larger number of black vampires hitting the screens. What makes Edward a more desirable leading man than Laurant? Or Eric more desirable than Lafayette?
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ReplyDeleteWhile talking to my advisor, Prof. Cheryl Ann Bishop, about the class, it occurred to me how ethnically limited media portrayals of vampires are: not only are the majority of vampires Caucasian, but most of the stories we study, most of the legends we adapt and follow are almost exclusively from the Western Hemisphere. Is there a single vampire we can name that hailed from Japan, India, China or Sudan? Other than Akasha (from Queen of the Damned), I can’t name a single vampiric entity that hailed from the entire continent of Africa, and I certainly don’t recall a single major vampire character coming from Asia, where more than ¾ of the world’s population hails from.
I think a lot has to do not with just who is writing the vampire fiction we consume today (whether it is in the form of books, comics, television shows or movies) but where the myths for “modern-day vampires” come from. What we saw from Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”, and many a vampire story afterwards, was this idea that vampires were an Eastern European entity. In Anne Rice’s “Interview with the Vampire”, the vampire-girl Claudia insists that all the legends stemming out of Eastern Europe suggest there must be some fact behind it – that shows just how deep the myth behind Eastern European vampires go when characters in modern vampire stories refer to it. The truth is, most people hailing from that part of the world are Caucasian – they are of a certain skin color, racial background and ethnicity. Since the appearance and demeanor of most all vampires in the media today can stem back all the way to Stoker’s “Dracula” (who himself was supposedly inspired by Polidori’s “Vampyre” – who was, in turn, inspired by the appearance and mannerism of a white Lord Byron), it is unsurprising that they have chosen to remain mostly white, mostly homogenous and mostly ethnically uniform.
Also, there is something to be said about “perception” – when you define a vampire, you are most likely drawn to an image of a pale person, with dark hair, a dark attire and a dark demeanor. The idea of black is a prevalent one. A pale skin tone is much easily seen (especially on screen) on Caucasian skin tones and I feel that might have a role to play. If it is just easier to portray most pale-skinned, sun-deprived vampires as white, why not?
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ReplyDeleteBut the lack of diversity is almost alarming. The presence of minority characters in supernatural themed media has taken an almost token quality: the black vampire we see with Victoria in “Twilight” (who may or may not die – I never followed through); Lafayette and Tara from “True Blood” (who have possibly the most horrible lives on TV); the Lycan Raze in “Underworld”; the vampire hunter Gunn in “Angel” (who becomes a vampire… in the comic book series); the ghost Annie in “Being Human” (strangely, there aren’t any non-white vampires on that show). In each case, the minority might be a main character but is not the main character. Annie on “Being Human” is unarguably important but the show focuses a lot more on Mitchell the vampire and George the werewolf – both white. And while Lafayette and Tara are important in “True Blood”, the story (and nearly all promotional material) really feature more of Sookie, Bill and Eric – all white, as are most vampires on that show. The fact that only the character of Blade stands out in both comics and film as the sole minority lead-figure in vampire or supernatural themed media is tragic and hardly worth commending. And Eddie Murphy’s “A Vampire in Brooklyn” really does not come into the picture – it’s still an exception in an industry vastly overflowing with white, pale-skinned vampires, witches and werewolves.
There is, also, another factor to consider. An article I read a while back (I cannot recall the source) suggested that, in order to remain politically correct and to ensure no one gets offended, white men have become the butt of all jokes in commercials. Adapting that logic: if some vampires are still portrayed as merciless, malicious murderers, could it be some producers and writers and artists are keen to depict them as white individuals rather than ethnically diverse individuals in order to avoid being accused of racism? Could walking the thin line between politically correct and offensive cause head honchos to settle for the safest option – depicting them simply as white characters, with minimal fuss ensuing?
I find that’s something to think about. Along with why so much of our vampire-themed media is from the West, and not the East.
Elisabeth Keasler said...
