PEN15 is also highlighting childhood racism, in addition to tackling the awkwardness of adolescence

Slate

Maya Erskine brings the discrimination she's experienced as somebody who is half-Japanese and half-white to her 13-year-old character on the sixth episode of her Hulu comedy. "We aren’t just watching a 13-year-old deal with the fallout of racism; we’re watching Maya the adult deal with it too," says Steffan Triplett. "On a TV-MA show seemingly made to resonate with viewers who lived through this time period, the audience now has an adult perspective—and is forced to take these young girls’ actions seriously. Maya starts the camcorder, sits on the patio step, and cries. Hurt by the words of these girls and, even if she doesn’t understand it yet, hurt by her best friend’s lack of action. Anna sees the girls are treating Maya differently and tries to divert their attention, but she doesn’t call out the discrimination."

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