The USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative has announced Wednesday a new project. It will examine how Hollywood film and television projects address major political issues in their stories. This includes abortion and reproductive right rights.
The Annenberg Inclusion Initative, which was founded by Dr. Stacy L. Smith, has for several years conducted annual surveys tracking Hollywood’s progress in hiring more women and people of color in lead acting roles as well as in major roles behind the camera. Smith said that her team would investigate how Washington and Hollywood intersect in the mass media that millions of people view every day.
“With the curtailing of reproductive rights, it is not only necessary to find legal solutions to protect
marginalized communities, but it is essential to educate and inform audiences about these topics,”Smith stated. “Entertainment has a unique ability to reach viewers and provide that education. Our goal is to illuminate how many opportunities there are to use storytelling as a tool to expand the conversation and create substantial attitude and policy change.”
The new project will examine portrayals of issues such as reproductive rights, firearm usage, and voting rights, as well as expand the Initiative’s research into the portrayal of LGBT couples and families. Smith and her team will also create a set evidence-based best practices for content creators around the world.
Entertainment.
The Initiative will also be collaborating with Women Moving Millions philanthropist organisation to establish a grant program that will provide at minimum three undergraduate film studios $25,000 for script development of projects that address reproductive rights. We will have more information about the grant program later in the fall.
Dozens of Hollywood actors and producers have signed on in support of the Inclusion Initiative’s new project, including Meryl Streep, Scarlett Johansson, Kerry Washington, Julianne Moore, Tessa Thompson, Amy Schumer, Gemma Chan, Laura Dern, Eva Longoria, and Maggie Gyllenhaal. Other supporters include Congressman Joaquin Castro, Participant CEO David Linde, and Planned Parenthood’s national director of arts and entertainment engagement, Caren Spruch.
“The entertainment community plays a critical role in educating people about their sexual and reproductive health and rights, including abortion. With Roe v. Wade overturned and birth control, LGBQT+ and other rights threatened, this new Annenberg Inclusion Initiative research project will provide an invaluable tool to ensure audiences are reached with medically and legislatively accurate storytelling about these issues,”Spruch stated.
