So, for the moment, at least as of 2008, at least in terms of our de facto 2-party system, race trumps gender in American politics and in Hollywood's fictional America. But the trump is generally at a safe remove from a culture's possible dark dreams and nightmares. That is, race trumps gender but largely in implausible, unrealistic, non-threatening or absurdist contexts. Winner, winner, where's the winner?
If we look to both our real history and the history of blacks and women in powerful political roles in our most popular forms of popular culture, it's hard out there for Blacks and it's even harder for women. As a nation, we need better. We need more -- more powerful women in high or highest public office and more Blacks in respectable roles as POTUS. We need role models where Black of female political power elites become part of our culture's world as taken for granted.
But it's hard. Problem: Most producers are male and White. Problem: Most screen and TV writers are male and White. Problem: We're talking 70-80 % male and White. Most stories commerce in race and gender stereotypes because to do otherwise, goes the conventional wisdom -- and not without some historical merit -- you need to spend screen time explaining why the Black doctor is an OB/GYN in Beverly Hills and how it is or why the woman is President or Mayor or Senate Majority Leader. And time is money. Worse, non-stereotypes don't travel so well in Europe or Asia, foreign language markets where Hollywood now garners often over 60% of its gross receipts.
