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Kathryn Ryan

CM 384 Media Criticism

6 May 2022

Final Research Paper

The Representation of Race, Gender, and Sexuality in Grey's Anatomy

The show Grey’s Anatomy started in 2005 and is still airing today. Throughout the times

they have related to media events that were happening in current times to bring light to. Grey’s

Anatomy represents many different groups such as race, gender, and sexuality. Each of these

groups are represented in a different way. The show seemingly tries to keep up with the times

and discuss current issues in society. By following the differing character storylines, you can see

how the show tries to keep up with current problems in society. It's not always problems they try

to develop into the storyline but other types of people so you can relate to someone in the show.

Having a larger variety of people, the more viewers you may have.

Shonda Rhimes is the owner and producer of Grey’s Anatomy. He company Shondaland

produces the show among others. Shonda is an African American Women who identifies as

straight. While this may play a role in the shows she decides to produce and the storylines that

she writes, she is also very open to what is currently going on in society. She likes to represent

woman in her shows, majority are the lead characters. Her shows also offer a variety of races

being represented. I think being a woman of color she wanted to represent woman and different

races as leading roles in the show. “The show garnered attention for its diverse cast, strong

female characters, and interracial relationships, all of which became hallmarks of Rhimes’s

series.” (Tikkanen). This quote represents how she wanted Grey's Anatomy to be portrayed to its

audience. By including Characters and storylines it helped to change how shows were being
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casted and written. With the show becoming so successful it has also allowed her to create other

spinoffs with similar storylines and backings of representing different people. This series has

become so successful throughout the years because they represent people who weren't being

shown at this level on TV. They have also adapted to different situations as they have been on

screen for 17 years. They are on the ABC network which has a variety of shows being played.

The show is also played on multiple streaming services which allows for different age groups to

watch the show. They can reach a larger audience having it stream and play live. Also having the

ability to watch older seasons to catch up if you wanted to start a new show. The LGBTQ

community is underrepresented in the entertainment industry. “Rhimes… zeroed in on the fact

that of the core four who are doing best by the underrepresented community, she is the only one

who is not LGBTQ.” (Mitovich, 2021). She is very interested when it comes to representing the

people that are either misrepresented or underrepresented. Shonda stated that it is a similar

problem with both race and sexuality being shown on screen. “White people don't do their job

when it comes to representing people of color. Straight people don't do their job when it comes

to representing queer people.” (Mitovich, 2021). This helps shape the way the story is written for

the show. She wants to represent all different types of people and backgrounds on her shows.

The point of view in the show is based off how Shonda feels diversity is being represented in the

media.

Grey's Anatomy tends to challenge the gender norms of heterosexuality and the

importance of friendship between different genders. (Lauricella). This drama represents smart

woman, of different races and sexual orientations. The show has stayed relevant with the times

by bringing different groups of people and storylines to represent current situations. It doesn't

focus just on romantic relationships but friendships between people. Since the show has been on
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for many years it has been able to keep up with current stories in the media. The show is known

for staying relevant and having hard conversations on screen. The show is continuously

contributing to the social discourses in which race plays a part in everyday interactions.

(Cramer). It brings attention to social problems that are very relevant in today’s society and

brings them to your screen. Some conversations you may not be used to having or hearing is

brought right to your screen.

The show also discusses social and political movements. One example is abortions, this

topic has been discussed and represented on many episodes of the show throughout the years.

This topic may be sensitive to some and not everyone has the same opinion about it. Having a

topic like abortion mentioned on national television can get information out there, showing a

different perspective on a show rather than just hearing about it in the news can be beneficial.

People tend to avoid the topic of abortion because it is a sensitive subject, the show represents

both sides and the reason behind them. (Sisson). There are different types of abortions and

reasons for deciding to get one or not. This has been a topic for years and can be hard to talk

about on TV without any backlash. The ABC network is also liberal/progressive making them

more prone to discuss different topics and represent different types of people. The show tends to

create plotlines over the years based on what is happening in the world. Most of the time the

show is covering a topic that is in the news frequently, which can be emotional for some to

watch. The storylines are based off real situations in most cases to entertain their audiences.

(Painter). Medical dramas are created to represent doctors and depict the lifestyle that they may

undergo.

