Whose Story Gets Told!?

How would you describe yourself to others? Would you mention your age or race? Your gender identity? What about your hobbies or religious beliefs? These are all important parts of who we are and how we present ourselves to the world.

Now think about those parts of your identity you just named. Have you ever seen a TV show, video clip, or movie that depicted that part of your identity accurately? Can you think of examples in which important parts of your identity have been wrongly or unfairly portrayed by the media? How did that make you feel? Media representations of people’s identities shape others’ ideas about them. Media representations can influence, confirm or even destroy ideas that stereotype people, so it’s important to think critically when we encounter them.

In this kiosk, nine separate videos of 2 minutes each feature current or past Michigan residents reacting to media depictions about an important part of their identities. Are the portrayals of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, and disability accurate? Are they fair? Come see for yourself. Press pause now to select a video. Resume the audio track when you’re ready.

Did anything our video participants said surprise you? What about the onscreen portrayals depicted? At the table near the video, the kiosk takes a minute to reflect on how the media represents who you are and share your thoughts on our exhibit.

There's more to learn about how portrayals – or a lack thereof – of our stories and identities shape our relationship with media. Find your next station and select the corresponding track when you arrive.