Despite being on the show for 8 years, Liberty had 1 good storyline: in college, she was the token black girl at the surrority. In general, She was the annoying perfectionist who was mean to most people. She was always unhappy, stomping off in a huff for something or other. She was mad at J.T. for being so immature, but like "bruh, he's 15". I hated the way the writers portrayed her, but I'm not surprised, since the 1980's, Degrassi writers have done poc characters dirty in one way or another.
I actually did not like that storyline I made two recordings of the liberty video and in the first one I talked about how the Black characters will have no story until Degrassi wants to talk about race I mean we’ve known Liberty for eights seasons and we just talking about her being a token she’s been one at Degrassi not just college
@@TheDevonKateShow you brought up a good point with her being a token in high school. Speaking of tokens, it seems to me that the Van Zant family were so disconnected from black culture. I guess that's how tokenism is: the ones who are the easiest for racists to accept, because their behavior is closest to whiteness, are the ones who get into the token category. Tiny's brother Vince wouldn't be a token, he'd be a shitty stereotype
I think that had to do with white people writing Black characters because nobody had culture on Degrassi they dip their toe in it but nobody really was connected to their racial identity
@@TheDevonKateShow There were a few instances where the writers dipped their toes into the subject of racism that float to the surface of my Degrassi brain: That time when Derek put undies into Danny's bag, and the racist sales lady thought he was trying to steal it. Derek saw it as one big joke, but Danny had to point out how not funny that is for a black person. That time when Dallas and Connor got stopped by the cops who thought he stole Mr. Simpson's car. I think the writers were able to capture the feeling of being enraged at the obvious racial profiling.
Liberty not being in those photos is such a good catch. I never noticed this I audibly gasped when you said this. It just goes to show that even though a show was a lot more progressive in Canada than we were in the United States back then. That how the public responds to the characters also can have an effect on how the characters get treated by marketing and producers. It’s a vicious cycle they don’t promote the black character so we don’t connect with the black character , which causes them to not promote the black character.
This has to be the only show I’ve watched where the storyline about a teen pregnancy isn’t about the ACTUAL GIRL going through the pregnancy?! That’s wild to me.
She was not my favorite but I agree with this vid and when she glowed up should have been talked about more and actually gave her more to do but we know what they do to poc characters or second characters ughh degrassi had too many miss potential
I'm still mad she got pregnant.... she'd NEVER let that happen to herself. They just did that dumb plot for fun lol. Also I feel like her pregnancy storyline was barely developed so what's the point?
Agreed! I feel like Degrassi purposely made the black female characters unlikable. The had little to no storylines that centered them, so there was no room for the characters to evolve. They were there as a plot device for the white characters.
i HATED how they never gave Liberty the proper glow up that she deserved. Every season our homegirl Sarah PUSHED for that glowup (rightfully so bc she's hands down GORGEOUS.) but they kept on using her as the token black geeky character.
Ashley and Toby were supposed to be main characters too but audiences weren’t feeling them so they got demoted. The show had the flexibility to elevate their Black characters and categorically failed at every opportunity. Hazel, for example, stayed solidly in Paige’s shadow for her entire run on the show. As opposed to Elle who transcended past being just Ashley’s friend.
@@LizzieHunterPaulthe writers wanted to repeat Stephanie Kaye and Arthur Kalwolkoski. It barely worked for S1 of DJH. The writers sure had some lofty goals both times.
Justice for Liberty 3000
Despite being on the show for 8 years, Liberty had 1 good storyline: in college, she was the token black girl at the surrority. In general, She was the annoying perfectionist who was mean to most people. She was always unhappy, stomping off in a huff for something or other. She was mad at J.T. for being so immature, but like "bruh, he's 15". I hated the way the writers portrayed her, but I'm not surprised, since the 1980's, Degrassi writers have done poc characters dirty in one way or another.
I actually did not like that storyline I made two recordings of the liberty video and in the first one I talked about how the Black characters will have no story until Degrassi wants to talk about race I mean we’ve known Liberty for eights seasons and we just talking about her being a token she’s been one at Degrassi not just college
@@TheDevonKateShow you brought up a good point with her being a token in high school. Speaking of tokens, it seems to me that the Van Zant family were so disconnected from black culture. I guess that's how tokenism is: the ones who are the easiest for racists to accept, because their behavior is closest to whiteness, are the ones who get into the token category. Tiny's brother Vince wouldn't be a token, he'd be a shitty stereotype
I think that had to do with white people writing Black characters because nobody had culture on Degrassi they dip their toe in it but nobody really was connected to their racial identity
@@TheDevonKateShow There were a few instances where the writers dipped their toes into the subject of racism that float to the surface of my Degrassi brain:
That time when Derek put undies into Danny's bag, and the racist sales lady thought he was trying to steal it. Derek saw it as one big joke, but Danny had to point out how not funny that is for a black person.
That time when Dallas and Connor got stopped by the cops who thought he stole Mr. Simpson's car. I think the writers were able to capture the feeling of being enraged at the obvious racial profiling.
Liberty not being in those photos is such a good catch. I never noticed this I audibly gasped when you said this. It just goes to show that even though a show was a lot more progressive in Canada than we were in the United States back then. That how the public responds to the characters also can have an effect on how the characters get treated by marketing and producers. It’s a vicious cycle they don’t promote the black character so we don’t connect with the black character , which causes them to not promote the black character.
This has to be the only show I’ve watched where the storyline about a teen pregnancy isn’t about the ACTUAL GIRL going through the pregnancy?! That’s wild to me.
It was more about jt honestly
That’s a good point
I liked her a lot
She was not my favorite but I agree with this vid and when she glowed up should have been talked about more and actually gave her more to do but we know what they do to poc characters or second characters ughh degrassi had too many miss potential
Liberty is a realistic portrayal of a nerdy girl in high school. Also, they kind of sidelined Liberty and Toby in high school
I'm still mad she got pregnant.... she'd NEVER let that happen to herself. They just did that dumb plot for fun lol. Also I feel like her pregnancy storyline was barely developed so what's the point?
So true!!!
I love Liberty so much. Degrassi fumbled the ball with all their black female characters imo smh
Agreed! I feel like Degrassi purposely made the black female characters unlikable. The had little to no storylines that centered them, so there was no room for the characters to evolve. They were there as a plot device for the white characters.
this channel and these videos are reall;y good well done
Thank you so much that means so much too me ♥️
i HATED how they never gave Liberty the proper glow up that she deserved. Every season our homegirl Sarah PUSHED for that glowup (rightfully so bc she's hands down GORGEOUS.) but they kept on using her as the token black geeky character.
I never knew Sarah was pushing for a makeover for Liberty
Because Liberty was never a main character she was a supporting reoccurring character
Eight seasons and she’s a supporting character 💀 supporting characters in euphoria had more development than Liberty was a token main character
Ashley and Toby were supposed to be main characters too but audiences weren’t feeling them so they got demoted. The show had the flexibility to elevate their Black characters and categorically failed at every opportunity. Hazel, for example, stayed solidly in Paige’s shadow for her entire run on the show. As opposed to Elle who transcended past being just Ashley’s friend.
Yes I did hear that and Degrassi stay fumbling Black characters
@@LizzieHunterPaulthe writers wanted to repeat Stephanie Kaye and Arthur Kalwolkoski. It barely worked for S1 of DJH. The writers sure had some lofty goals both times.
Hazel never got a main story line
Chantel was on for like 30 years in 10th grade no story line