Throughout the show they have represented different storylines and portrayed characters in

different ways. All types of relationships are represented throughout the characters. They have
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had gay, straight, lesbian and others represented. (Zuk). Depending how the relationship is

portrayed will affect how the viewers respond. At the end of the day, it's a TV show and won't be

expressing every situation but it does talk about the storyline for lesbians coming out. This has

been an ongoing plotline in the show for many years period having many different couples

passed through with different sexual orientations. Grey’s Anatomy exhibits nonverbal

communication as a part of their role. The impact that medical shows have on doctors encounters

with patients in real life is astounding. (Mickel). People believe that since they watch medical

shows that they truly understand what a doctor does, it's just a show it's not completely accurate

to how things should be done. At the end of the day, it's all for entertainment and not complete

accuracy to how things should be done. People shouldn't be basing their opinions on doctors off

a medical show, they aren't the trained professionals.

Grey’s Anatomy is viewed by the media in an unrealistic experience. Medical

professionals believe that people expectations are influenced by television dramas that are set in

a hospital workplace. “The purpose of this study was to compare trauma outcomes on television

dramas versus reality” (Serrone et al., 2018). Being able to compare fiction versus nonfiction

when it comes to television and what people believe. TV is meant to entertain you not

necessarily give you the full picture on every situation. At the end of the day these aren't experts

portraying characters they are normal people. While this is how majority of people get their

information it is not always accurate. It is meant to keep you interested in the episode and want

to continue watching. “The public's familiarity with the real-life hospital course in recovery from

major injury is limited to personal experience, so it is conceivable that, for many, expectations

are largely shaped by the portrayal of traumatic injury on television.” (Serrone et al., 2018).

Modern medicine portrayed on television is not accurate to reality. In most cases the outcomes
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are much different. Not everyone is an award-winning surgeon. This show is a drama and is

looking for the best story to make you keep watching week to week. While it is a medical show it

also touches upon the relationships between colleagues, patients, and friends. Some situations

that take place aren't appropriate in a workplace. In a show you don't see that ins and outs of the

care that is required for a patient. Each patient is different because not every situation is the same

and everybody has a different response. Grey's Anatomy shows crazy medical emergencies that

aren't common. Their responses are also different to entertain the audience, most have extreme

circumstances that aren't most of the time in a real hospital. People are so quick to believe what

they see on TV inform opinions that when it comes to being in a real situation in the hospital,

they expect the same care to take place. In episode is less than an hour long where you may see

an outcome for a medical situation where in real life, they can take days, weeks, months to

recover. You won't get an answer in less than an hour, tests take time, and each situation is

different.

People’s judgement comes into play based on political issues that are being shown each

episode. Being on a liberal/progressive network they tend to discuss in a more open way topics

that are sensitive to some. Race is discussed openly, and the effects people of color have in a

workplace or personal level. They share these experiences through different characters and story

lines so you can relate. The show has covered all different types of people through walks of life.

From different races, genders, social class, and sexuality. They all play a part in different

characters and storyline along the way. Within the last couple of years Grey's Anatomy had

episodes relating to the Black Lives Matter movement. They related to characters of people of

color to talk about their feelings and how the current state in the world made them feel and the

experiences they have gone through. Different genders are talked about constantly especially
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when it comes to different pay scales and experiences based on your gender. Transgenders are

also talked about in the show, while they are going through transitions and what they deal with

daily from the public. Social class is also shown throughout the series because you have very

rich patients and very poor patients. The access to medical care they receive is much different.

The show portrays these situations differently and may be relatable to some. But it is hard to

depict a situation when it is a TV show and not everything is accurate. Especially today where

anyone may be offended by the way something shown or portrayed. One of the episodes showed

a doctor using their medical insurance to help a sick child with no insurance. Some of these

situations are unethical and not realistic. Medical insurance in America is a hot topic and they

were trying to relate in showing how the system doesn’t help unless you have money or

insurance. Sexuality is widely represented in the show, and they are in full support of the

LGBTQ community. They were ahead of most shows representing this community on screen.

