As his character in The bold type, star Aisha Dee is talking, in particular, about racial representation in the Freeform drama in which she plays the fierce and passionate Kat Edison.
In a lengthy Instagram post Wednesday night, Dee noted that “it took two seasons to get a single [Black, Indigenous or Person of Color] in the writers room for The bold type. And even then, the responsibility to speak for the entire black experience cannot and should not rest with one person. We have to tell a story about a queer black woman and a lesbian Muslim woman who falls in love, but there have never been any queer black or Muslim writers in the room. ” (A source close to the show tells TVLine that there have been queer women of color on the writing staff, including a lesbian woman of color in season 2 and a bisexual woman of color in season 3. Also, in season 4. The writers’ room consisted of three writers who identify themselves as LGBTQ + and five who are POC, while eight of the 10 writers are women.)
Dee added that only one black woman has directed two of the show’s 48 episodes, and that there has never been a female black department head on set. “It took her three seasons to get someone in the hair department who knew how to work with textured hair,” Dee continued. “This was shocking on many levels, and I am grateful for the women who showed me how to hug and love my hair in a way that I have never had before. I want to make sure that no one else has to walk on a set and feel like their hair is a burden. It is not.”
Dee also pointed to Kat’s story during the current fourth season, which has seen her fight and flirt with a Republican lesbian. “The decision for Kat to enter into a relationship with a privileged conservative woman felt confusing and out of place,” Dee shared. Despite my personal feelings about the choice, I did my best to tell the story honestly, even though Kat, who I know and love, would never make these decisions. It was heartbreaking to see Kat’s story become a story of redemption for someone else, someone who is complicit in the oppression of so many. Someone [whose] politics is actively damaging to their communities. “
In the future, the actress is “ready to follow my little girl Kat’s example,” Dee wrote. “What would Kat do? She would take a stand and advocate for herself and all other marginalized voices to influence change. I’m ready to push myself harder and speak louder for what matters to me: the diversity we see in front of the camera needs to be reflected in the diversity of the creative team behind the camera. “
To that end, “in the past few weeks, I’ve had conversations with writers and producers, as well as Freeform and Universal TV executives,” Dee concluded. “I hope we have the opportunity to tell more authentic stories by recruiting, promoting and listening to diverse voices throughout the production of The bold type and beyond. This is an opportunity to walk, to really practice things. The bold type teaches by acknowledging mistakes and making commitments to be better in the future. … By speaking, I am taking risks. It’s scary, but it’s worth it. This is not judgment. This is a call to action. We deserve to see stories that are for us, for us. “
In a joint statement, producers of The bold typeFreeform and Universal Television said: “We applaud Aisha for raising her hand and starting conversations on these important issues. We hope to continue that dialogue and enact positive change. Our goal in The bold type it is and has always been telling entertaining and authentic stories that are representative of the world in which Kat, Jane and Sutton live; we can only do it if we listen. “
In the meantime, The bold typeThe end of Season 4 is scheduled to air this Thursday at 10 / 9c.
