Files
Abstract
Hollywood gives the illusion that it is becoming more inclusive with an increasing number of Black women in lead roles on major television networks. Despite this positive trend towards inclusion, Black women are still highly underrepresented and misrepresented on television. The purpose of this study was to examine the quality of representation of Dr. Miranda Bailey and her patients over 15 Seasons of Grey’s Anatomy using Black feminist thought and cultivation theory. This research highlighted Dr. Bailey’s career progression, interpersonal relationships, mental and physical health, patients, controlling images, race and gender portrayal, and Grey’s Anatomy’s behind the screen representation. Dr. Bailey had a successful career, from resident to becoming the first Black woman Chief of Surgery at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, despite being primarily referenced by her last name at the height of her career. Her interpersonal relationships were often obstacles to her career progression, and she was portrayed as a Black woman who could not have both a successful career and marriage. The show missed opportunities for education about health-promoting behaviors and health disparities, even though health was a primary focus of Dr. Bailey’s character. Dr. Bailey treated very few Black and Brown patients, and their outcomes and illnesses did not represent reality. Diversifying the behind the scenes representation influenced the race and gender portrayals on Grey’s Anatomy. Race was rarely acknowledged, but gender was a main focus of the show. Dr. Bailey portrayed traits of several controlling images, most prominently mammy and sapphire. This research adds to the health promotion and entertainment education literature by highlighting the quality of representation of a Black woman character on the longest-running medical drama. Future research should explore the effects of television characters on Black women viewers.