Gossip Girl: Race

Generally, over a long period of time – color on television has been forced into

offensive roles, mostly being casted as a servant. The show has raised provocative

issues to racist stereotypes when introduced to the character ‘Blair’ (the private high

school’s queen bee) and her sidekicks – both of whom are women of color. Blair’s

sidekicks have no personality, no real lives, no interests other than taking orders from

Blair, reinforcing the age-old colonial narrative and normative. Blair, treats her

sidekicks as slaves, having high expectations of them to fulfill her every command

and acknowledge her natural superiority. This shocking representation emphasizes

how a woman of color is portrayed as an outsider, financially, intellectually and

socially.