How Queens' Representation Succeeds Where So Many Other Shows Failed
ABC'sQueens is one of the few network shows that thrives in its representation of its female POC, an area in which so many other shows have failed. The drama follows a female rap group from the 90s that reunites after 20 years. The four women struggle to redefine themselves and their careers as they strive to make a comeback in hip-hop. In today's climate, audiences and critics seek the authentic, well-rounded development of women of color in shows, and in that, Queens excels. It's one of few network shows that succeed in elevating its main leads and straying from the harmful stereotypes that Black and Latina women face in media.
On the same network, a few shows that predate Queens have opened the door toward positive representation, such as How to Get Away With Murder's Annalise Keating (Viola Davis) and Station 19's Andy Herrera (Jaina Lee Ortiz). But overall, nuanced and dynamic representation of Black women on network TV has been underwhelming, with characters of color generally reduced to lazy character tropes: the Magical Negro, the Black best friend or the sassy Black woman or, adjacent to that, the spicy Latina. What these stock characters all have in common is not only their foundation in stereotypes but the restraint of any other dimensions besides the preset. In a refreshing change, Queens challenges itself to have its four leads and supporting cast be more than stereotypes. The women of the show are not only the forefront but a truly real representation of modern women of color.
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The musical drama grounds itself in the heart of hip-hop culture, but from the perspective of women emcees. Female rappers are often overlooked in
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