Stereotypes of race on television shows can have a large negative impact, especially when little kids are watching these shows. In multiple Disney Channel shows, there are Indian characters that are placed with almost every Indian stereotype imaginable. Because so many young children are watching these television shows, the stereotypes are perpetuated and ingrained even more into society. For the many children who watch Disney Channel, this is now the idea of Indian people that possess.
One show in particular, “Jessie”, shows an adopted boy named Ravi. Ravi is constantly referencing tigers, fortune telling, curry, samosa, or ganesh. He also teaches a yoga class, and is often bribed in one way or another to do his brothers homework for him because he is “good at math and science.”
Ravi is seen at the 54 second mark being made fun of for his traditional Indian outfit.
It is not only the show “Jessie” that prolongs these stereotypes. In the Disney Channel hit show, “Phineas and Ferb,” Baljeet plays the role of the little Indian boy who helps Phineas and Ferb calculate the math in their constructions. Emerging series such as “Bunk’d,” also continue to perpetuate these stereotypes.
Most children who watch these shows already have a set ideal about how Indian people dress, think, and act. Disney may be trying to teach children about culture, however they end up perpetuating false stereotypes.
The extent of racist stereotypes used on Disney could almost be confused for being satirizing. Children are vulnerable to believing what they see in the media, and it is hazardous for Disney Channel to be perpetuating these stereotypes.
I really liked the way your blog post pointed out specific instances that Disney is held accountable for perpetuating stereotypes. It's especially wrong because Disney is supposed to be a network that is directed at children...if children, who tend to be quite naive, are growing up watching things like this then they will apply it to the real world when they go to school, to restaurants, etc. I give Disney Channel credit for exposing children to different cultures through the TV shows, but they should not support the cultural stereotypes the way they do. They should be reinventing the way that children accept different cultures by blending the barriers, rather than teaching kids that "all Indians" are "good at math and science".
ReplyDeleteThis is a really interesting post. I grew up watching Disney Channel and have never realized how prevalent stereotypes are in these shows. Also I know that the actor who plays Ravi has an American accent in real life and fakes his Indian accent, which brings a whole new level to the stereotypes portrayed in "Jessie."
ReplyDeleteThis is a really interesting post. I grew up watching Disney Channel and have never realized how prevalent stereotypes are in these shows. Also I know that the actor who plays Ravi has an American accent in real life and fakes his Indian accent, which brings a whole new level to the stereotypes portrayed in "Jessie."
ReplyDeleteThis is an awesome post and I have noticed the same thing when it comes to watching other channels and tv shows. Culture is really not expanding the mind when it comes to shows just like "Jessie". Ravi is presented as a smart, religious Indian boy but why can't he be the other way around and still be India? also many people in other stories are the same way and how they are built to struggle or strive due to race and social class but why stay in the guide lines and change it up a bit. Great subject to bring up and really made people think, great job.
ReplyDeleteI think that your blog post is spot on in analyzing Disney Channel's portrayal of Indian characters. Disney is portraying this image to children and they develop this into their identification of how an Indian person should be. I have noticed the same thing in shows on other networks that are geared towards kids. Great post.
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