Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, best known for her breakout role in the hit series Never Have I Ever, continues to speak openly about representation, identity, and what it felt like to grow up without seeing relatable characters on television. In a recent statement that quickly gained traction, she said, “This is sad but growing up I could relate more to a cartoon dog than white Disney Channel kids.” Her comment has sparked widespread conversation about diversity in children’s media, the impact of representation, and how younger generations still navigate identity in an industry that has historically centered whiteness.
This post examines what Ramakrishnan meant, why her words resonated with so many people, and how her experience reflects broader challenges in mainstream entertainment.
Understanding the Context Behind Ramakrishnan’s Statement
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, a Tamil-Canadian actress, has consistently used her platform to discuss the importance of seeing people who look like you in the media you consume. Her comment highlights a familiar experience for many children of color who grew up watching television dominated by white leads, white families, and Eurocentric standards of beauty.
When she says she connected more with a cartoon dog than human characters, the sentiment is not about animals or animation, but rather about disconnect. Cartoon characters often lack fixed racial identities, making them more broadly relatable for children of all backgrounds. In contrast, live-action shows that prominently feature only white characters can leave children of color feeling unseen, unnoticed, or outside the norm.
Her words reflect a struggle many have expressed: the challenge of trying to place oneself into stories that were never designed with them in mind.
The Disney Channel Era and Its Lack of Diversity
For decades, Disney Channel influenced millions of kids around the world. Shows like Lizzie McGuire, Hannah Montana, Even Stevens, and Wizards of Waverly Place shaped pop culture. But during much of that era, diverse representation was limited to supporting roles, stereotyped characters, or occasional “special episode” storylines.
This lack of meaningful representation had consequences:
- Children of color rarely saw themselves as protagonists.
They were more likely to see themselves cast as side characters, comedic relief, or background extras. - Cultural authenticity was almost nonexistent.
Characters rarely addressed issues of culture, immigration, diaspora upbringing, or bilingual households. - Beauty standards leaned heavily toward Eurocentric norms.
This affected how many young viewers saw themselves, especially girls who did not fit those standards. - The absence of diversity created a narrow definition of normal.
White, suburban American life became the assumed default.
This media environment shaped how children interacted with the world, their peers, and their own self-image.
Why Ramakrishnan’s Words Resonated With Millions
A wave of responses online showed just how common her experience is. Many people echoed similar sentiments, describing how they formed deeper emotional bonds with characters like animated dogs, robots, or animals because those figures lacked racial markers and therefore felt more accessible.
Several themes emerged in public reaction:
- Relatability through neutrality: Animated characters are often crafted with universal emotions and simplified personalities, allowing diverse children to project themselves onto them.
- Alienation in live-action media: When every human character represented an identity far removed from their own, children struggled to imagine belonging in those stories.
- Growing awareness of representation: Adults looking back now realize how the content they consumed shaped their understanding of themselves.
Ramakrishnan’s statement is not simply a critique. It is a reminder of the subtle but powerful role media plays during childhood development.
How Today’s Media Landscape Is Changing
While representation still needs significant improvement, the landscape has evolved compared to the early 2000s. Shows today feature more diverse families, culturally specific narratives, and protagonists who reflect a broader spectrum of ethnicities and backgrounds.
Some changes include:
- More Black, South Asian, Middle Eastern, and Latinx leads in children’s and teen programming.
- Storylines that acknowledge multicultural households, immigration backgrounds, and bilingual identity.
- A shift toward authenticity, guided by writers, directors, and creators with lived experiences.
Actors like Maitreyi Ramakrishnan are part of that change. As a Tamil-Canadian lead in a globally successful series, she represents a generation of young talent pushing the industry forward.
The Lasting Impact of Growing Up Without Representation
Ramakrishnan’s comment reveals more than a media critique—it highlights the long-term emotional effects of invisibility. Representation is not merely about seeing faces that match your own; it is about feeling that your life, experiences, and family are worth telling.
Children who grow up without representation may:
- Develop lower self-esteem
- Internalize the belief that their stories are less important
- Struggle with cultural identity
- Feel pressure to assimilate
- Experience a sense of otherness among peers
Media does not create identity, but it heavily influences how identity forms.
What Ramakrishnan Brings to the Conversation Today
By speaking openly about her experiences, Ramakrishnan is contributing to a necessary dialogue about how media can better serve young audiences. Her message encourages parents, creators, and studios to examine what children see—and what they do not see.
She represents a shift toward:
- Honesty about the cultural gaps in past programming
- Accountability for major networks and streaming platforms
- Empowerment for future generations of creators who want to tell their own stories
Her career itself challenges the older Hollywood molds and opens doors for young actors of similar backgrounds.
Conclusion: Why Her Words Matter
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan’s statement, “This is sad but growing up I could relate more to a cartoon dog than white Disney Channel kids,” is a reflection of a broader generational truth. Countless children grew up feeling disconnected from the media meant to entertain them. While today’s media environment is improving, these conversations show how meaningful and necessary representation is.
Her comment serves not as criticism alone, but as motivation—urging the entertainment industry to create content where all children can find themselves, feel seen, and understand that their stories matter just as much as anyone else’s.