In recent years, terms like “woke media” or “woke Hollywood” have been thrown around to discredit certain films, TV shows, video games, and basically any form of media with a storyline. I am inviting people who use that term to think again. This article isn’t here to change your politics; diversity isn’t and should never be a political issue. Just because a film has themes or elements of inclusivity and social justice does not mean you need to be outraged.
“Woke media” is a term used by detractors when they feel or claim that the story in question is sacrificing quality for the sake of being diverse or portraying social issues. This is not a new trend. The original Star Trek broke racial barriers in the 1960s, and X-Men in the 1970s had an international roster composed of characters from Canada (Wolverine), Germany (Nightcrawler), Kenya (Storm), the Soviet Union (Colossus), Ireland (Banshee), and a character from the Apache tribe (Thunderbird). This international lineup was a significant departure from the original, predominantly white American roster, and played a crucial role in revitalizing the series, making it more diverse and appealing to a broader audience.
While I am not saying that it is impossible for a story with diversity to be bad, it will never be bad because it is simply because it's diverse. It is very unfair to assume something will be bad because the main character from the source material is of a different skin color or ethnic background. If the story is bad there a good chance it would have been bad even if the character was white. If skin color or ethnicity is the reason you think something will be bad, then you have a problem. Skin color and ethnic background should not hold so much weight that one should think that writers suddenly forgot how to write a story. Many successful and acclaimed works prove that social consciousness and quality storytelling are not mutually exclusive. Critics who dismiss "woke media" outright may be missing out on some of the most innovative and impactful storytelling of our time due to their personal bias.
Inclusion is very important for many fans of these shows and movies. Many have watched shows where they weren’t represented and still enjoyed them. They may have complained that they didn’t see main or important characters in these stories enough, but many minorities still come out to watch these films and shows. Now, when they have stories that include characters who share their skin color, ethnicity, or culture, there is a label that’s put on it that is meant to be derogatory. That is unfair. Inclusion doesn’t mean the stories are worse; inclusion is a small sign that we are improving as a society and that should be celebrated.
Various stories have parallels to the real world, and people see that and complain that it’s too woke. I don’t think that is a fair point.
Beyond diversity, addressing social issues in media is equally important. Various stories have parallels to the real world, and people see that and complain that it’s too woke. I don’t think that is a fair point. Art has always reflected life. Writers, the artists in this case, are expressing their views on how they see life. Many make it seem like it’s a new thing. Shows that pre-date this so-called "woke era," like Avatar, X-Men: The Animated Series, Battlestar Galactica, and Static Shock, have been talking about these issues. Even the Static Shock and X-Men comics have dug into these issues. There is a good chance that recent media have shown problems you simply have the privilege to ignore.
By incorporating social issues into their narratives, creators can foster empathy, understanding, and critical thinking among their audiences. This engagement with real-world issues helps to elevate the content, making it not only entertaining but also thought-provoking and relevant. Therefore, rather than dismissing "woke media," we should appreciate its role in pushing boundaries and contributing to societal progress.
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