Visual Media Representation of Racial Groups during the 2020 COVID-19 Outbreak in Canada

In December 2019, China was reporting several cases of a “viral pneumonia” (World Health Organization 2020). This viral pneumonia, now known as COVID-19, has spread so much that the World Health Organization had to deem the virus a pandemic and urged nations to contain it (World Health Organization 2020). So far, the COVID-19 pandemic has uncovered inequalities, discrimination and racism that many people have been facing. This has especially been the case in Canada. Individuals who looked Chinese were being subjected to racism in the form of verbal attacks, physical attacks and other forms (Ma and Zhan 2020; Abidin and Jung 2020; Statistics Canada 2020). Hate crimes are not the only form of racism and inequality that COVID-19 has exposed in Canada. Black people, Latinos and Indigenous people are found to be more likely to suffer health-related consequences from COVID-19 infection (Egede and Walker 2020; Pirtle 2020; Beaman 2020; City of Toronto 2020; Greenway et al 2020; Union of the British Columbia Indian Chiefs 2020).

While these issues are important and deserve attention, there is limited discussion regarding how racism manifests on media platforms such as newspaper articles during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in Canada. Current academic literature on COVID-19 in Canada prominently focuses on racism in the form of hate crimes and disparity in health-related consequences of COVID-19 (Ma and Zhan 2020; Abidin and Jung 2020; Statistics Canada 2020; Egede and Walker 2020; Pirtle 2020; Beaman 2020; City of Toronto 2020; Greenway et al 2020; Union of the British Columbia Indian Chiefs 2020). Barely any literature focuses on the manifestation of racism in the media.

My study builds on these themes of inequality and racism during the COVID-19 outbreak in Canada. However, I will focus on racial representation and potential racism in the Canadian media, particularly how these groups are represented in images found in online newspaper articles written by the Toronto Star. This study not only focuses on one racial group, but multiple racial groups including East Asians, Southeast Asians, South Asians, Black people, white people, Latino and Indigenous.

Methodology

To understand how various racial groups are visually represented in Canadian news media during the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, I examined photographs from 368 Toronto Star articles that were published between January 2020 and December 2020. Several criteria were used to determine which articles were fit for the study. Articles that focused on COVID-19 in the Canadian context, whether that is Canada in general or a province, were included in the study. I excluded articles that focused on foreign contexts as well articles that did not discuss COVID-19. Articles with photos of objects as well as photos where it was difficult to identify key features like an individual’s race were also discarded. The articles that were chosen focused on diverse topics regarding COVID-19 such as business, healthcare, politics, sports and so forth.

My findings are divided and organized into three major themes of representation: (1) Disease and Sickness, (2) Power and Status and (3) Invisibility.

Disease and Sickness

Studies on the COVID-19 outbreak in Canada as well as general media studies have taken note of the associations made between East Asians and disease and sickness (Ma and Zhan 2020; Abidin and Jung 2020; Statistics Canada 2020; Tessler, Choi and Kao 2020; Gover, Harper and Langton 2020; Schram 2003; Muzzatti 2005). This association can be extended to include how often photographs with East Asians were used in newspaper articles. This study found that East Asian photographs were utilized the most in January and February before declining for several months and then slightly increasing again in October, November and December (see: figure one). Other racial groups have not experienced the same trend. white photographs for example were consistently high with little fluctuation throughout the study timeline. South Asian and Black photograph usage was also consistent throughout the study timeline.

This increase in East Asian photograph usage perhaps correlates with when the rates of infection are particularly high in Canada. Infectious diseases often come out in waves, where there is a period of time when infection rates and deaths are much higher in comparison to other periods of time. January and February were when COVID-19 cases were first spreading quickly in Canada. October 2020 and onwards signified the second wave of increasing COVID infection and deaths in Canada. This relates to Shram and Muzzatti’s studies on media focusing heavily on East Asians during the SARS outbreak in the early 2000’s (Schram 2003; Muzzatti 2005). East Asian photographs are being used when rates of infection in Canada are prominent and more likely to capture the attention of the general public as a result of increased reporting. Their photos were being used less when COVID-19 rates were lower. Meanwhile, white photographs, South Asian photographs and Black photographs stayed consistent regardless of what the situation was with COVID-19 infections in Canada, which can suggest that these groups are not associated with sickness like East Asians are.

