Thesis
Empowering authenticity: the impact of women's leadership on LGBTQIA representation and success in television and media
Master of Science (M.S.), Drexel University
Aug 2024
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00010624
Abstract
This case study discusses the role of women in leadership and creative control in the entertainment industry, specifically for women who identify as LGBTQIA. The research primarily sets out to discuss the current landscape of media production, looking into opportunities and challenges that women encounter when leading through complicated dynamics of creative expression, leading roles, and investment in the industry. The study evidences a changing but still very repressive model of inclusion, particularly in the ability of women to access leadership positions and to find support for their projects. Drawing on in-depth interviews with women in various roles across the entertainment industry, this qualitative study shows evidence that systemic barriers are still prevalent. According to the findings, while there has been amelioration toward more inclusive portrayals in the media, considerable limitations remain. For example, women and people of color, especially those in the LGBTQIA community, are almost always expected to write their own stories. They have very little chance for creative growth outside of personal narratives. In many instances, these women are expected to meet more exceptional standards than their male competition: the common motif is that they must be twice as qualified to afford the same amount of success. The case study also underlines enormous gaps in both the post-production and distribution stages, where women lose control over how the work is managed, even in the position of creative leadership. This lack of control usually bars them from ensuring that the end product reflects their vision and reaches their target audience. Regarding LGBTQIA representation, the research found an increase in LGBTQIA characters and stories. However, characters and storylines still primarily remain focused on gay white men, leaving other members who have different experiences and cultural backgrounds within that community underrepresented. This research adds to a growing body of work about gender and LGBTQIA representation on television and in film by outlining these continued disparities. In so doing, it calls for increased industry efforts to support women and LGBTQIA creators in bringing their original stories to life and having them marketed, distributed, and received by a broader audience. The findings reiterate the need for further investment in original narratives from various diverse, underrepresented communities and a more comprehensive approach to inclusivity that will not be based on tokenism but instead promote a fuller spectrum of diverse experiences within the media.
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Details
- Title
- Empowering authenticity
- Creators
- Asia Niequmb Crawford
- Contributors
- Michelle McHugh (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Science (M.S.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- 70 unnumbered pages
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Television (and Media) Management; Cinema and Television; Drexel University; Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design
- Other Identifier
- 991021901610104721