Film Matters: Please tell us about your article that is being published in Film Matters.
Thomas Cruz: The article discusses the harmful portrayals of queer black women in television. The idea for the article came to me while I was enrolled in the class, African Americans in American Film and Television. Learning about the history of racist and stereotypical portrayals of black people in various types of media encouraged me to analyze current media outlets to see how much of these ideas still exist within our society today. I found that a lot of them still exist in portrayals of queer black women. They are often punished or made out to look like criminals or sexual deviants simply because of their sexuality.
FM: What research and/or methodologies do you incorporate in your article?
TC: I was encouraged by my professor to read Black Queer Studies: A Critical Anthology to learn about the ideologies of race, gender, and sexuality that I incorporated into my article. I also conducted my own research based on the television shows I had chosen to find relevant scholarly articles and reviews that would help me provide evidence for the argument I was making. The website LGBT Fans Deserve Better helped me identify three of the characters that I decided to write about.
FM: Describe the original context for/when writing this article while an undergraduate student.
TC: The original context for writing this article was the final project of my African Americans in American Film and Television class. The assignment was to pick any topic, such as television, sports, or the criminal justice system, and use everything we learned in class to analyze the topic for ways in which values of systematic racism and oppression toward African Americans are ingrained in them.
FM: How has your department and/or institution supported your work in film and media?
TC: Studying film at Queens College has taught me the history of cinema and the various processes and techniques involved in filmmaking. During my time as a film studies major, I have made three short films and am currently working on a feature-length screenplay. I’ve always been very passionate about film but the media studies department has helped me to view films in a whole new light and appreciate them even more.
FM: How has your faculty mentor fostered your advancement as a film scholar?
TC: My mentor, Roopali Mukherjee, saw a potential in me that I, myself, had not fully realized. She encouraged me to write this paper and submit it for publication to Film Matters and has offered me guidance throughout my time as a film studies major. I have no doubt that she will continue to offer any help she can in my future endeavors and she will certainly be an influence in any projects I manage to create.
FM: How has the Film Matters editorial and publication process impacted the development/evolution of your article?
TC: My acceptance for publication by Film Matters has helped me to further perfect the contents of my article and has given me a platform to share my ideas with people in a way that I never thought I’d achieve. This experience has proved to me that I can set high goals for myself and I can achieve them as long as I work hard and let my voice be heard.
FM: What audience do you hope to reach with your Film Matters article and/or what impact do you hope it has on the field of film studies?
TC: I hope to reach anyone who is willing to listen and become informed of the harmful ways in which the media is portraying queer black women, as well other non-white and non-heterosexual characters. If more people are informed and aware of these issues, especially people planning to enter the film/television industry, then we can use this knowledge to fight for equal and fair representation in the media for people of any race, gender or sexuality.
FM: What are your future plans?
TC: My future plans are to complete the film studies major at Queens College and attend film school after graduation. I hope to use everything I’ve learned in my studies to bring my ideas to the screen, preferably in television. I hope to create content that will not only entertain, but also tackle social issues and injustices.
Author Biography
Thomas Cruz is an undergraduate student at Queens College. He is of Puerto Rican descent and was born and raised in Queens. He originally studied computer science before deciding that film was his passion. Under the film studies major, he has produced three short films and is currently working on a screenplay.