ReplyDeleteVery rarely do I start my blog by singling out or feeding off someone else’s, (though I do usually read them all) but this week I want to say I agree with Lisa M. Yes, in the 21st century we do deal with many other factors, such as advertisers, consolidation, cable, familiarity, and “things that sell”, but I think first and foremost we have to look at the root of where it is all started. That is: writers and producers! They formulate these stories based off their own personal preferences, and we see this in many different media text including books, televisions, and movies.
Lisa makes a good point, that while we must consider the supernatural text itself, the authors like those of Twilight, True Blood and Vampire Diaries write stories that reflect their own experiences in society. Lisa makes note that these authors write of predominately white communities because it is what they are used to. (Lisa’s blog is much more detailed about these writers, so you should read it if you haven’t) Stephanie Myers as we know writes a story that she probably would enjoy sitting down to read.
I want to use Vampire Diaries as my example. I found a lot here when I did the comparative media reports. Kevin Williamson’s story is of course built around all the leading characters being white. I actually can’t even think of any supporting characters that are minorities, but Kevin Williamson has news for us. In an interview recently he said he wants to add a “gay” character. First I thought it was important that he said “I want someone to come in and have a reason and a purpose and really push that story forward the way I want to do it, and they're so important to the story that without them the show won't happen. That's what I want." Does this mean he wants to add a homosexual as a lead role in vampire diaries? Could this play as a minority?
In the same interview he said, "I'm waiting. Which character can be gay? Which character won't? Where will it fit in? How can I get the gay character in? I don't want to sound like I'm a militant about it, like THERE MUST BE A GAY CHARACTER, even though I am. It's not just that, it's also diversity. I always feel like I don't have enough diversity on my show, and that is one of the things I'm very conscientious of, and not just gay characters. Any diversity. In anything, I want everyone represented. I want everybody on the show." (http://blastr.com/2010/07/someone-on-vampire-diarie.php) I mention this because, adding of a gay character may happen here because of the fact that Williamson is gay, and his passion for teenagers.
I do agree that minority characters are stereotyped due to our own perceptions. I mean lets be real, that’s how we form stereotypes on a daily basis, from what we have seen or experienced. Lisa talks about how Blade (African American half vampire) was written by a white male based on how he had experienced, or lack thereof and possibly how he thought his audience would receive him. Most recently, we have I am Legend starring Will Smith, and African American character. Richard Mason is another Caucasian who make have wrote novel of the same name or last name on earth, based on his encounters with out ethnicities.
Honestly, there are so many ways that the lack of diversity in supernatural media texts could formulate. That being said, I think the adding of more ethnicities will only better the audience receiving it, given that racial issues still exists today. The more we are exposed to ethnicities representing something better than what we have previously experienced, we could even make existing stereotypes more positive. I do understand that it is important to keep original fans, but if we are trying to attract new ones I think we need to add even more diversity to lead and supporting ones as well!
It has been very rare to see minorities in vampire-centric and supernatural media. The main movies that come to mind when I look for minorities in a lead role are just Blacula and the Blade movies. I have a tough time thinking of any other films or books that have much diversity in its lead role, as well as its supporting roles, besides Dracula 2000. The question becomes, why is there such a lack of diversity in supernatural media? Bram Stoker created the original version of Dracula in 1897. This was a time of much racism and since his book has been the basis for other books, movies and shows, it is very influential. There were no minority characters in Bram Stoker’s Dracula and adding minorities into a vampire text goes against the grain of the creation. Sure the book has been adapted over time but much of the plot and characters stay the same, especially the lead vampire. So many creators of vampire media try not to stray away from that idea. As seen with Dracula 2000 and Blacula, the films did not do well at all. Is it because it adds diversity that loyal vampire fans are not used to? It is definitely something to consider. We often talked about how vampire and supernatural fans go to extreme lengths to keep their favorite shows on the air, as the found their “niche” programming. Vampire shows, especially, have a specific formula that directors know will almost always work and are often afraid to try something different. That would help the problem of a lack of diversity because no one has made an attempt to make a change in shows and books. Fans are very devoted to their supernatural characters and even the slightest change can lead to an uproar by them, which directors fear.