East Asian individuals in photographs have been portrayed in occupations and roles that have been documented as very likely to deal with or encounter the COVID-19 (see: figure three). Twenty-five photographs depict East Asians in a citizen-type role, where they are shown as passengers and pedestrians. Only four photographs depict East Asians as airport workers, however, that is around sixty-five percent of all photographs of airport workers. Around five photographs depicted East Asians as a healthcare worker. In terms of roles, East Asians were represented as medical patients in two photographs. Below is an example of a photograph I found showcasing East Asians as medical patients. These numbers may seem small, however, there were not that many photographs with East Asians in the study sample. This means that these representations in medical and other settings make up a significant amount of the types of occupations and roles that East Asians are portraying. This adds on to what studies have said about the association often made between East Asians and disease (Tessler, Choi and Kao 2020; Gover, Harper and Langton 2020) East Asians are portraying roles in society that make them more susceptible to catching the virus, which contributes to perceptions that East Asian people are carrying and spreading COVID-19.

(Pictured illustrates a masked woman at the Wuhan Medical Treatment Centre; article with this photograph published on January 13^th, 2020)

 Meanwhile, other racial groups have not been portrayed in these health and travel-related occupations and roles to the same extent East Asians have. For example, white people have not been depicted as airport workers at all. South Asians also make up very little of the photographs containing healthcare workers and airport staff. Even for Black people, the only occupation they have been portrayed in a way that connects them with disease is the healthcare worker role. This shows that South Asian and Black racial groups have not be portrayed in many occupations and roles that deal with COVID-19 directly. Although the results suggest that white people in photographs are depicted as medical patients and healthcare workers more than East Asians (see figure three), white photographs made up a significant amount of the sample in comparison to the East Asians, so those types of occupations and roles make up a smaller number of all the occupations and roles that white people are depicted in.

(Pictured here are four masked workers at Taoyuan airport in Taiwan; Pictured here are several masked medical staff and patients at a hospital in Wuhan, China; January 30^th, 2020 and January 23^rd, 2020 respectively)

The same can be said for locations where these photographs are taken. Nine East Asian photographs have been taken in medical settings. Seven have been taken in an airport setting. Thirteen have been taken in a general setting such as parks. Three were taken in senior care home environments. The photographs above show East Asian people being photographed in medical and travel-related locations. These are the types of locations understood to be where COVID-19 is prevalent, so East Asians are once again being connected to sickness as they are situated in places where they are likely to catch the virus. This connects to the literature in terms of that association with disease (Tessler, Choi and Kao 2020; Gover, Harper and Langton 2020).

Other racial groups such as white people have not been portrayed in locations where COVID-19 is present. For example, photographs with white people in them are typically taken in more professional locations such as a news conference room and parliamentary settings where it is easy to socially distance and not spread COVID-19. This showcases how other racial groups are not situated in locations where COVID is present, which can be interpreted as these groups not carrying and spreading the virus as much as East Asian people.

(Pictured here is a man and a masked woman at an airport; January 25^th, 2020)

Health-related items like masks and hand sanitizers are obvious indicators of disease and sickness. Despite the low number of East Asian photograph usage in the sample, these health-related items are often present. The photograph above is an example of how East Asians were commonly photographed with health-related items like masks. Unlike the trend discussed earlier where East Asian photographs were being used more when rates of infection were high in Canada, health-related items were there regardless of how many photographs there were for a specific month for East Asians. September will be used as an example. Despite only three photographs of East Asians for that month, two of those photos have a health-related item in it. As said earlier, health-related items can indicate that a person is sick or were in proximity with someone that is sick. This relates to previous study that took notice of the prevalence of East Asian photographs with masks being used in reporting of SARS to signify these people as being sick (Schram 2003). Even though East Asian photograph usage did drop for a period of time, masks and other items were always in those photos, which further fuels the idea that East Asian people are sick and are carrying disease with them wherever they travel.  

