The Issues Of Race Exposed In Shameless

The American tv show Shameless centers around a family living under the poverty line in the city of Chicago. Following the Gallagher family as they work and struggle to survive in the absence of their alcoholic father, Frank. Their narrative is focused on their predominantly white neighborhood in downtown Chicago. In the constant fight against issues such as gentrification, teen pregnancy, sexuality, and addiction. It fails to discuss the implications these issues have on minorities in the show. The Gallagher's problems overshadow the concerns of racism in the city of Chicago, which is a very prevalent issue. Such storylines like Liam’s private school, Liam’s lemonade stand, and Carl’s experience in juvie. These plot lines are filled with

From Carl’s suspension to Lip losing his scholarship. However, in one instance there was an issue for the youngest Gallagher and the only black family member, Liam. In Season 7’s finale, it was learned that Liam’s public school was closing down and the nearest school was a private school. Which the Gallaghers could not afford. As the growing gentrification of their neighborhood, more and more wealthy white people started to move in. Creating a private school. Liam was offered a spot, but at a price. Every day during classes he would be pulled out and put on display for other parents to show off the “diversity” of their school. The use of microaggressions by singling out Liam just because he was one of the few black students that attended that school. According to “Racial Microaggressions in Everyday life?” Microaggression usually happens “outside the level of conscious awareness of perpetrators.” These actions can be through verbal and nonverbal occurrences. By singling out Liam and potentially harming his education in the process, the school is participating in microaggressions. At the surface, it may seem like they want to show off the diversity within their school, but deep down they are trying to prove something. Putting Liam on display like a zoo animal. A white kid would never be put on display, but when a black kid is like Liam they don’t see anything wrong with it. The use of

Carl Gallagher was the known troublemaker of the family, going on to sell drugs and being sent to juvie. He wanted to be sent to Juvy. Claiming he was gonna make juvie his “bitch.” This is where he would befriend a boy named Nick, who was a black kid that has been in juvie since he was little. Only being released because he was 18, while Carl was released early on “good behavior.” As he returned to his old life, he started to keep his hair in braids and used stereotypical language associated with black people. And continued in his old ways of selling illegal substances. The article “Racial Formations,” is about the use of different classifications for race depending on social, economic, etc aspects. The article discusses how the media tends to use stereotypes to classify “racial minorities which establish for audiences what people from these groups look like, how they behave, and ‘who they are’.” This confirms the beliefs that people have about how different racial groups act and behave. Associating slang words with “gangs” and “ghettos”. Carl eventually starts to use the n-word to refer to people. Demonstrating the lack of representation and knowledge about racism is absent to the main characters. And not knowing how damaging these stereotypes are to these racial minority groups. One stereotype is that black people are more likely to be thought of as