Pop Culture Ratings

As promised, now that we've outlined social justice 101 and the mental health profession 101, we'll now explore popular media, and how effectively and accurately it portrays the mental health profession, as well as to what degree it promotes social justice, as opposed to reifying existing systems of oppression.

In the interest of transparency and accountability, below are the criteria that will be used to measure to what degree each popular medium promotes social justice and reasonably portrays the mental health profession.

Let's start with the criteria for the social justice grade. Each popular medium will be assessed to see if it passes the (original)

Bechdel Test
Which requires that a film, television series, book, etc. has

1. At least 2 women (preferably with names)
2. Who have at least 1 conversation
3. About something other than a man or men. 

 Feminist Frequency's Anita Sarkeesian outlines and discusses the test.

Then, it will be assessed to see if it passes the

Racial Bechdel Test
Which requires that 

1. At least 2 people of color (preferably with names)
2. Have a least 1 conversation
3. About something other than a white character/white person

Click to 8:10 for discussion of the Racial Bechdel Test. 

Next, the medium will be assessed on how many minority identity variables it portrayed, and to what degree it portrayed those identities in a depthful, multifaceted manner. The
8 Main ADDRESSING Identity Variables are:

• Age
• Disability
• Religion
• Ethnicity, race, indigenous heritage
• Nationality
• Socioeconomic status
• Sexual orientation
• Gender

In order to portray a minority identity in one of these identity variables, the popular medium must have a character who does not have power in dominant culture based upon that particular identity. A popular medium that depicts characters of color, female characters, characters with disabilities, LGB characters, etc. portrays characters with minority identities. In contrast, a popular medium that depicts only white characters, male characters, able-bodied characters, straight characters, etc. portrays characters with majority, or dominant identities.

These 3 criteria are combined into the
Social Justice Rating Rubric
Below, which assesses how effectively the medium portrays social justice. The combination of specific criteria results in a social justice "grade," based upon the A-F academic grading system.  

• A+
• 4 or more minority identities depicted in multifaceted, sophisticated manner
• Passes both original and racial Bechdel tests
• A 
• 4 or more minority identities depicted in a simple, occasionally multifaceted manner
• Passes either original or racial Bechdel tests
• A-
• 4 or more minority identities depicted in a 2-dimensional or stereotypical manner
• Passes either original or racial Bechdel tests
• B+
• 3 minority identities depicted in multifaceted, sophisticated manner
• Passes either original or racial Bechdel tests
• B 
• 3 minority identities depicted in a simple, occasionally multifaceted manner
• Passes either original or racial Bechdel tests 
• B- 
• 3 minority identities depicted in a 2-dimensional or stereotypical manner
• Passes either original or racial Bechdel tests
• C+
• 2 minority identities depicted in multifaceted, sophisticated manner
• Passes either original or racial Bechdel tests
• C  
• 2 minority identities depicted in a simple, occasionally multifaceted manner
• Passes either original or racial Bechdel tests
• C- 
• 2 minority identities depicted in a 2-dimensional or stereotypical manner
• Passes either original or racial Bechdel tests
• D+
• 1 minority identity depicted in multifaceted, sophisticated manner
• Passes either original or racial Bechdel tests
• D  
• 1 minority identity depicted in a simple, occasionally multifaceted manner
• Passes either original or racial Bechdel tests
• D- 
• 1 minority identity depicted in a 2-dimensional or stereotypical manner
• Passes either original or racial Bechdel tests 
  
• F  
• 1 or no minority identities depicted
• Fails both original and racial Bechdel tests

Now, let's explore the criteria for the mental health professional grade. Each popular medium will be assessed to see if it portrays mental health professionals who

1. Follow relevant ethical and professional standards, 
2. Are real, believable characters (as opposed to caricatures,) who interact with others in more than 1 social setting, and
3. Exemplify expertise in their profession, as evidenced by positive contributions to character development and/or the fictional narrative.

These 3 criteria are combined into the

Mental Health Professional Rating Rubric*
Below, which assesses how effectively and accurately the medium portrays the mental health profession. As veering from ethical and professional standards are most likely to do serious harm in real life, this criterion is ranked higher than the other 2. The combination of specific criteria results in a mental health professional "grade," based upon the A-F academic grading system.  

