Michele Chapman

For those of us that haven’t been to jail or prison, we have no relevant knowledge of what life is like behind bars. Some television shows like Cops and Jail are the longest running shows on Spike TV that gives viewers a realistic insight to arrests and convictions. Although this is an informative way for the public to see law enforcement in raw footage, the criminals are not filmed during their time in prison. Viewers of criminal justice shows, including myself, may watch it out of fascination, personal interest, and entertainment.
     In July of 2013, a Netflix original series called Orange is the New Black made its season one debut. Written and produced by Janji Kohan, the series takes place in a women’s prison located in Litchfield, Connecticut. Although this series does not pertain to actual events/people and was created specifically for entertainment purposes, there are themes in each episode that address common issues that can occur in female prisons. Such issues include gang formation, violence, fights, assault, racism, drug/alcohol use, illegal cartel, theft, rape, lesbianism and more.
     Orange is the New Black has been very successful as an original series. In the span of four years, there have been four seasons with a fifth season set to premiere on June 9, 2017. (Reiss, paragraph 1). While certain protagonist characters are in every season, there are also new characters that are introduced. In reference to the media, however, Orange is the New Black reveals the essential four meaning of absence. Certain situations that occur throughout all four seasons may appear as real, inevitable and common sense but aren’t actually so. As a show based on the lives of females in prison, it does not mirror or reflect the reality of what actually occurs behind bars. (Ross, chapter 1)
     In seasons two, three and four, a character by the name of Soso gradually becomes a main character and will continue as such in season five. Soso is one of two women featured in the series that are viewed by their fellow inmates as being of Asian descent. With Soso’s ethnicity being half-Japanese and half-Scottish, she experiences the assumption from other people that because she looks Asian, she must be Asian. Following that, she was taken in by the Caucasian inmates when she first arrived at Litchfield. (Snow, paragraph 1)
     Soso’s criminal offense that was the result of her time at Litchfield was political protest. Her passion and determination to stand up for what she believes in is not taken seriously by her inmates. Finding the prison conditions unsanitary and distasteful, Soso stages a hunger strike that only three other inmates participate in. The strike died down quickly and Soso seemed to be in the same position she was in when she first arrived. Soso also refused to shower when she first arrived. Her reason behind her shower strike was to express that people should embrace their natural body odors. Even after being confronted by her inmates and the prison guards, she still continued to not shower. It wasn’t until she was dragged into a shower that she broke her strike. (Snow, paragraphs 1 and 2)
     In continuation with Soso’s ethnicity making her stand out from the other female inmates, she is also very talkative. Because she was sent to jail for participating in a political protest, she is more outspoken and tries to converse with people. In the prison, her talkative nature irritates many of the inmates. Her ethnicity and extrovert personality connects to the essential four meaning of representation. Soso is being stereotyped in regards to her race in season two, and also her sexual orientation in season four. (Snow, paragraphs 1 and 2)
     In season four, Soso becomes the girlfriend of an African American inmate named Poussey. She was not accepted by the African American inmates until her relationship with Poussey began. Soso’s earn of respect by Poussey’s group shows an example of representation. The other African American inmates stereotyped Soso by her race, class and now her relationship with Poussey. In the beginning of their relationship, Soso explained to Poussey that she never dated a woman before and that she was unsure about their future together after serving their time in Litchfield. In continuation, Soso struggled when it came to their intimacy. Her new experience with a homosexual relationship was the reason behind her hesitation to give intimacy back to Poussey. (Snow, paragraphs 10-12)
    In seasons two and three, Soso is portrayed in a negative light. Her continuous talking annoys her inmates which causes her to be teased and not have any friends. Her Asian appearance makes her stand out among the majority of Caucasian, African American, Mexican and Latino inmates. As a result, Soso is both discriminated against and seen as a “fetishisation”. This series of negative events causes Soso to feel depressed. After being prescribed anti-depressants, Soso becomes emotionless, quiet, careless and exhausted. During movie night in the prison, Soso sneaks off to the library where she attempts to overdose on Benadryl. Poussey and two of her friends find her and save her life by making her throw up the pills in the shower. After reviving Soso, the relationship between her and Poussey begins. (Snow, paragraphs 8-10)
     It isn’t until season four that we see Soso portrayed in a positive light. Her interracial, homosexual relationship with Poussey is what earns her respect from the African American inmates. As an individual, Soso was only favored by the Caucasian inmates when she first arrived at Litchfield. But she was immediately seen as a talkative, annoying Asian inmate. (Snow, paragraphs 10-12)
     In connection to our class textbook, Soso’s representation in Orange is the New Black involves terms discussed in chapter one titled The Geography of Women and Media Scholarship. In this chapter, author Karen Ross discusses the essential four academic critiques (Absence, representation, production and consumption). As mentioned earlier, Soso’s character pertains mostly to absence and representation. (Ross, chapter 1) (Snow, paragraphs 1-12)


References
Ross, Karen. (2012). The Handbook of Gender, Sex, and Media. (First Edition). Hoboken, US: Wiley-Blackwell.

Snow, Arisa. (2015, September 2). Orange is the New Black: Brook Soso. Fandom. 

Smith, Reiss. (2017, April 12). Orange is the New Black season 5 Release Date: When is the New Series Out on Netflix?. Express.  
 
 

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