ReplyDeleteThe few representations that I could think of in books, movies and shows have never been a big part of supernatural culture. Blade was able to have success but I contribute that to the fact that it already had a following from the comic book series it had. Other then Blade, the minorities have never really be shown in the best light in the supernatural media. The minority characters have not gotten the fame and popularity that we see from other vampires, such as Edward from Twilight and Angel. I don’t think people find it fit for minorities to fit into the role of a vampire because of its long history of rarely having minorities. Since a majority of the minority characters have supporting roles, they are never glorified like the other white vampires that have ruled the vampire world since it began. Maybe there will never be a right time for minorities to take the lead role as a vampire and be successful. Blacula was more of a disgrace then anything else and is often joked about in television shows today.
The problem is that these characters are often put into situations where they become racial and ethnic stereotypes. In class we have talked about how vampire themed media is a way to get across points of homosexuality. Well it has also been used as a light to show how racism is a terrible thing that does still exist in this world today. There is often this feeling that television shows and movies have this “token” minority character just so that they do not get scrutinized. Some shows and movies tried that move to break the mold of very white characters but it has yet to pay off and has put directors into a very difficult decision. I am sure they would love to see minority characters take over a leading vampire role because it would open the door to many new opportunities and ideas but vampire-centric and supernatural media fans are very picky and they know what they love to see.
I think that the lack of diversity is vampire-centric media can be traced back to the original stories of vampires. During the 1800’s when the first stories of vampires were being published the white race was dominant. The authors were white and because of that they most likely wrote and based their characters off the white race. At this time in history minorities were never lead characters in anything, and they were hardly ever minor characters. Because of the time period in which the stories of vampires were first published we can associate that with the lack of diversity in vampire centric media. We can even use the time periods in which most vampire are from to conclude why they weren’t diverse. If the white race was dominant at their time of transformation, then why would vampires want to turn or attack the weaker race. Minorities were probably not good enough to be vampires at the time and therefore they never became them.
ReplyDeleteAnother reason why we don’t see much diversity with vampire media is because Bram Stoker created such an iconic image of the vampire that all vampire related media after Dracula followed in Stoker’s footsteps. When Stoker describes the character of Count Dracula he crates the image of Dracula being someone who is very pale, and that looks more like the dead than the living. These characteristics have stayed with vampire related media and now one of the universal characteristics of vampires is that they have pale skin, or skin that is almost transparent. This image could be another reason why minorities are never really seen as lead vampire characters. Minorities for the most part have darker skin tones, and cannot represent the paleness of vampires. I remember seeing the character of Laurent for this first time in Twilight and honestly the thought crossed my mind that he wasn’t pale enough to be a vampire.
I think that as an audience we imagine a certain type of vampire to be on the screen. Not many people like change and since the image of a white vampire have been in our minds forever we might not accept vampires as another race. I think that this is why minority vampires aren’t seen in lead roles because the audience might not accept them playing a lead vampire. In recent years we have seen a change happening when minorities have been finding their way in to supportive roles, such as Laurent in Twilight or Bonnie in The Vampire Diaries. Here we see minorities as supporting characters and I think that as society is changing that it is easier to integrate minorities into these supporting roles before making the jump into a lead character. The only minority lead characters we have seen in vampire centric media so far are Blade and Jacob. Blade though isn’t a full vampire and Jacob is a werewolf. In each case these minorities are vampire hunters. Bonnie in the Vampire Diaries also doesn’t like to help the vampires, but she does because of Elena. Here we see somewhat of a trend that minorities are being put into roles that aren’t exactly “vampire friendly”. But on the other hand in the Vampire Diaries we have Anna and her mother Pearl who are Asian vampires, and some of the other tomb vampires are minorities as well. Again, these are all supportive roles. I think that over time we may see more minority vampires is leading roles but as of right now I don’t think the audiences are ready for that . Producers and authors have been crossing the lines when it comes to your typical vampire image and soon maybe the pale factor will change. For now though the white/pale vampires seem to be what is selling. This is what audiences expect and therefore is what authors and producers are giving them.