This topic makes some people uncomfortable to see on screen due to it being out of the social

norm that the media constructs people to think like. For a long time, the media represented the

LGBT community in a negative light which led them to facing many problems when it came to

coming out and feeling accepted. In this show even though they do face some struggles due to

their sexuality it is not as severe as what people deal with in real life. This show is representing

people in a normal way in hopes of showing acceptance to its viewers. The show is viewed by

many across different platforms and age groups. By representing all different sexualities, it helps

for people to relate and feel accepted at a larger level. The storylines play into the government’s

perspective. Due to the interests and what is talked about on the show it will gain interest from

all types of people. The show can reach a large audience and spread information as it chooses.

They get to share from what I whatever political standpoint they choose. The show is very
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progressive and inclusive to all kinds of people. This doesn't appeal to all political parties. It

tends to lean more towards a democratic point of view. Especially when it comes to difficult

topics that are hot in the current news cycle.

Media criticism has given me the tools to analyze the stereotypes of race gender and

sexuality in different media forms. it has allowed me to look at the story from each side and

understand there's a meaning behind everything. The media views show like Grey's Anatomy as

progressive today. Shows do represent different stereotypes based on a person situation.

Stereotypes are common because that is the way people view different situations. Shows like

Grey's Anatomy although sometimes falls short try to represent common stereotypes a different

way. They don't make a big deal about lesbian or gay relationships over straight relationships

they treat it normal. This helps overall to create a more inclusive environment and teach people

that it is OK. The story can be changed as a result because however the show represents people is

how the world is seeing it. When you see a story in the news about a person of color being

racially targeted you may not think much about it because of how they are portrayed on a TV

show you watch. Problems still happen in society and just because you watch a TV show where

people are represented doesn't mean you have the full story. The show touches upon different

altercations and events but mainly for one episode not the whole series. It's hard to tell a full

story on a problem when you have an hour conversation about it. This can affect history because

people tend to form opinions based off what they see. If someone watches more TV shows rather

than the news that's where they're getting their source of information. Since there are different

mediums it's hard to filter what people are seeing. Everyone forms their own opinion based off

the information they have. By having the knowledge that there are different media forms it has

given me the ability to form stronger opinions based on different sources. I know not to trust just
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one story rather to do my research and dig to find every side in every article and not just believe

one thing. Always look thoroughly before you decide on a topic. every article, journal, and book

you read is from a different person and their opinions, you need to find your own opinion and

stories to make an informed decision.

The intended audience for this media is ages 18- 55. Based on where the advertisements

are placed, when the show started, places you can watch, and the interactions from cast

members. Advertisements for the show are on social media, different streaming services, and

commercials. Having all these different forms advertisement gives the ability to reach all

different age groups. People who watch the show also talk about it and recommend it too

different people of all different backgrounds. Due to the show being on for so many years it has

overlapped into different generations. Families can now watch the show together. People get

paid to post about shows and products. This allows different groups of people to come across the

show. Advertisements also come in the form of commercials which play clips of the upcoming

episodes hoping to draw in ratings. Due to streaming services airing older seasons and having

next day viewing of the newest episodes it allows for everyone to watch. Especially those are

younger age who are interested in watching, they can go back and watch older seasons to catch

up, so they don't miss anything. The show started in 2005 and is still airing today they have been

going for 17 years, that is a long run for a medical show. Since social media is prominent today

people have viewing parties for episodes in cast members will tweet or post about the episode

helping to promote the show. By interacting with fans, it keeps people interested and wanting to

come back for more. They expect the mainstream audience will accept the media as is because

they have been running episodes for years and they know how to keep the audience entertained.

Having multiple options to watch the episode is also enticing because those who view it live
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must watch commercials, but those who stream it the next day can bypass commercials and

watch it faster. The network ABC that plays the show also has dedicated audience members who

have the same beliefs that are put on the screen. Majority of the viewers have the same mindset

and agree with what is being discussed. Non target audience members might find the content

offensive because they may not have the same views on the topics being discussed. They may

also see a short clip of an episode and not understand the context behind it which can be

offensive to many depending on what is being discussed. Not everyone has the same point of

view when it comes to how a situation is discussed in portrayed. It may also be offensive if they

have gone through a similar situation, and it wasn't represented in the best possible way.

