Think about the different genres of movies. Romance, science fiction, action, comedy. Certain iconic movies come to mind – Minority Report, The Edge of Tomorrow, Jerry Maguire and the Mission Impossible series. These movies all have one thing in common (OK, fine, apart from the lead actor being Tom Cruise) – they all feature white actors in their leading roles.

In recent years, the topic of whitewashing in mainstream media has been growing in voices by the day. Issues like the casting of Scarlett Johansson (a blonde, white female) in the role of the Japanese commander in the Hollywood remake of Ghost in a Shell and the highly popular petition calling for an all-Asian cast in the live-action version of Mulan, all show how stingingly aware people are about this issue right now. And, rightfully so.

Don’t get me wrong; the entertainment industry has been making steps in recent years – there’s a TV comedy featuring a Chinese-American family that wasn’t cancelled after one season (Fresh off the Boat), the rise of Hispanic Golden Globe winner Gina Rodriguez (from the critically acclaimed Jane the Virgin) and most recently the casting of African-American actor John Boyega as a Stormtrooper in the latest Star Wars installment.

However, such examples are too few in between. Out of the three examples I’ve given, 2 out of 3 of them are TV shows with a much narrower support base. For instance, even though critics and viewers alike lauded Jane the Virgin, their dismal ratings put it in the ‘danger zone’ of cancellation.

Even when minorities are being represented on the big screen, they often are relegated to either the comic relief or the pity story. This is often done at their expense. Indian actor Dev Patel spoke in heavily accented English in the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and spent most of the film wearing traditional costumes. In real life, he has a strong Cockney accent and grew up in Britain. Two of his most successful films (that and Slumdog Millionaire) were situated in India, and portrayed the country as being in a bitter plight with ethnic conflicts and widespread poverty. Rich cultures are also placed into one single neat category: Asian. Not Indian, Malay, Chinese, Korean or Japanese. But, Asian.

Which begs the question – why should Singaporeans care about such a phenomenon, especially since we’re so far away from all these entertainment outlets I speak of?

Except, we are not. We hold the highest per capita spending on movie tickets in the world, beating all the other developed countries like the United States. Instead of talking about the latest Channel 8 drama, we are more likely to queue up for days to buy advance tickets for The Force Awakens.

When I was about 15, I joined my school’s drama club. They were selecting an ensemble cast for a first-ever musical. I remembered I was being cast in a solo singing role despite being the more junior of the lot. I remembered how happy I was, and I had all these dreams about being on Broadway or West End, and being recognized for my work. I relayed this to my extended family (who were being kaypoh as usual and asking me what I wanted to be when I grew up) who then swiftly told me that unless I was good in martial arts or I spoke in a weird Chinese slang I wouldn’t make it in Hollywood, or “wherever it is you wanted to go”. I was crushed. I knew it was difficult for me, not being a white American, but that really put things in perspective for me.

We restrict ourselves, we grow up telling ourselves we can’t do this, or you can’t be that. No, you can’t be on Broadway. You can’t be a writer, a producer, a director. Heck, what is this singing thing you’re talking about? Go be doctor lah!

And if I feel this way despite being part of Singapore’s majority, I can’t imagine what it must be like for our minorities. It’s like they’re being erased from the literature altogether.

This restricts creativity altogether. Not just in the Arts scene, but any and everywhere. We keep telling people to keep reaching for the skies; but not too far.

But perhaps, even more importantly, we grow up not being tolerant of other people. We grow up placing people into caricatures and stereotypes without much thought about how dumb it is. Ching chang chong, says the American exchange student. Namaste, we butcher Hindi with our fake, terrible accents. Malays are not on screen, so maybe they don’t amount to anything. When such venomous thoughts penetrate even the purest of minds, you know something is incredibly wrong.

So, next time when you chance upon another article calling out whitewashing, or hearing out your friend who can’t stop going on and on about the issue, don’t brush them off. Know that their concerns are relevant and completely valid. When an Internet user blasts his or her views on social media, don’t simply dismiss it as another troll. Listen, maybe even engage with them. Most importantly, understand.

Let’s start a discussion on whitewashing, and banish the idea that this is merely just a West thing. This phenomenon affects the Western world, and beyond.

Submitted by Debbi Cheong