i’ve seen so many negative reviews of Bridgerton concerning it’s ‘forced diversity’. Which is what one would take away from it if you only watched the first 10 minutesIf you stopped to watch the whole thing, you’d see it’s anything but forced.
Consider our historical context here:
Around the time the story takes place, the Trans-Atlantic Slave trade would’ve been nearing it’s end, with debates over slavery in England reaching their peak. Not to mention, that by this time, India had been colonized.
Many black and brown people began to make their way into English society, and not only the lower factions. While the vast majority of us lived in poverty and cruel conditions, there were some of us who managed to make it out on top.
There is documented evidence of our existence in Regency Society. We were simply hidden from the gaze of the world for so long because for so long we have allowed the oppressor to write all of our history.
Not only that, but Queen Charlotte has long been rumored to have been biracial, coming from the Black Branch of the Portuguese Royal Family. Therefore, having a black Queen Charlotte might’ve been more historically accurate than having a paper white one
Therefore, on all counts, the diversity in Bridgerton cannot be considered forced, but rather, long over due. We have always, and always will be, part of your history, whether the delicate sensibilities of white conservatives can handle it or not.
And every time a black/brown creative makes it to a place of power, a place like Bridgerton created, we come a little bit further out of the wings and into the limelight. This very sentiment is reflected in arguably one of the most poignant scenes in Bridgerton: (minor spoilers)
When Duke Simon and Lady Danbury are discussing love, Lady Danbury comments on just how they got to their position. She tells Simon that thanks to the love between one of their own, Queen Charlotte, and the King, they were given an opportunity to rise.
(side note: while this is very important historically and plot-wise, it was also very refreshing to witness. very often in stories of romance and drama, the struggles of poc are sidelined in favor of a more frivolous tone. Bridgerton addresses it head on, in a realistic way)
But, by having a person who looked, spoke, and lived like them in a place of power, they were able to come that much closer to living a fully realized life as peers of their white counterparts. Bridgerton manages to not only deliver a sharp commentary on the state of historical revisionism and the state of inclusion in society, but also describe their own experience. Bridgerton’s diversity is far from forced, it is historically accurate, it is relevant (both in our world and theirs), and it adds a level of nuance and depth to their world, that I had not expected from it. It immerses you in it’s world further, and it gives me and other black and brown folks like me a world in which I can finally see myself reflected in the way that our ancestors paved the way for. It is exactly what historical representation should be.
In conclusion: WATCH BRIDGERTON IT IS SO FUCKING GOOD
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