True Stories
The TV series, “The Fosters” touches upon many of the social and political issues that we face today. This show manages to accurately depict the problems different groups face and portrays them in a natural way, free from judgement which allows the viewers to see the change and progress that is being made in their society. The LGBTQ community, the foster care system and Hispanic-American immigration are only a few of the many issues this story covers throughout 104 episodes, it provides insight to current events that we are dealing with in a way that is entertaining and inspiring. I think it is a sign that we are progressing as a society and that these changes are possible.
The Fosters aired in June 2013 on Freeform and ran for five seasons, raising awareness on current issues teenagers, families and society face. It revolved around a family of seven, Lena and Stef, two moms who were raising adoptive twins, Mariana and Jesus, Brandon who is Stef’s biological son and Callie and Jude who they begin fostering at the start of the series. Clearly, by its name, foster care is one of the main topics the show covers, it’s not an issue widely spoken about today but through the show we see what foster care is truly like and the reality that those children face. The main character of the show, Callie, begins a website/blog about foster care, called “Fost and Found”, it gave the opportunity for children in the show to voice their experiences on being fostered and how they’ve been affected. Callie is the first to share her story of her time in foster care, she explained the physical and emotional abuse her brother and herself suffered while being in their 7 previous foster homes and how the system was corrupt and not favoring the children who needed it. She advocated for the change needed to be made, “ We foster kids have no control over our own lives and it is time that we speak up”(S3 E8 40:34) She is a young girl that speaks her mind and fights for justice, by telling her story she allowed others to feel safe and comfortable enough to share theirs. It allows viewers to relate to the characters struggles in a way they couldn’t before because no one understood or knew the reality of foster care.
Foster care is a system established by the U.S. government to offer a temporary home for children under 18 and eventually reunite them with their families. It may often lead to adoption, but the goal is always to find a stable, loving home preferably with their biological parents. According to a CNN article “We failed 23,439 children last year, and legally emancipated them from care.” (Soronen, 2014). The numbers call for urgent change, once they hit 18 foster kids are considered adults who are left to fend for themselves at a stage in their life where they need the most help and guidance. The worst part is that not many people know about what is going on or what foster care even is. Although foster care sounds like a big step in improving the lives of children who are neglected or abused the reality is that it doesn’t improve their well-being. “Conservative studies find one in five will become homeless after 18; at 24, only half will be employed; less than 3% will have earned a college degree; 71% of women will be pregnant by 21,” These children turn to their old living conditions or worse because they are not receiving the necessary guidance to succeed in life. “The Fosters” brings this issue into the light and people have become more concerned about foster care and have seen the other side of the story. Callie is a character that represents thousands of children out there, real children who are placed in the system, Renee now a young woman said “…I still feel like I don’t have any guidance. Everything for me is trial and error, and I hate that.”(Soronen, 2014) She cannot have the stability that foster care claims to offer, “The Fosters” not only showed the world what was going on, it gave voices to thousands of children currently struggling through foster care.
The Fosters was produced by a famous Latin American artist, Jennifer Lopez. She is a person of color that rose to fame and faced the obstacles that came with being a minority in Hollywood. According to her, the show truly embraces “who we are now” and that “times are different”. (PEOPLE, 2013) It begins to show what is truly going on in society today and brings awareness to topics that are slowly being brought up and discussed. We no longer live in a close-minded place where there is only one kind of people or one way to do things. One of the most recent and final episodes in the show depicted an undocumented-immigrant family, as a result from the current political issues emerging. One of the show’s creators Bradley Bredeweg stated himself, “We couldn’t deny it. We had to face it. We’re a show that tackles these kinds of issues, and it just felt like the right thing to do.” (Heldman, 2017) It was another moment where the fictional story intertwined with the real world and touched upon a very controversial topic, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals otherwise known as DACA. Showing an immigrant family brought awareness to those who ignored the reality of what is currently going on in the country and depicts it in a way that is relatable and can represent any family going through this process today. In the season 5 episode of “The Fosters, “Sanctuary” a young girl, Ximena, currently attending college through DACA, faced the challenge of seeking sanctuary at a church in order to not be detained by ICE. Her DACA was in process of renewal and she was facing possible deportation. It is a moving episode that makes you reflect on what current families are facing. Ximena spoke to Callie about her situation saying, “I’m just as much an American as anyone in this country…I have to fight for my right just to be here” (S5 E5, 30:31-31:17) It shows the emotional strain that is put on an individual to survive in their home. DACA has caused controversy because of certain political views but it was necessary to include in a show that advocates for acceptance and diversity. It makes people begin to question what they would do or feel watching a family get ripped apart. Ximena like other Dreamers in the U.S. currently fighting for their status shouldn’t need to fight to show they belong.
The Fosters doesn’t shy away from bringing the facts of what life is now and shows reality, something that tv usually lacks. The depiction of the LGBTQ community for instance, through Hollywood movies and tv shows you see the classic trope of the “gay best friend”, portrayed as the funny, sarcastic friend that tells the protagonist the truth and helps her chase after her true love. It is just used to be “inclusive” but does not accurately depict an LGBTQ person. “Leaving LGBT people out of the picture — or including them only as a punchline — keeps old prejudices alive and creates an unsafe environment, not only here in America, but around the world where most audiences see these depictions.” (Wong, 2016) “The Fosters” shows viewers a different version and a more realistic one of what a LGBTQ family is. The producer Jennifer Lopez stated that the show was about love and family, it does not go along with the beliefs established towards those of the LGBT. It instead places a lesbian couple, mothers Lena and Stef, in the center and start of the story, showing they don’t always have to be put on the sidelines. The writers show these characters in a natural way, not exaggerated or following the stereotypical norm of how two lesbians are supposed to act. A couple years ago it could even be unheard of to see a lesbian/gay couple shown on television and The Fosters breaks the norm.
While watching the show you get caught up in the cliché nature of the love stories, but there are also those moments that make you reflect on your values and how you think of society. The show doesn’t sugar coat the reality of foster children, same sex couples and immigrants. It says what needs to be said and speaks the truth without limiting itself. Creator Peter Paige stated back in 2013, the show reflects “a very simple belief: that we’re really, fundamentally, all the same.” It begins to show the progress being made in society and the acceptance that should be for all. The world is made up of all kinds of people and no matter how different, we all come together to become large communities.
The TV show highlights the true challenges of surviving in this country and being judged because of where you come from or who you are. It is one of the few shows that speaks without covering up the things going on in the background, it dismantles a system that often fails to work in your favor, and it advocates for the change we are currently fighting for. It is not only entertaining but relatable, a little girl watching season 2 of “The Fosters” can see herself in Callie, a young boy can relate to her brother Jude who is gay, and a Dreamer understands Ximena’s struggles, it is like watching a reality show because of how true it remains to what we currently see going on. The Fosters is not only telling one story or version, it is speaking for those who cannot speak up for themselves and voicing their opinions and their stories, it truly embraces “who we are now.”