The supernatural genre is one that lacks diversity amongst its characters, mainly in the leading roles. The depiction of a vampire is seen as having very pale skin, hence why majority of the vampires that we read about in books or that we see on tv are played by white actors. The image instilled in our minds date back to the Bela Lugosi character adapted from Bram Stoker’s book.
ReplyDeleteThe first vampire film that introduced a bloodsucker that wasn’t played by a white actor was Blacula, which aired in 1972, forty-one years after Bela Lugosi made his debut in theaters as Dracula. Four decades after the first Dracula adaption we are able to see a vampire in a different light, as a different race. The time gap is due in part to Hollywood not permitting black produced films and films that starred black actors into the mainstream. Blacula was the first Blaxploitation horror film. Blaxploitation meaning that it exposed the stereotypes of African Americans in movies. The movie parodies the story of Dracula while giving negative representations of African Americans.
The following year, in 1973, Blade was introduced by Marvel Comics as a supporting character, and was given his own solo story in 1974. The character created by Marvel was boastful, loud and talkative, all stereotypical characteristics. However, these traits didn’t make it to the big screen as Wesley Snipes acted the complete opposite. When Blade made it to theaters in 1998, it was seen as a breath of fresh air as it “rescued the black-vampire genre from Blacula (Entertainment Weekly).“
The majority of diversity within vampire centric media comes through the avenue of supporting characters. The cast can be anyone, which adds to the ability for secondary roles to be more diverse. Leading roles are normally given to people that the targeted audience can relate better with. Most of the television vampire series revolve around high school settings. Adding different ethnicities to the shows help depict the ‘diversity’ in high schools.
In attempts to add diversity to vampire centric media, producers are adding cast members of different races and ethnicities. This diverse supporting cast doesn’t seem to have real powers. In True Blood the characters of Tara and Lafayette seem stereotypical. First with Tara, her background of having an alcoholic, abusive single parent and later becomes an alcoholic and drug dealer her self. In The Southern Vampire Mysteries books, Tara is described as a white woman but a black woman on the show plays her character. Then there is Lafayette, the chef at Merlotte’s that is also a V dealer. In the True Blood series Lafayette deals vampire blood which is considered a drug when humans ingest it. His character is killed at the end of the first book, but is preserved in the tv show. Lafayette, in the most recent season of True Blood, begins practicing wicca and becomes a medium as he can see spirits.
Out of all of the vampire centric movie and television shows, it is hard to configure how many leading vampire roles that aren’t played by white actors. I can think of three: Blacula, Blade, and Vampire in Brooklyn, but Eddie Murphy’s character has been quickly forgotten. Blade wasn’t even 100% vampire as he was a hybrid in a comic book. He wasn’t even created as a superhero, as he didn’t have any supernatural powers. Even in Queen of the Damned, you would think the role Aaliyah played would be the lead since she is the title character, but in actuality her character doesn’t appear until almost an hour into the movie. She becomes secondary to Lestat’s story and Jesse’s curiosity.
Geordie Geller
ReplyDeleteIf a person was asked what they picture when they hear the word vampire they would probably say Dracula. Bram Stoker set the stage for all the other vampire media that followed. From Stoker’s book to the beginning of vampire’s on film audience saw vampires (Dracula) as being tall, dark and handsome with his thick European accent. Other traits such as pale skin the ability to seduce women became tell-tale signs someone was a vampire. This vision of what a vampire is supposed to be has continued for over one hundred years authors and film makers realize that these characteristics are what most people associate with vampires.
The two vampire minorities revolve around gender, sexual orientation and race. There have only been a few female vampires portrayed in the media. People use what they know to help them be creative. Women may not have fit the traditional mold people were used to, taking longer for female vampires to be more prominent in the stories.
A person’s sexual orientation has been a hot bottom topic for years, and before that it was not talked about. As the world has become a more excepting place, so has the supernatural world. The media that features female vampire often has an element of homosexuality. Sexuality is a big issue on True Blood. True Blood helps to bring to light many of the stereotypes that are faced in the world today. These are still taboo issues to many people, just as vampires are taboo to others.
