What is enlightened racism? According to Jhally and Lewis enlightened racism promotes the idea that Blacks who do not "make it" only have themselves to blame. It also makes us believe 'nice' Blacks are the exception to the rule as well as hides and distorts how most Blacks live. It relieves viewers of responsibilities for inequalities and obscures how we think about race and class.
For those of you who may not be familiar with HTGAWM, Michaela is a law student that involuntarily gets involved in a murder plot with a group of four other classmates. Michaela is portrayed as upper-middle class; she owns nice clothing, her fiance comes from a wealthy family, and she often speaks about how well off she is. She is also educated and successful.
"Peering" into the Future
While Shonda Rhimes has made headway for strong, black female characters, viewers are still not exposed to the struggles that they may face. I think of Michaela's backstory is explored more then viewers will see the actual hardships of her life and be able to understand where she comes from. Her expensive clothing and other adornments make her look like the 'nice' black girl. I think if we see a different side of Michaela, it will rid her character of enlightened racism.