         White people have been found to have higher numbers when it comes to photographs containing health-related items (see: figure two), however, this can be attributed to the fact that photographs with white people outnumber photographs with East Asians in the study sample. That association with disease is avoided because the ratio of photographs with health-related items to all photographs is lower for whites than it is for East Asians. For example, there are twenty-one photographs of white people for September, however, there were only eight that featured health-related items in them.

Power and Status

It has been well documented how there are discrepancies regarding which racial groups experience power and which groups experience inequalities during the COVID-19 outbreak in Canada. white people are one of those groups who have experienced power. white people in the photographs have been portrayed in prestigious and high-status occupation and roles (see photographs below). One hundred and one photographs depict white people as politicians, which also happens to be all the photographs of politicians in this study. Fifty photographs depict white people as public health officials. Twelve photographs show white people in CEO, president and other executive positions. Three photographs show them as law enforcement officers.

(Pictured here is Federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu and Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams; January 23^rd, 2020 and February 6^th, 2020 respectively)

 White people are represented in the type of roles and occupations that exercise a significant amount of power over many people during the outbreak in Canada. Placement in occupations like politician and public health worker give them the ability to impose rules and laws that citizens are required to follow in terms of self-isolation, what businesses can stay open/closed and so forth. The occupations and roles white people are depicted in are not the only ways that white people are viewed as having high status and power. Another indicator is name recognition for those in the photos. The names for white people were almost always provided, which can serve as an indicator of their importance to Canadian society as it grapples with the negative effects of the pandemic. For example, twelve out of sixteen articles in January provide the names of the white individuals. Not only were the names often provided, but the articles often utilized photographs of these named individuals more than once. Photographs of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Federal Health Minister Patty Hadju, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer David Williams and many other Canadian politicians and public health officials were used more than once in the study sample. This perpetuates findings from past literature that suggests that white portrayals are more favourable (Johnston 2020: Baumann and Ho 2014). Here, white people’s status is elevated as they are the ones who are being recognized during the outbreak, and they are often being recognized on a repeated basis as opposed to just once.

South Asians also have some power and status; however, it is not to the same extent as white people. Nine photographs showcase South Asians in a citizen role. Six photographs depict South Asians as public health official. Two photographs depict them as CEOs, Presidents and other executive roles. This deviates from the literature quite a bit, especially considering that South Asians were often depicted as terrorists and people who refuse to integrate themselves into western life (Mahtani 2001; Thomas 2015; Alsultany 2013). The literature contrasts with these findings as the depiction of South Asians in this study show that South Asians are integrated into roles in society that are focused on research and improving the lives of others during the COVID-19 outbreak in Canada. The photographs below depict this as South Asians are using the power from their positions as university professors and public health officials to promote health and safety to Canadian citizens and help contain the virus. However, while South Asians have been represented in more higher status roles and occupations, South Asians lack some name recognition (see: figure four). Only twelve articles out of twenty-nine articles with photographs of South Asians provide the names of South Asians, which can suggest that although South Asians are represented in prestigious positions, South Asians are not acknowledged as often as white people during the COVID-19 outbreak in Canada. As a result, their status is lower than those of whites.

