Casual Representation in Media

Mikayla Leskey | Arts & Entertainment

The thing about casual representation in the Media is that it’s just that, casual. Most creators believe it’s meant for side characters and one-off characters only, not for the main ones. But a lot of times, casual representation is better than the route creators usually go, where their main character's defining trait is their queerness or disability or sickness.

Sure, there’s some pieces of media that do that well, like Love, Simon or Five Feet Apart where the story revolves around their differences, but then there’s other pieces of media that either don’t do anything with the characters queerness or disability or make that the entire point of the character, only for the character to not get the best ending for one reason or another. 

That’s when we get into the idea of casual representation. The importance of it, why it’s needed, and how to do it ‘right’. I talk a lot about the importance of representation and why there should be good representation in the media, but I’ve never really gone into how even good representation could be harmful. Not everybody wants a character who embodies being queer or their disability, some just want to know that they can grow up. That there’s space for them in the world and they won’t be left to the wayside. 

For example, Adolescence on Netflix, a suspenseful TV Show on Netflix about a teenage boy being investigated for killing one of his classmates. There’s a small scene in the second episode where a teacher with a Pride flag lanyard walks by. I haven’t finished the show yet, but just a small detail gives so much hope for kids and teens themselves. The same goes for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Gwen Stacy has a “Protect Trans Kids” sign hanging in her bedroom. Again, the movie never discusses queerness at all, but seeing that sign gave fans all around the world a lot of content. 

As well, The Dragon Prince: Mystery of Aarvos, whilst having a multitude of queer relationships already, the show also has a deaf character who leads an army and has an interpreter. The same goes for the disney show The Owl House, again, having multiple queer relationships through-out the show, but the point was never to be queer it was just to show growth and relationship as the main characters grew. 

Casual representation is an extremely messy line to walk. Some show-runners use it as an excuse to follow the “bury-your-gays” trope. A trope where the main character gets into a same-sex relationship, after normally just having straight relations, and their same-sex partner is killed off. Some creators will only ever leave it as subtext, whether that be ADHD-related or queerness, like Dean Winchester from Supernatural or any of the main teenagers from Stranger Things. 

The idea of them being queer or mentally-ill will always be there, but it is so nice to have it confirmed. To have the ability to look at a character and know that they’re just like you. That their queerness or disability or mental health is just a part of them, just like breathing, and not a defining factor. A lot of people crave this kind of representation just to say, “I’m here, I’ve always been here, and I’m never going away.”

Most people don’t realize they’re different until their differences are pointed out to them. It can be scary knowing you’re different and not knowing anyone else like you who has grown up. That’s why seeing queer adults in Media, as well as disabled, mentally ill, and sick adults provide so much for everyone. Not only does it help normalize it, it also gives hope to people who do it too. It’s telling people that their differences don’t define them, or you, and nobody else can either, even if they try their hardest.