ineffective.When “Fast Times At Ridgemont High” first hit big screens back in 1982, it immediately set itself apart from other coming-of-age teen comedies of the era. While others were marked by decidedly misogynist undertones and less-than-savory views on rape and sexual assault, the beloved 80’s classic offered a refreshingly authentic portrayal of female sexuality, one that included a realistic depiction of abortion.
“Fast Times” not only served as a watershed moment for Hollywood’s handling of abortion, which had previously been treated as a highly dramatized and judgement-ridden subject, but it also set a new standard for the way reproductive health is portrayed onscreen. In the 40 years since, however, abortion has remained taboo in film and television, and representations of it and other political issues are often inaccurate and misleading.
So, together with her colleagues, Dr. Smith launched a new focus for the Initiative, one that will examine when and how issues related to reproductive health, marriage equality, interracial relationships, voting, and gun violence appear in film and television and how accurate their portrayals are.