It's the same for Georgia! We're all either trashy, Appalachian hillbillies with no education, racist redneck nightmares, gangsta thugs and their hoes or rich good 'ol boys and their vapid, Junior League garden party wives. Our accents are usually murdered in television shows and movies, and often they don't even bother to get details correct if something is actually set in Atlanta or the state. "Designing Women" in the 80s and 90s was one of the only shows that's ever shown a different side (and a true side for many) of us.
I am eager to go back and start watching "Walking Dead". It's filmed here, as are TONS of things, and it's supposedly really good. Yes, it's about zombies, but I think it skips the whole "all Southerners and Georgians are idiots" part. Yes, most of us are zombies, but the cast looks diverse and well-rounded, and that's what a lot of us here really are!
Interesting facts that don't fit the "Georgia" stereotype:
*We have one of the largest Hispanic populations east of the Mississippi and one of the largest Asian populations east of the Mississippi -in fact we're pretty high on the chart for the whole country. Both of these groups add a lot of culture and uniqueness to large and small cities and towns.
*Atlanta has one of the largest gay populations in the nation, and not only populations but the reputation of being gay friendly. My SIL's partner from San Francisco was amazed at how many rainbow flags are flying on homes throughout Atlanta's neighborhoods and how many kids at my boys' preschools and schools have two mommies or two daddies -more than their kids ever have.
While our racial history carries a lot of sadness and shame with it, too many people seem to forget that some of the greatest leaders in the Civil Rights Movement were born and raised here, are buried here or are still alive and working here! Martin Luther King Jr. was born and raised and is now buried about a mile down the street from my house. John Lewis is my Congressman. Andrew Young was my mayor and is still quite active in politics and social issues here.
I could go on and on, but suffice to say -we're A LOT more than rebel flags and uneducated hicks.