GLEE is back!!

One of my favorite shows this year, Glee premiered its spring season last night, and I couldn't be more excited. The pop culture references were just as witty, shocking, and hilarious as usual, the songs were great, and all of the original characters were back in action. Despite being one of the more offbeat shows on television today, what stood out to me while watching the episode last night was how diverse of a cast Glee has. This got me thinking about our topic of identity, and how one of the aspects that may draw people to the show is the fact that they are almost sure to find one character that they can relate to either in looks, personality, sexual orientation, economic status, etcetera. After noticing this, I tried to pay more attention to how each of the different characters were portrayed and whether or not they find any types of stereotypes relating to their identity. Mercedes, one of the featured African American cast members, has a larger than life personality, and is known for her amazing voice, sassy attitude, and brightly colored ensembles. I feel that this is the way most African Americans are presented in the media, but that is not to say that it can’t be a realistic depiction. I just feel that there should be just as much variety in the personalities of black characters, as there are for white characters. Another member of the cast, Kirk, is a gay teen. He is without a doubt my favorite character on the show, but it is not lost on me that he fits the mold that most of us see when we think of a young gay male. He is flamboyant and not very strong or athletic. I think it’s important to point out that some, but not all members of the gay community look or act in that manner. There are other minorities on the show including a glee student of Asian descent, and Rachel, who is Jewish. I’m sure anyone could find stereotypes within these characters as well, but I think it’s also important to question whether all of these stereotypes are negative and should be criticized, or if some of them have a different meaning.