Characters
How Do Never Have I Ever's Characters Redress Stereotypes?
Devi Vishwakumar
Mental Health Awareness
Through Devi, Kaling creates a more realistic representation of South Asian experiences. Older dramas depict Indians as grade-centric model minorities who face few challenges, but Never Have I Ever does the opposite: Devi is social yet awkward, having to simultaneously navigate adolescence and grief. Moreover, the series highlights her mental health and therapy sessions with Dr. Ryan (Niecy Nash), which the Asian community often views as taboo.
Cross-Cultural Identity
The show also more accurately represents Indian Americans by portraying second-generation immigrants grappling with their identity. When my friends and I watched Never Have I Ever together, they told me that they felt seen since they could relate to Devi’s insecurities; they felt too brown to belong at school but not brown enough to belong at cultural events with relatives, just as Devi had felt at Ganesh Puja. Though this internal conflict never takes center stage, I appreciate that Kaling purposely crafts it around Ramakrisnan’s Tamil-American background to illustrate the impacts on her character—if only briefly.
Female Empowerment
In addition to subverting racial stereotypes, the series puts young women in power roles. Devi is outspoken, unlike old Hollywood female leads. She is also unapologetic in pursuing Paxton and initiates conversation, even if the show overemphasizes her infatuation with him. Most importantly, Devi recognizes her own worth. She refuses to listen to an admissions counselor who suggests that she use her father’s death to differentiate herself from other Indian applicants. She believes that she is worthy of love as well, which was gratifying for my friend Amiya—who is darker skinned too—to see instead of a ‘fair and lovely’ girl in this role.
Eleanor Wong & Fabiola Torres
Minority Voices & LGBTQ+ Representation
Although Devi’s best friends receive less screen time, they too are independent and dynamic. In contrast to stereotypes that Asian women are introverted, Eleanor acts in dramas and dresses flamboyantly; later episodes reveal that this is because she wants to emulate her absent mother. Meanwhile, Fabiola programs robots and wears polos, deviating from traditional ideas of femininity. She eventually comes out as gay also and provides much-needed visibility for other multiracial lesbians. In tandem with refreshing themes like self-discovery and reconciliation, these rich characters warrant celebrating the show.