The lack of diversity in the vampire world extends to the race of the characters. The most notable character outside the traditional mold is Blade. Blade’s first appeared in Tomb of Dracula in the 1970s. Blade is a character than was able to reach a wider audience because he appealed to the black community. “Originally a supporting character in Tomb Of Dracula, Blade was John Shaft with wooden stakes” (wiki). Blade’s popularity sky rocketed when the first film was released in 1998. Even though the Blade trilogy was extremely popular, it failed to spark other similar films of books to follow in its path.
There is a lack of racial diversity within the media texts themselves. Twilight and The Vampire Dairies are both good examples of lack of diversity within text, not the genre. These types of characters seem to be more relatable to the fans with the vampire obsession.
Writers often tend to write about what they know. For the people who live in a small town might be less likely to incorporate diverse elements. Part of the problem is that the stories themselves take place in a small town, not allowing the writer to add many diverse elements. If audience were unsatisfied with the content they could refuse to watch. The bottom line is that as long as audience keep up appears that suggest they are satisfied with the complexity of the media there will most likely be no change in the creative formula.
When examining the supernatural genre from a diversity perspective, there is not a lot of variation to discuss. The image of a vampire has been nearly solidified in our minds due to the success of the original Count Dracula in Bram Stoker’s classic novel, Dracula. Stoker didn’t represent any minorities directly within the novel, which started the ball rolling toward a standard in the image of vampire. The likeness of vampire that we as a supernatural media consume come to expect is very similar to the stoic, pale, almost enchanting count that Stoker created. His vampire was such a success that ever since, many have simply tweaked his creation. After all, why mess with a good thing? However, with the continuous use of one kind of vampire, the lack of representation could pose a problem to other ethnic groups that enjoy the supernatural genre, but feel they can’t completely identify with the characters because their races are not being represented. The lack of this representation can almost be justified in decades past. These were times were minorities like African Americans, Hispanics, and even homosexuals did not get the same rights and treatment as whites did. However, with the passing of time, and the acceptance of lifestyles and cultures, there is more of a presence of these backgrounds being represented in most areas of the media. The supernatural is the genre that presently lags more than most in respect to the representation of these cultures.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of representation of ethnic groups in the supernatural industry, there have been very few minorities cast as main characters. Blade is the predominate example, being an African American half vampire. Similarly African American’s are represented with Will Smith cast as the lead in the science fiction thriller, I am Legend. Twilight’s Jacob Black is technically another lead that is portrayed as a minority. His shape shift character hails from a Native American tribe in Washington State. Twilight also brings in an African American vampire, however, the character plays little significance in the overall plot, and generates a small amount of content in a few of the books and even less representation in the films. In respect to the other appearances by minorities, it has been left to the sub-characters to take care of their representation. In the HBO series True Blood, members of the homosexual community are represented as gay vampires. Additionally, African American’s make an appearance in a few vampire characters as well as witches.
This advancement has paralleled the advancement of acceptance and integration of minorities in our culture, even if it is slightly behind. However, I feel as if there is little to no reason for justifying the lack of diversity. The only sustainable reason they are not included is because the creators of the series and characters feel that by creating supernatural figures, they are already representing a minority, since let’s face it, there isn’t a known presence for witches, vampires or werewolves anywhere. But there has been a prominent struggle to gain the liberation of minorities and their advancement in the gain of equal rights, it is only natural that their representation in the media and in other facets of culture be equal to their presence within society. I believe that society has a great need for dynamic characters that bring in elements of every ethnicity that makes American media what it is. It is with great hope that there is an evolution in the supernatural genre. Adding in more colorful characters, both literally and figuratively will bring a new edge to this already appealing media.
