Grey's Anatomy: a symbol for understanding race and ethnicity

I considered this week’s topic of understanding race and ethnicities and instantly thought to relate it to the hit television show Grey’s Anatomy.  In class we learned of Ruth Frankenberg’s theories.  She has three concepts for the social construction of Whiteness including the location of structural advantage, standpoint, and set of cultural practices. 

In relation to the show we continuously follow the everyday life of doctors.  Both in the show and reality, the location of structural advantage is noted around the white characters; specifically Meredith Grey, daughter of famous former general surgeon Ellis Grey, and husband Derek Sheppard, head of neurosurgery.  While they are surrounded by characters of other races and ethnicities, visible minority characters on the show do not have the leading role that will establish their career or obtain the star role status long with the accompanied salary.  From the oppressed group’s standpoint, we continuously see the superiority both Meredith and Derek have on the minority groups.  Meredith, because of her mother’s doctorial history, and Derek for his continuous ground-breaking successful surgeries – both are idolized on the show by patients, superiors, and co-workers.  Finally, referring to Frankenberg’s theory, I compared the set of cultural practices on the show in terms of race.  I noted on the show that a superior to both Derek and Meredith is the former chief of surgery, black male Richard Webber.  However, in reality Richard has always placed Meredith on a pedestal due to his relationship with her mother, whom he continuously cheated on his black wife with a white co-worker, and continuously allows for exceptions to be made for Meredith.  There continues to be a power struggle between Derek and other surgeons though he maintains the lead role eight seasons later.  The show also demonstrates cultural practices as this season Caucasian Meredith and Derek adopt a little black baby, representing the well-off white couple coming to the aid of an oppressed, black orphan.  

Clip retrieved from: http://www.meredith-and-derek.com/

Works Cited

Defining whiteness and white privilege. (2010). In Media Awareness Network. Retrieved January 26, 2012, from: http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/whiteness_and_privilege/whiteness_defining.cfm