What kinds of stories do you wish the entertainment industry told more often?
In Assembly’s “Around the world” series, girls sound off on the topics that matter to them, from the companies they’re dreaming up to the issues they wished more leaders talked about.
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“I love science fiction stories so I’d like to see more women as crazy scientists or as captains of fictional starships, like the Millennium Falcon. I'm a programmer and in movies, programmers and hackers are always shown as shy men hacking NASA from the corner of their bedrooms and they’re always the supporting actors! I don't see myself in these characters...I love public speaking. And also I prefer daylight when I'm coding! I want to see a brave woman who is the hero of the story and who is always coding on her laptop to save her friends and change the world.”
— Isabela, 18, Peru
“I dream of the day where the African princesses I grew up looking up to will be shown to the millions of kids who are unaware of them. We are all impacted by each other’s stories in ways we don’t realize until we have the chance to see the world in its many forms. I wish the entertainment industry would shine more light on diverse stories so that people could open their eyes to and celebrate the world as it truly is.”
— Mary, 19, from Ghana, living in the U.S.
“I wish the entertainment industry stopped sugar-coating social justice issues, like feminism, racism and economic injustice. Too often truths and messages are warped to meet socially accepted standards, leaving out contextual importance and making these issues appear normalized or acceptable. Stories need to be told in a raw and authentic way to prompt the audience to make impactful change.”
— Tia, 16, New Zealand
“I think the entertainment industry should tell some realistic and inspirational stories about women that connect to girls’ lives. Girls like me all around the world look for women role models in movies, TV shows and books. We look for women who can understand our pain and who are making a place in the world for other girls. These are the stories I want to see more often.”
— Dekshina, 16, India
“I would like to see more stories about altruistic events like donations, charity events and helping other people in need because I am interested in those kinds of activities and it is important to teach new generations that we as a society can grow if we do teamwork.”
— Natalia, 18, Mexico
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