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The Effects Of Whitewashing In Hollywood

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Given that the media is such a major part of how we see the world, it is important to dig deeper into the message it often portrays. In this day, televisions and cellphones are staple devices in every household, making it a simple and speedy platform to influence individuals of all demographics. Hollywood in particular has all the potential to provide positive and true portrayals of Asian culture through their work but they continue to do the exact opposite in order to please American viewership which leads to the whitewashing of the material. Race is sadly a factor that goes into choosing the right person for a role and this is where whitewashing comes into play as white actors are casted in roles that were originally meant for non-white actors. This can be seen in Hollywood as early as the 1920’s up to modern day America. This can have negative effects on our society and the way we view each other due to misrepresentation and blatant disrespect towards cultures, however it can also bring awareness and spark change due to the backlash it receives at the same time.
. The practice of whitewashing is extremely prevalent and has become somewhat of a tradition among Hollywood’s many works. Hollywood has a long history of whitewashing that dates back as early as 1919 in D.W. Griffith’s film Broken Blossoms in which a white actor played the role of a Chinese immigrant. Back then, whitewashing was overt and the roles were highly caricatured, especially in the series of “Charlie

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