Studies have been done before on racists who watched a show with a main character as a person of color. And the results were there. After watching the show, the subjects were more accepting of people of color because they found a way to identify with the character. They found that it's a first step in sympathizing with an "outgroup". This is a great example of the benefits of parasocial relationships. With the way media is ingrained in our society, this is a step in the right direction in terms of normalizing mental health issues.