Niecy Nash, comedian and the leading lady in TNT’s Claws, is eager for more diversity in media. On a recent episode of Netflix’s Chelsea, Nash gushed with Chelsea Handler about the progress made so far in regards to diversity in television. For a while, black women were typecasted to “be the sassy black dot dot dot—sassy black neighbor, sassy black mama, sassy black friend,” Nash explained. “It was just one note.” But shows like Claws are doing things differently, featuring a bold, diverse group both in front of and behind the camera. The show demonstrates how sincere, authentic efforts for diversity in television can deliver entertaining and unique stories with memorable characters.
But the most notable thing in this discussion was said later by Nash: “The one thing that I will say is what I get all the time now is that because of Taraji P. Henson and Viola Davis and Kerry Washington, ‘Things have changed. Now everything is okay.’ And I’m like, ‘No, it’s not.’ That is progress, and I love seeing my black and brown sisters on TV—but there are so many other women in the world besides black and white women. Whose stories are not being told.” When Chelsea asked her to specify, Nash explains further, “I mean Asian woman, Indian women, Muslim women. A lot of women!”
Nash is absolutely correct and her list should go much further. One of the best ways media can have better diverse representation is to hire more female writers, producers, and directors.