I agree that there isn’t a lot of diversity in vampire stories. Currently most vampire texts do not feature minorities in lead role. Many factors contribute to the lack of diversity in vampire-centric and supernatural theme media. I believe that racism is one of the reasons why there are few minorities featured in lead roles, is because even today there is some form of racism. Even though we do not see it is, racism is still prevalent today in many forms. I found an interesting article in which the author describes how racism is prevalent in the mass media. The article “Mass Media and Racism” written by Stephan Balkaran explains some of the reasons why even in today’s day and age racism remains. Balkaran says, “Mass media have played and will continue to play a crucial role in the way white Americans perceive African-Americans...overwhelming media focus on crime, drug use, gang violence, and other forms of anti-social behavior among African-Americans, the media have fostered a distorted public perception of African-Americans” (Balkaran). This is very interesting because whether directly or indirectly this is reflected a variety of media texts. I can say that aside from Blade I have not read or seen any vampire or supernatural texts that feature a minority. While I’m sure there are probably a few media texts that do feature minorities most people do not know about it. Even though there are not many minorities featured as lead characters they are however, featured in supporting roles. While I’m not very familiar with vampire or supernatural texts, I was a big fan of the television series Charmed. In this series the three main characters were three sisters and their main goal was to fight evil together. In my opinion this good series had a lot of diversity. The plot featured the sisters and two supporting characters that were in the series throughout the seasons. One of the supporting characters was an African American detective that aided the sister in solving mysteries. Having an African American in almost every episode of the series adds diversity to programming and does not make racism obvious. Another reason why there is such lack of diversity in vampire texts is because we’re so used to seeing the typical characteristics given to vampires by Bram Stoker in Dracula. One of the characteristics given to vampires by Stoker is being tall and handsome with pale skin. Most of the vampire films since the first adaptation of Dracula have featured tall, handsome, and pale with pale skin. Every vampire film that I have seen features these characteristics. Twilight is a more recent Adaptation of vampire films and even with the changes the author has made to the text these characteristic hard to not notice. The main character Edward is tall handsome with pale skin. Even going back to other films like the adaptation with Bella Lugosi features this characteristic. The majority of vampire films have lead characters that somewhat reflect Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
ReplyDeleteThe only exception that I am familiar with is Francis Ford Coppola’ adaptation of Dracula. In this movie the vampire is not tall and handsome, on the contrary this creature is horrible looking and repulsive. This I believe adds some diversity to the genre. Changing the way the characters are portrayed and can be sign of progress in the genre. Changing the way vampires look means that maybe sometime in the near future can open doors for African American actors and other minorities.
Work Cited
Balkaran, Stephen, “Mass Media and Racism”, http://www.yale.edu/ypq/articles/oct99/oct99b.htm
What comes to mind the second you think of a vampire? While putting, the sexy Eric, Bill, Edward, and Carlisle aside in your mind. Do you think of someone who is white, black, Asian or Hispanic? Well, most of us would think of the pale, tall, dark haired, suave, creature of the night Bella Lugosi like vampire. But why do we immediately jump to a white man? Well, it has to be the fact that minorities are not represented well in our vampire-centric mediums. The only real black vampires to date are Blacula and Blade, while blade is not even a full vampire. Blacula “Dracula’s Soul Brother”, “a Black Avenger”, in the trailer it keeps repeating these statements. They have to make a big deal for the fact he is black, but if he was white they would not have made these stereotype statements. The fact is the world is still racist, if you watch the movie CRASH you can see some depictions of feelings that still exist in our culture. When Sandra Bullock was walking down the street at night and passed Ludacris she immediately hugged onto her purse harder and just wanted to get to her car in fear of them jumping her. Terrence Howard plays a man who is treated wrongly by the police. He gets pulled over because his wife was “having fun” with him while he drove. If he had been white there was no way that he would have been pulled out of the car and searched, along with his wife. It is horrible to say but that treatment does exist in our world. I learned in media law and ethics that black people are accused of murder 4 times as much as whites, and are arrested 93 percent more on drug charges. In class we learned about the blade comics, and in those the speech was so stereotypical. It seems that everywhere we go we are faced with these stereotypes. Jason Stackhouse is just the southern ex football player boy, Sookie is the outcast because of her difference, Lafayette is the stereotypical drag queen with makeup and skirts. For some reason we cannot get out of our stereotypes even in the media. I watched Scream the other day and the stereotypes in the second movie were ridiculous. At the beginning when Omar Epps was taking his girlfriend to see the movie and goes to the bathroom, she sits there and does the “stereotypical black woman watching a horror film” which includes her yelling at the screen telling the character to turn around, to not be so stupid, and saying “oh bitch you gonna die”. We may not notice it, but these stereotypes are in every single facet of our life. Be it based on race, culture, age, redneck, WASP, cop or doctor.
