1. “This difficult relationship between the object and ourselves is a distinctive characteristic of modern subjectivity. We live with the knowledge of a discontinuity between the inside and outside. How we think and feel does not easily correspond to the nature of the external world, yet paradoxically we understand ourselves through contact and continuity with the outside, with others.”

2. “Theories about identity and society take us to the intersection where the made-up and the made real are twinned, and where certain ideas and practices are presented as self-evident as if this were the way things had always been and will continue to be.”

3. “The willingness to undergo the discomfort of a surgical ‘nip and tuck’ in order to appear more attractive is presumably driven by a deep belief in the persuasive value of physical appearance.”

4. “Individual identity can be constituted through such associations, as the fleeting parade of fashioned images provides us with a ‘look’ we can adopt. The image, however, is not always obedient and cannot be relied upon to sustain the encoded messages.”

During a time where media has become something very essential to our lives and a source that we see every day, it’s important that we see diversity. We need groups of minorities to be seen. Doing so will allow more chances and hope for all generations. There is this concept of seeing someone like you in the media and then connecting with them on a level that makes you feel seen and taken seriously. For there to be representation of all cultures, races, genders, and so much more brings hope to society. We are giving a platform to individuals who are not regularly given the chance to stand out. Typically the media fails on allowing there to be diversity within the media, and we as viewers often see media portray white individuals who are deemed as perfect and we are left with the idea that we do not fit in that category. As a Hispanic woman, I didn’t grow up seeing any powerful figures being portrayed that made me feel comfortable in my own skin. As someone who is on the plus-size side, there is often criticism over what body is beautiful. With Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald, we have an example of two black artists that are being represented in the media not only for their work but their background. It is important that we feel a strong connection to the person who made any work of art as a way to identify with them and yet also see ourselves through their work.