Okay … this post is brought to you by a post made by someone way cooler than me who said it very well that Uhura/Spock from Star Trek’s latest movie, the “reboot”, was not a “bad thing” that certain parts of its fanbase is determined to make it out to be. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. It is a very good thing. I highly recommend her post which I found on LiveJournal.

But this post? Not the same post. I’m not going to rehash that particular argument, because rawles said it better than I ever could. Similar in some ways. Just not the same.

In her post, it was mentioned a lot where she had so few moments of “OMG A BLACK GIRL!” in popular culture media. There’s a sense of invisibility that comes with that, and with that invisibility comes a sense of worthlessness. As though you’re not really worth mentioning, not worth the time of popular culture to even consider. I’m not worth looking at because I’m not blonde, or blue-eyed. Hell, I’m not even black, which according to Hollywood, is the only other colour out there. Or Asian. And when they are shown, they’re often … not flattering portrayals. Not always, which is even more awesome when they’re positive. Even still, seeing those archetypes on television, in popular culture, is such a boost to one’s self-esteem.

I’ve always found it really, really difficult to describe or articulate how this invisibility feels, how it affects you and the way that you view and experience media. I remember someone posted a one page article or somesuch wherein all of the actors in STXI had just one little soundbyte type quotation about their character and their feelings about the original version. John Cho’s was him noting that his reaction to Sulu was essentially: “OMG AN ASIAN GUY IS ON TV.”

The comments on that post were filled with people loling about how hilarious John Cho is, as if he were telling a fucking joke.

Yeah, except I’m not laughing.

And when Native Americans are presented in popular culture, there aren’t any women present. It’s all men because we are supposedly the “honorable savage” or the “noble warrior” … and women aren’t warriors. Well, unless you’re Col. Samantha Carter from Stargate. But she’s blonde and blue-eyed – and y’know, white. lol

While I was excited and deeply appreciated Adam Beach‘s character on Law & Order, Det. Chester Lake (who was not only Native, but Mohawk!  Woohoo!  We’re really making those Cherokees work for their rep now!  lol), I was left disappointed again as he was portrayed as a warrior character: a cop and former boxer … who ended up being arrested for the murder of a fellow police officer.  Granted, the “victim” was a very bad man, but still.  C’MON!

My point is, growing up, I didn’t even get those moments that rawles (the author of the aforementioned LJ post) or even John Cho mentioned. Whenever I saw Native Americans on TV or in movies, the focus was always on the men. Tantoo Cardinal gets waaaaaay less recognition than, say, Gordon Tootoosis. I’m willing to bet people recognize and can name at least two movies with my uncle than they can with Tantoo.

(speaking of which … hahaha Tantoo and uncle were in a movie together … Legends of the Fall. Not as husband and wife though.)

Even worse, when there are women, they’re relegated to wives. In the background, quiet or in the bed of the husband (oh hai Little Big Man). Ugh.

Is it any wonder that young Native women don’t believe themselves worthy of real education or employment, that they have families when they’re not even out of high school?  That they believe their only worth is derived from their “better half”?  No, I guess it really isn’t.  Especially when there aren’t any visible examples out there for them to aspire to.  Especially ones that are glamourized in the way the men are.

And then, to add insult to injury, often when there are Native women, they’re not even portrayed by Native actresses! Take Legends of the Fall. The gorgeous woman Brad Pitt’s character falls in love with and eventually marries? Played by a Spanish actress. *woe*

It wasn’t until The Border on CBC here in Canada that I not only got a moment of “OMG A NATIVE GIRL!”, that moment stretched into “AND SHE’S A GEEK! LIKE ME! AND SHE GETS THE GUY! AND THEN LEAVES HIM WHEN HE DOESN’T RESPECT HER! AND THEN COMES BACK AND SCHOOLS HIM SOME MORE IN ANOTHER EPISODE!!” Talk about a holy shit moment. lol

So … after all that, that’s sort of the point I wanted to make. It’s that CBC and Sarah Podemski finally gave me my moment. The moment, as a fan of popular culture and media, where I got to say “OMG IT’S A NATIVE GIRL!” and be proud of it.

And then she did it for FIVE WHOLE episodes. And the show only has 13 episodes per season. Yeah … Sally Doctor/Sarah Podemski pretty much rocks my socks. Between the character and the actress, I have my new set of personal heroes. Seriously.

I mean, the show has plenty of eye-candy, what with casting James McGowan, Graham Abbey, Jonas Chernick, Jim Cordington, Grace Park, Nazneen Contractor, Sarah Gadon, etc. but Sarah Podemski is nothing to sneeze at either.

It’s part of the reason I love the show so damned much. Having her on the show just gives me hope for the future. It gives me hope for my daughter, so that when she watches tv, she’ll have more “OMG A NATIVE GIRL!” moments than I did growing up.  Hopefully so many that those moments aren’t even worth noting anymore.  <3