Eleven recent shows that have empowered me personally

Media doesn’t exist in a vacuum; it represents the world with all its issues, it’s positivity, and it’s population. So why is it that there’s so little representation out there for women, people of colour, people with disability, and the LGBTQIA community? Because, let’s face it, as awesome as the media that we consume is, there’s no denying that it can be a lot better.

This is where this list comes in: a starting point of podcasts, movies, books and TV shows that are taking issues of representation seriously and don’t make you want to rip your hair out. Please keep in mind that this list does not contain every single form of representative media (it is merely a starting point) and that the listed media themselves are not perfect and do have their issues.

Also, this does not mean that you cannot enjoy media that doesn’t do well with representation, because it’s alright to enjoy problematic things, as long as you acknowledge the problematic aspects and don’t try to defend them.

Of course, none of these shows are perfect and have their own individual problems, but they are a good start in my opinion.

The trigger warnings (tw) are provisional; I still have some episodes to catch up on.

Elementary (TV series) tw: death, violence, gun violence, 2012-present

Sleepy Hollow (TV series) tw: death, gore, 2013-present

Hannibal (TV series) tw: death, gore, abuse, cannibalism, 2013-present

Welcome to Nightvale (podcast) 2013-present

The Mindy Project (TV series) 2012-present

Call the Midwife (TV series) tw: death, childbirth, abortion, 2012-present

Brooklyn 99 (TV series) 2013-present

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV series) tw supernatural elements, horror, consent issues, death, violence, attempted rape (1997-2003)

Scandal (TV series) tw: rape, racism, infidelity, corruption (2012-Present)

Firefly (TV series) tw: ableism, violence, death, fatal disease (2002)

Scandal (TV series) tw rape, racism, infidelity, corruption (2012-Present)