ReplyDeleteEvery character is played with some back story, some thing that has us connecting it to a stereotype in our world. So vampires, why are there no main characters that are not of a different race. Well it could be because vampires usually came from Europe and Transylvania which way back when were not diverse communities. Or it could be the fact that America is still racist and nobody has found a way to get a character to stray away from the preconceived notions that we have about people just based on looks. When you see a blonde with big boobs what do you initially think of? Well I think of Barbie and Clueless. That there is no way she could be smart, but think about it… is that really true? What do you think of when you see an Asian woman driving? That they have to be a bad driver, but is this true? What do you think when you see a boy in a letterman jacket with big muscles? That he must be a sports star with no brain. But we know that isn’t always true. What does the store owner think when they see a black kid walk in with his hood up? That they will get robbed, but this is not always the case. Our world is sickened by our stereotypes, and I do not know how to help us get past them. I am no Gandhi, no Mother Teresa, I cannot fix the world. But I guess we could start with the media and try to suck these stereotypes from our programming. Well let’s get to it! GIVE ME SOME ETHNIC VAMPIRES!!
ReplyDeleteThe lack of diversity is supernatural media is probably one of the biggest issues plaguing the genre as a whole. Although there were some strides towards racial inclusion made in the seventies, some media failed in their methods for trying to include minorities. Even today there is a extreme disparity between white leading characters and leading minority characters.
ReplyDeleteOne of the less successful attempts racial diversity in supernatural media was the 1972 film Blacula. This film was a blatant attempt to cash in on the “blackspolitiation” wave that swept Hollywood in the seventies. It was parody of both vampire cinema and blackness. It has little cinematic merit and was merely a cheap attempt by the studio to make a quick buck.
However, in this decade we also see the emergence of one of the first “successful” African-American characters in supernatural media: Blade. Blade was initially introduced to the world in the Tomb of Dracula comic series published by Marvel. He quickly became a recurring character in this series and went on to star in several of his own comic series.
But, Blade’s big break came in 1998 when he was turned in to to Marvel’s first big screen super hero. Throughout his existence Blade has been a one of the best, and only, examples of a minority hero/protagonist in supernatural media. Blade is a powerful, proud, interesting character, and although it is unfair to relegate him to merely “representing” for blacks in supernatural, he actually does a perfectly adequate job in doing so.
This begs the question: Why has there been such a lack of lead minority characters in supernatural media? Personally, a few answers come to mind. First, when one considers the origins of the popular vampire myth Bram Stoker’s narrative is the most referenced work. This work takes place entirely in nineteenth century Europe, not necessarily the most diverse environment One could argue that because most of the early vampiric works were strongly rooted in this narrative, the lack of diversity is merely an extension of the veritable “white wash” that the earliest notable Vampiric work was, and no one sought to amend.
This possibility only sheds some light on a explanation, however, I don’t think I can abide by this as the ultimate reason there is a lack of diversity in supernatural media. Perhaps it has something to do more with audience satisfaction.
Audiences are more likely to consume media that they see reflections of themselves in. Therefore, maybe their is a connection between the audience that most likely to consume supernatural media and the leading characters that this genre produces. From what I understand about Twilight fan-dom it appears to be a mostly white female audience. This is probably because they (the audience) sees a reflection of themselves in Bella. However, this raises this raises the question is Bella merely relateable because the supernatural audience is mostly white females, and would a African American protagonist be as successful if given a chance.