Growing up, we shape our views with the information our families, our friends, the people around us and the shows we watch provide.
With hundreds of channels and almost unlimited access to the Internet, media have an influence on forming cultural values like never before.
Producers of media content must steer away from the trend of portraying LGBT and non-white characters stereotypically, because the media’s growing influence on this generation’s mindset makes them key players in shaping our views on different cultures.
And simply having these types of characters present on a show is not enough.
GLAAD, an LGBT rights advocacy group formerly known as the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, released its annual “Where We Are on TV” study Thursday, measuring the number of LGBT characters and people of color in cable, network and streaming shows in the 2014-15 season.
The organization also released the Network Responsibility Index, which measures how much screen time LGBT characters and storylines were given in the 2013-14 season.
The studies revealed an increase in the overall representation of LGBT people.
However, the study did not analyze the way these characters adhere to stereotypes, whether the representation is positive or negative or if the characters’ storylines differ from those of straight characters.
While it’s a big step that these characters exist, the way they are portrayed is just as important.
If gay men are strictly represented as the best friend with flamboyant mannerisms meant to serve as comic relief or if African-American women are portrayed solely as secondary characters who only contribute sassy one-liners to a dialogue, then the presence of these characters will do nothing to eliminate the stigma our society has toward these minority groups.
If a white character can have depth, so can his or her multicultural peer.
Shows like ABC’s “How to Get Away with Murder” have racially and culturally diverse characters with multifaceted personalities.
Only two episodes have aired so far, and already the program has broken stereotypical norms. It has a female, African-American main character, Annalise Keating, who not only shows a stern determination to be the best in her field of work as a lawyer and professor but also displays a vulnerability that humanizes her and makes viewers sympathize with her story.
The show’s only LGBT main character so far — a gay man named Connor Walsh — is one of a group of law students desperately trying to impress Keating. He’s shown as a realistically sexual and romantic person, characteristics rarely seen in characters identifying within the gay community in network television.
Ignoring preconceived stereotypes when portraying diverse characters serves as a reality check for our society. It allows viewers to realize they can identify with a character’s struggles despite the fact that they might differ in their race, background or sexual orientation.
While “How to Get Away with Murder” may be inappropriate for younger viewers, television executives should encourage more content aimed at all audiences that portrays diverse characters — not just as symbols of multiculturalism, but as real people.
 Media have the power to shape the public’s views. By letting go of cultural stereotypes, they can lead to a more inclusive society.
 
Jose Bastidas is a 21-year-old mass communication senior from Caracas, Venezuela. You can reach him on Twitter @jabastidas.