• A+ 
• The mental health professional character:
• Abides by relevant ethical and professional standards 97-100% of the time. AND
• Is depicted as a real, believable character, and is observed interacting with others in at least 3 social settings, AND
• Exemplifies training and expertise in their particular mental health profession as evidenced by 3 or more positive contributions to character development and/or the fictional narrative. 
• A   
• The mental health professional character:
• Abides by relevant ethical and professional standards 94-96% of the time, AND
• Is depicted as a real, believable character, and is observed interacting with others in at least 3 social settings, AND/OR
• Exemplifies training and expertise in their particular mental health profession as evidenced by 3 or more positive contributions to character development and/or the fictional narrative. 
• A-   
• The mental health professional character:
• Abides by relevant ethical and professional standards 90-93% of the time, AND
• Is depicted as a real, believable character, and is observed interacting with others in at least 3 social settings, AND/OR
• Exemplifies training and expertise in their particular mental health profession as evidenced by 3 or more positive contributions to character development and/or the fictional narrative.
• 
  
• B+  
• The mental health professional character:
• Abides by relevant ethical and professional standards 87-89% of the time, AND
• Is depicted as a real, believable character, and is observed interacting with others in at least 2 social setting, AND/OR
• Exemplifies training and expertise in their particular mental health profession as evidenced by 2 or more positive contributions to character development and/or the fictional narrative.
• B 
• The mental health professional character:
• Abides by relevant ethical and professional standards 84-86% of the time, AND
• Is depicted as a real, believable character, and is observed interacting with others in at least 2 social setting, AND/OR
• Exemplifies training and expertise in their particular mental health profession as evidenced by 2 or more positive contributions to character development and/or the fictional narrative. 
• B-  
• The mental health professional character:
• Abides by relevant ethical and professional standards 80-83% of the time, AND
• Is depicted as a real, believable character, and is observed interacting with others in at least 2 social settings, AND/OR
• Exemplifies training and expertise in their particular mental health profession as evidenced by 2 or more positive contributions to character development and/or the fictional narrative.
• C+ 
• The mental health professional character:
• Abides by relevant ethical and professional standards 77-79% of the time, AND
• Is depicted as a real, believable character, and is observed interacting with others in at least 1 social setting, AND/OR
• Exemplifies training and expertise in their particular mental health profession as evidenced by 1 or more positive contributions to character development and/or the fictional narrative.
• C   
• The mental health professional character:
• Abides by relevant ethical and professional standards 74-76% of the time, AND
• Is depicted as a real, believable character, and is observed  interacting with others in at least 1 social setting, AND/OR
• Exemplifies training and expertise in their particular mental health profession as evidenced by 1 or more positive contributions to character development and/or the fictional narrative. 
• C- 
• The mental health professional character:
• Abides by relevant ethical and professional standards 70-72% of the time, AND
• Is depicted as a real, believable character, and is observed interacting with others in at least 1 social settings, AND/OR
• Exemplifies training and expertise in their particular mental health profession as evidenced by 1 or more positive contributions to character development and/or the fictional narrative.
• D+
• The mental health professional character:
• Abides by relevant ethical and professional standards 67-69% of the time, AND
• Is depicted as caricatured, 2-dimensional figure, and is observed  interacting with others in 2 or more social setting, AND/OR
• Exemplifies minimal training and expertise in their particular mental health profession as evidenced by 1 or fewer positive contributions to character development and/or the fictional narrative.
• D   
• The mental health professional character:
• Abides by relevant ethical and professional standards 64-66% of the time, AND
• Is depicted as caricatured, 2-dimensional figure, and is observed interacting with others in 2 or more social settings, AND/OR
• Exemplifies minimal training and expertise in their particular mental health profession as evidenced by 1 or fewer positive contributions to character development and/or the fictional narrative. 
• D-  
• The mental health professional character:
• Abides by relevant ethical and professional standards 60-63% of the time, AND
• Is depicted as caricatured, 2-dimensional figure, and is observed interacting with others in 2 or more social settings, AND/OR
• Exemplifies minimal training and expertise in their particular mental health profession as evidenced by 1 or fewer positive contributions to character development and/or the fictional narrative. 
• F 
• The mental health professional character:
• Abides by relevant ethical and professional standards less than 60% of the time, AND
• Is depicted as caricatured, 2-dimensional figure, and is observed interacting with others in 1 or fewer social setting, AND/OR
• Exemplifies minimal training and expertise in their particular mental health profession as evidenced by 1 or fewer positive contributions to character development and/or the fictional narrative.  

Now, let's see how Mistresses (US) fares on these scales!

*Dr. Alison's note: Many thanks to Dr. Grumpy Bear, my fiance, for his assistance in the creation of the Mental Health Professional rating scale.  

Dr. Grumpy Bear