(Pictured here is University of Toronto professor Sachdev Sidhu and York Region Medical Officer of Health Dr. Karim Kurji; March 6^th, 2020 and March 1^st, 2020 respectively)

Black people’s power and status is found to be lower than both white people and South Asians, however, there is certainly an increase in positive portrayal that adds on to the increasing literature that portrays Black people in more positive ways (Tamborini et al 2000). Nine photographs depict Black people as healthcare workers (see: figure three). Ten photographs show Black people in a citizen-type role. Some of the roles and occupations depicted in only one photograph that is not reflected in figure three is student, law enforcement officer, athlete, film producer, construction worker and so on. Even though Black people heavily feature as citizens, the other occupations and roles can be interpreted as higher status and prestigious during the COVID-19 outbreak in Canada. As seen in the photographs below, Black people are being portrayed in diverse set of roles that vary from lower status occupations like restaurant worker and higher status positions such as national athletes. However, the names of Black people were often not provided by the articles (see: figure four). Out of the twenty-nine articles containing photographs of Black people, only eight provide names. As a result, Black people are not recognized as often as the other two groups discussed. Despite the lack of recognition, these findings do deviate from the stereotypical depictions of Blacks in terms of them being criminals and so forth (Carter 2008; US Commission on Civil Rights 1977; Dates 1990).

(Pictured here is a masked restaurant worker and water polo athlete Krystina Alogbo; June 25^th, 2020 and February 27^th, 2020 respectively)

Invisibility

While some groups were represented well in the study, others were not so much. Only a handful of Indigenous, Latino and Southeast Asian photographs were utilized by articles in the entire study sample. Indigenous people only make up two photographs, Latinos make up four and Southeast Asians are only in three.

Despite the severe underrepresentation, Indigenous people had been better represented in terms of the quality of representation. Past literature typically depicted Indigenous as addicts and uncivilized people (Johnston 2020; Mahtani 2001) This study shows Indigenous in healthcare worker and chief roles, which is an improvement from typical depictions. The underrepresentation in this study perhaps has to do with Indigenous issues being overshadowed. Issues such as hate crimes against Asians and others received more media attention in comparison to Indigenous-related issues during the outbreak.  

(Pictured here is Assembly of FAirst Nations (AFN) National Chief Perry Bellegarde during a press conference; March 11^th, 2020)

As for Latinos, there is some relation to the past literature, especially in terms of underrepresentation and depiction in migrant worker type of roles (Steinberg 2004; Clawson and Trice 2000). One out of the four photographs contained a Latino individual being portrayed as a migrant worker, which shows that even during the COVID-19 pandemic, Latinos are still being associated with migrant work. Perhaps the lack of representation can also be attributed to other issues regarding the COVID outbreak that is ultimately overshadowing migrant worker issues in Canada.

(Pictured here is migrant worker Gabriel Flores Flores speaking at press conference; November 12^th, 2020)

Southeast Asian underrepresentation is surprising to see, especially considering that there is documented research suggesting that Southeast Asians were also experiencing hate crimes related to COVID-19 in Canada (Government of Canada 2021). This can perhaps be because Southeast Asians often end up being confused with East Asians, which results in Southeast Asians being overlooked as a separate racial group.

(Pictured here is personal support worker Anita Quidangen receiving the COVID vaccine at a hospital in Toronto; December 14^th, 2020)

Conclusion

My study looked at racial representation in images within online newspaper articles during the COVID-19 outbreak in Canada. The study found that certain racial groups had been portrayed in more negative ways in comparison to other racial groups. There are several implications of this study. One implication is that there is some existing racism in the media during the COVID-19 outbreak in Canada that needs to be discussed. East Asians were not painted in a positive light in this study, where they were portrayed in ways that associated them with disease and sickness in terms of what occupation they portray, where they are photographed, the prevalence of health-related items and so forth. On the other hand, white people had been portrayed more positively in terms of having considerable power and status in society. A second implication is that some racial groups experienced some progress in terms of being portrayed in more positive ways in comparison to how media typically tends to portray those groups. My study showed that even South Asians and Black people lacked name recognition during the COVID outbreak in Canada, they were portrayed in some higher status and respected occupations and roles. A third implication is that some groups continue to be ignored and barely considered by the media. Indigenous, Latinos and Southeast Asians were very found to be very underrepresented in the media.

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