New Post has been published on http://socioscene.com/what-sofia-vergaras-emmys-sketch-means-for-latinas/
What Sofia Vergara's Emmys Sketch Means For Latinas
You spin me right âround. And Iâm not liking it.
1. By now, youâve probably seen some of the chatter surrounding Sofia Vergaraâs sketch at the Emmys.
It involved Vergara posing on a giant spinning platform, the joke being that her Latina-brand hotness would provide a welcome distraction from a boring speech (which mentioned diversity) by Television Academy CEO and chairman Bruce Rosenblum. But for many on Twitter, the stunt was more cringe-worthy than funny.
2. Vergara has responded to the backlash, telling her critics to âlighten up.â
Fox / Via whatculture.com
âI think its absolutely the opposite,â she said. âIt means that somebody can be hot and also be funny and make fun of herself. I think itâs ridiculous that somebody started this â I know who she was â who has no sense of humor [and should] lighten up a little bit.â
And some agree. At Mediaite, Cathy Reisenwitz wrote, âVergara stepped up on that pedestal because she had something to say about her industry. If you canât hear it over the sound of her beautiful body, that is your malfunction.â
3. No word on who Vergara thinks âstarted this.â
Paramount Pictures / Via soletstalkabout.com
Who invites you to tea and then wonât serve it? Come on, Sofia.
4. But pop culture events that play out in front of a large audience arenât just about one person at one moment.
Columbia Pictures / Via reactiongifs.us
Vergaraâs participation in that sketch â and the fact that it was pitched, written, and approved â makes this moment bigger than Sofia Vergara. This moment is about Latina representation in general.
5. So. Letâs put the sketch in context.
We live at a point in history where women in general and Latinas in particular are both underrepresented in popular media, as well as portrayed in a sexualized and stereotypical manner more often than not.
6. If Vergaraâs partcipation in the sketch was an attempt to satirize that reality, it fell flatâŚ
ABC / Via i.perezhilton.com
..and thereâs a reason for that.
7. Here are just a few examples of her participation in maintaining a stereotypical portrayal of Latinas:
ABC / Via lovebabymama.com
Itâs not successful satire if youâre complicit in the problem youâre satirizing.
12. And the truth is that Sofia Vergara is better than these roles.
Bravo / Via i.perezhilton.com
She has great comedic timing. Sheâs business-savvy, extending her brand to include clothing, accessories, and jewelry. Sheâs marketable, landing endorsement deals for giant brands like Head & Shoulders and Pepsi. Sheâs won a SAG Award, a Glamour Award for her comedic skills, and even an NAACP Image Award. Sheâs been the highest-paid actress on television âby a long shotâ for two years running. Sheâs at a point in her career where she could make a point of demanding better, more nuanced (and still funny) material.
Fox / Via img4.wikia.nocookie.net
Besides defending the Emmys sketch, she has also defended Modern Family against criticsâ claims that the showâs creative team has a problem when it comes to race and ethnicity, and that her character can veer into stereotypical territory.
And so things remain the sameâŚ
14. âŚwhich has a very real impact on the women, especially Latina women, who are Vergaraâs peers.
Columbia Pictures / Via tumblr.com
Taking the easier path will, more often that not, leave the path a little less smooth and a lot more cluttered with obstacles and garbage for those who journey behind you. A great example of how that domino effect has played out for black actresses and characters is The Grioâs post on âthe changing image of the African-American âleading lady.ââ
15. Of course Sofia Vergara has agency. Of course she gets to decide what to do with her body and with her image.
And thatâs just the problem. The choices she is making donât exist in a vacuum. No one actress can or should represent an entire diverse ethnicity, but the fact remains that 1) there are very few visible, powerful Latinas in Hollywood, and 2) she is one of them.
And so the choices she makes have a very real impact on the way Latinas are represented in popular culture, the roles that are seen as being in demand, and the stories deemed worth the time and money it takes to make them.
16. I just hope she keeps that in mind.
Read more: http://www.buzzfeed.com/alexalvarez/what-is-satire-even