Throughout my research on how Grey's Anatomy is represented in the media and how it

represents different groups of race, gender, and sexuality. The media industry operates different

based on their beliefs and affiliations with other partners. The biases they form are based on their

political agenda. In Grey's anatomy's case due to it being on a liberal network they are more

progressive and open minded when it comes to personalized situations. It includes talking about

racial issues, being open about sexual orientations, and how gender plays a role in society. The

show openly discusses these topics throughout the series. Especially when topics are current in

the news. The show is informative when it comes to these sensitive topics. Not everyone who

watches the show has the same beliefs which can cause some negative backlash in the press. Not

all storylines match exactly how people are feeling. The media is extremely involved in

representing different groups of people. Even though they have different beliefs on the topics

they are discussing. Due to the network being more liberal and progressive it allows for a

different perspective to be talked about in the media about with these groups of people. If it were

a conservative network, you wouldn't see as many different types of relationships being
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represented. Which is sad because people shouldn't have to hide who they are and should feel

represented in a show that they watch and be able to relate. The change is needed for the

representation of race, gender, and sexuality to be represented or reported differently is a change

in society overall. This show is one of a few that represent different kinds of people. Although

the topics could be discussed more frequently to get their point across. If it is not of interest at a

national or global level, then it won't be discussed enough. There is always a reason for why a

topic is being discussed if it is a positive or negative reason that depends on the network. Each

network has a reason for how they tell a story and what information is shared. You don't get the

full story from watching one network you need to look around to get the whole story and form

your own opinion. At the end of the day the media it's to make a real effort to show all sides so

people will trust in it again. The news is supposed to be a place to get information not to make

anyone upset about how something is being discussed. The news can start fights among the

people in society based on controversial topics. People need to realize they need to communicate

rather than fight. Openly discussing how the world needs to change and adapt will only help

benefit our future.

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Works Cited

Campbell, R., Jensen, J., Gomery, D., Fabos, B., & Frechette, J. D. (2014). Media in society.
Bedford/St. Martin's. 

Cramer, L. M. (n.d.). The Whitening of Grey's Anatomy. Discovery. Retrieved April 10, 2022,

from https://discovery-ebsco-com.calio.idm.oclc.org/ 

Lauricella, S., & Scott, H. M. (n.d.). Anatomy of a Wedding. Discovery. Retrieved April 10,
2022, from https://discovery-ebsco-com.calio.idm.oclc.org/ 

Mickel, J. T., McGuire, S.-L., & Gross-Gray, S. (2013, June 1). Grey’s Anatomy and
Communication Accommodation: Exploring Aspects of Nonverbal Interactions Portrayed
in Media. Interpersona: An International Journal on Personal Relationships. Retrieved
April 10, 2022, from https://doaj.org/article/b8266d24c0934f8ba4d24e0a19bed7cb 

Mitovich, M. W. (2021, January 15). Shonda Rhimes: Being the only straight EP singled out by
GLAAD 'is not ok,' points to diversity problem. TVLine. Retrieved April 26, 2022, from
https://tvline.com/2021/01/15/shonda-rhimes-glaad-report-lgbtq-representation-on-tv/ 

Painter, D. (n.d.). Playing doctor on TV: physician portrayals and interactions on medical

drama, comedy, and reality shows. Discovery. Retrieved April 10, 2022, from
https://discovery-ebsco-com.calio.idm.oclc.org/ 

Serrone, R. O., Weinberg, J. A., Goslar, P. W., Wilkinson, E. P., Thompson, T. M., Dameworth,
J. L., Dempsey, S. R., & Petersen, S. R. (2018, February 19). Grey's anatomy effect:
Television portrayal of patients with trauma may cultivate unrealistic patient and family
expectations after injury. Trauma surgery & acute care open. Retrieved April 26, 2022,
from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5887783/ 

Sisson, G., Herold, S., Walter, N., & Brooks, J. J. (n.d.). Prime‐time abortion on Grey's
Anatomy: What do US viewers learn from fictional portrayals of abortion on
television? Discovery. Retrieved April 10, 2022, from https://discovery-ebsco-
com.calio.idm.oclc.org/ 

Tikkanen, A. (n.d.). Shonda Rhimes. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved April 26, 2022, from
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Shonda-Rhimes 

Zuk, T. D. (n.d.). Coming out on "Grey's anatomy": Industry scandal, constructing a lesbian

story line, and fan action. Transformative Works and Cultures. Retrieved April 10, 2022,
from https://journal.transformativeworks.org/index.php/twc/article/view/980