1.3c Stratification
Sociodemographic factors like gender, race, and age form the basis of stratification. Stratification is the systematic and unequal distribution of power, status, and resources (see Chapter 6). Race, class, and gender are important factors used to stratify groups in the United States. Stratification is not just about which groups have more wealth or income. It is also about which groups have more power and access to power. Sociologists seek to explain how inequality and power are allocated in society. Later chapters will focus on class, race, gender, and sexuality in more depth. This section focuses on stratification in the film industry.
Photo 1.9
Race and Gender Stratify the Movie Industry
Racial and Ethnic Stratification in Film
Researchers analyzed the lead actor’s race/ethnicity in theatrical films from 2011 to 2023. They found that the percentage of lead actors of color increased from 10.5% to 29.2% (Ramón et al., 2024). However, award-winning roles are limited and go toward stereotypical performances (Yuen, 2017). For example, Mo’Nique won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 2010 as Mary in the film Precious. Mary relies on welfare and is abusive to her children. These characteristics reinforces a stereotype of Black women as bad mothers. In 2012, Octavia Spencer played a housekeeper (The Help), and in 2014, Lupita Nyong’o played an enslaved person (12 Years a Slave), both earning the Best Supporting Actress award.
The 2023 film, Everything Everywhere All at Once, stands out as a rare award-winning film about an Asian American family (see Figure 1.3). The film won seven of the eleven Oscar categories for which it was nominated (Dresden, 2023). These awards included the Best Actress Award for Michelle Yeoh, the first Asian woman to receive it, and Best Supporting Actor award for Ke Huy Quan, the second Asian actor to receive it.
Figure 1.3
Percentage of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) Representation in the 1,300 Top Films, 2007-2019
Note: In 2022, one of the top ten streaming films had an Asian lead (Turning Red) and none did with a theatrical release (Ramónet al., 2023). In 2023, one film in the top 20 theatrical releases had an Asian lead (Elemental) (Ramón et al., 2024). Turning Red and Elemental are animated. Only Turning Red portrayed people. Data based on Yuen, N. W., Smith, S. L., Pieper, K., Choueiti, M., Yao, K., & Dinh D. (2021, May). The prevalence and portrayal of Asian and Pacific Islanders across 1,300 popular films. Annenberg Inclusion Initiative. https://www.nancywyuen.com/uploads/3/8/1/3/38136681/aii_aapi-representation-across-films-2021-05-18.pdf Copyright 2021 by Annenberg Inclusion Initiative.
Gender Stratification in Film
The Geena Davis Institute for Gender in Media analyzed 82 family films (rated G, PG, or PG-13). These films had budgets of at least $10 million and were released in 2023 (Terán & Conro y, 2024). They found that only 35.3% of leads and 37.8% of all characters were women (Terán & Conroy, 2024). About three-quarters of the films passed the Bechdel Test (Terán & Conroy, 2024). The Bechdel test examines whether a movie has two or more named women characters. The women characters must talk to each other about something other than a man.
Despite some improvement in representation on the screen, most major jobs in the film industry go to men. Among the 250 top-grossing films in 2024, women held 23% of key-behind-the-scenes roles (Lauzen, 2025). These roles include directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors, and cinematographers. Nearly thirty years ago, women were in 17% of these roles (Lauzen, 2025), suggesting that social change is slow.
Photo 1.10
The Number of Women Behind-the-Scenes in Hollywood Is Slowly Increasing
