Credit: Disney (3)
After General Hospital leading lady Tabyana Ali was forced to deal with racially motivated ugliness on social media, the soap spoke out, saying that it “does not tolerate hatred or bigotry of any kind. Racism has no place in Port Charles. General Hospital is for everyone.”
But not all viewers were satisfied with the show of support. So tweets to sponsors began making the rounds suggesting that they pull their advertising due to decreased airtime for the daytime drama’s Black contract actors and AAPI cast members.
On one hand, General Hospital could do better in the way that it spotlights diversity and inclusion. No question about it. We’ve been mystified by Trina’s move to the back burner, for instance, and frustrated by the lack of follow-through on Jordan’s hookup with Portia’s brother, Zeke. And it never fails to bewilder us why Selina has yet to recruit her nephew, reformed conniver Brad, to join the “family business.”
On the other hand, it is clear that General Hospital is trying. Maybe not hard enough and maybe not successfully enough. But it is making an effort. Which brings us to the call for advertisers to bail on ABC’s only soap. If they do, what then? No advertisers means no show. No show means there is no chance for the show to improve on its representation of diversity.
So call for change, absolutely. Loudly, consistently and often. But don’t call for the axe to fall on General Hospital. If it goes the way of One Life to Live and All My Children, the opportunity for it to make viewers feel like it really “is for everyone” goes out the window.
