Diversity in Doctor Who

Doctor Who, a show about a time-traveler who travels through the universe with different companions trying to create fairness, justice, and save their morality, has been a staple of diversity in media for decades. Doctor Who has featured a wide variety of different types of people through the years, and has shown that difference should be praised instead of demonized as it so often is.

     While Doctor Who often has a diverse cast, there are still many identities that are erased in the narrative. For example, aliens in the show that look similar to humans are often white, heterosexual, conventionally attractive, and do not have any distinct or defining feature s that differentiate them from humans. In a universe rife with multiple life forms, white, heterosexual, and attractive humans are seen as the default.

     There is also a lack of representation for members of the LGBTQA+ community, as almost every character we come into contact with is heterosexual, including The Doctor. This symbolic annihilation of queer identities is harmful and destructive in a show where diversity is supposed to be celebrated and cherished. With that being said, there are some notable queer characters. First is Captain Jack Harness, a close friend to the Doctor and saver-of-Earth. He identifies as pansexual and is seen as one of the most prominent gay characters in the series.

 



 The show also just got its first female Doctor ever in the history of the series. This is incredibly important, as her current companions are also two people of color. Doctor Who has a long way to go before it can be seen as a champion of representation in media, but it is heading in the right direction.