Gender, Race, Age
- In the 19th and early 12th century it was acceptable to put on black makeup to sing, dance and perform in music halls. These performers were known as minstrels.
- Vesta Tilley would dress and act as a man to enable her to perform her comedy and singing act in the Edwardian era.
- All performers on the stage in this time were white and British - travel was very expensive in this time so people wouldn't normally travel to other countries to perform.
- In the USA racial segregation as enforced. Jazz clubs used black artists to perform but they were not allowed to used the same entrance or facilities as their white colleges.
- The Stanford White Murder was caused by an early actress in the silent film ( a fight between two jealous men) it confirmed the idea that an actress wasn't the sort of job a girl should do. The roles women did have in films strongly enforced the gender roles.
- The Golden Age of Hollywood was between 1930-1960. during this period there were very few roles for black actors, other than playing servants. Women were mostly wives and girlfriends playing very vulnerable roles and were rarely the lead in the films. Characters with physical activities were usually played by able bodied actors.
- Loretta Young won best actress in 1948 for her role in a rom-com where she played a servant that became a figure in politics. However the films comedy came not from the dialogue but from the fact a servant girl was attempting to get into politics.
- Soon the television became a popular feature in many British people's homes. In 1960 Nan Winton tried out as a newsreader but was soon axed. She later complained about her treatment and said there was obvious discrimination.
- The USA didn't have its first female newsreader until 1976
- In the 1960s and 70s most programmes used sexist and racist humor as normal. eg. mother in law jokes, Irish jokes etc.
- There has also been discrimination in the fashion and editorial sphere.
- A lot of major fashion houses didn't or didn't have many black/non-Caucasian models on the runway for a long time and this can still be a problem in the present day.
- Niomi Campbell was the first black model to appear on the cover of British Vouge - this wasn't until 1987
- The size 0 debate still looms in the present day as the size isn't a representation of real women's sizes - are women discriminated against in society because of the very skinny models.
- There aren't many portrayals of larger women in films unless they are in lesser, comedy roles.
- Even in commercials there are very few companies that use black models, Even less use Asian models and there are non with disabilities.
- Products that help with a problem are usually not advertised with people who suffer from that problem
- In Hollywood today women have a lot more roles and often have the lead part in a film. People of different ethnic origins now appear more regularly.
- However, men can play a romantic lead in a film until their quite old, women however do not have the same opportunity and there seems to be a shelf life on women's acting career in main roles. The roles that are available for older women are often played by a small handful of women.
- Characters with disabilities are now more often played by actors with disabilities
- Still too often the villain in a film is black and the hero is white, women are housewives or secretaries, men are CEO's or bosses, homeless people are criminals, gay men are camp and effeminate.
