White Walls and the "Blindside"

For me, the most significant part in the movie The Blindside was the poem that Michael wrote about his school. He described how he only saw white walls, white people, and white everything. He was the black speck in the white environment that he found himself residing. After taken in by a white Southern lady, Michael finds himself at the center of a rich woman's charity project. However, what turned out as a charity project quickly became a deep relationship between a mother and her adopted son. Their relationship quickly becomes blind of color as their race and gender are hazed as a wonderful story unfolds. My favorite relationship is between S.J. and Michael. S.J. is completely loving and thinks nothing about the color of his big brother's skin. S.J is also Michael's motivation to tackle his opponents in football. Michael is a protector and does not show the stereotypical violent behavior usually associated with his race. Mrs. Tuohy helps him find his inner strength and be a valuable memeber of the football team by reminding him of his loving heart and protective nature. After she tells him that the football is his family, Michael becomes a revolutionary member of the team and goes on to earn a scholarship and a spot playing pro-ball. I cannot read the story about Ferdinand the bulls the same way again. Michael really is the gentle bull.


I found this movie to be a delightful spin on a true movie as it combined a football heart warmer and crossing the racial boundary story. Was it predictable, yes. None-the-less it was a heartwarming story that made me tear up during the trailer.

This unsettling whitness

As I read through Dryer's chapter on white representation in the media and Lott's chapter on white cross-dressing in America, I could not help feeling attacked because I was the demographic in question. For the other readings regarding people of other races, I sat back and analyzed their representation in the media. Because race is a subject I am not comfortable with, I took more of a back seat approach than with gender. However, when my skin color was being analyzed, I suddenly felt like a bug under a microscope. Is this how people of other races feel when they go to the movies? I hated the feeling and often found myself offended on the minute details. Reading the article was like being stung by bees - the first two pinched a little, but then it became overwhelming.

Many times it was difficult to completely understand what Dryer was talking about since I have not seen any of the films he referenced. However, I ran into some arguments about negative stereotypes of white people in my research for my race paper on Pocahontas. On critic described the Native Americans as beautiful people while Disney portrayed the white settlers as grotesque, slothful creatures with disproportional physical features. I observed this myself throughout the cartoon, but for some reason a cartoon seemed more innocent than the portrayals described by Dryer. (Or this could be the assumed 'innocence' of any Disney production). Regardless of the mask of cartoons, white representation is glaringly present in the media, but in a more subtle and at times a more complex depth.

"Playing Indian"

Is reenacting a person of a particular skin color offensive? This is one of the main issues addressed in C. Richard King's article "Arguing over Images: Native American Mascots and Race." One example of racial debate is regarding the Crayola company. The Chestnut Crayon use to be called "Indian Red" or something to that effect. However, there was so much controversy over its racial label that there was a contest to see who could rename the color. The debate of offensive names does not end in a Crayola box. King describes the controversy over sport and University mascots. He poses the question, "Do mascots like Chief Wahoo of the Cleveland Indians and Chief Illiniwek at the University of Illinois perpetuate racist stereotypes?" That is a fabulous question! The problem is, who is being asked? USA Weekend posted a blog for people to state their thoughts on such a subject. The responses varied from accusing people of not being able to "LIGHTEN UP!!!!!!!!!!" to a view that was horrified if someone actually thought it was correct to continue using such mascots. Talk about your polar opposites. Personally, I feel that I cannot properly judge and assess the situation because it is not my ethnicity that is in question. However, I do find some portrayals of the Native Americans are more tasteful than others.

One example would be the two depictions of Native Americans in Disney animated films. Peter Pan has been criticized many times for its insensitivity towards the Native Americans. The song What Made the Red Man Red has caused many controversies over the years.


King points out that images such as dancing, painted faces, dramatized body parts like noses, and wearing feathered headdresses are all ways to convey a negative stereotypical depiction of the Native American race. The gibber language and mannerism are not particularly flattering as well.

Pocahontas is Disney's way of making up for their initial portrayal in Peter Pan. The question becomes is it a fair interpretation that properly apologizes for the previous film? However, the use of the word 'savages' echoes a common adjective associated with the race. On the other hand, Disney uses this scene to portray both perspectives and equally show the savage nature of both races.




So is it correct to use Native American names and images as mascots? Well, I personally believe that is up to the race who is being protrayed.

The White hip hop

Like Jazz, hip hop is a black creation that has been a fad with white people. Kitwana describes in the introduction that hip hop is being musically devoured by white people and has become a part of the American culture. A similar phenomenon occurred with the Jazz era. The practice of jazz music began in the Harlem Renaissance and was adopted by the white citizens. Only when the white people got a hold of it did the music thrive in an economical and financial sense. Now hip hop has become the current generation's version of jazz. White teenagers have participated in the practice of hip hop on many levels. Some enjoy listening to it on occasion while others try to be hard core and break dance to the beat.

In regards to the black influence, hip hop has become a common association with the black race and culture. Kitwana describes an instance where a South Carolina student leader sponsored a Hip Hop Day. The purpose of this event was to cross racial boundaries. Here both groups could come together and appreciate an aspect of the black culture. On our campus, there was a hall who created a ghetto day activity. One girl on the hall commented that she felt the label was inappropriate and portrayed negative connotations about the black race. For Ghetto day, many students dressed in baggy clothes and tried to act black. I am sure many students found this offensive and not a a flattering portrayal of the black culture. The title Hip Hop Day would have been a more appropriate approach to this idea.

Back to how white teenagers love hip hop, I was intrigued by Kitwana's section describing the participation of whites and hip hop music. I believe her underlying theme was that one could not truly excel in hip hop if he or she was not black. In her article she said referred to a dialogue between a group of friends. "Wow you guys are really good. Too bad you're not Black." In high school a group of friends and myself organized a Christian hip hop group. The entire group was all white, but we thought we were the coolest thing hip hop had ever seen. Remember this was high school. The entire time we attempted to act ghetto and imitate dance moves that would be found in a black community. This was quite comical since the demographics of my home town was all white. We dressed like black kids practicing hip hop and tried to imitate their moves and incorporate them into our hip hop ministry. It was fun, but I am sure everyone could tell we were not black!

Representation of gender in color

Bell Hooks does not hold back in her interpretation of how Black men and women are being portrayed in media. I was offended by her frank description of how Black females are dehumanized in the media. For my thesis at Eastern University, I studied the male gaze and the objectivity women faced in art. However, I found that Hook's study does not have the scholarship and tact of Laura Mulvey. Mulvey does not sugar coat how women are positioned and adorned to attract the male gaze, but I felt her writing had more class. Hook also discusses the Western fantasy of the black female body. Many authors have examined the interactions of early settlers and the "exotic" women. In my post-colonial class, we read an excerpt about the mistreatment of black women by Christopher Columbus and his men. Though this was centuries ago, the attitude towards these women has not greatly improved. As Hook's article points out, Black women are very much still sexualized and objectified for the male gaze. She incorporates very suggestive images of the nudity that is associated with Black women in media. She emphasizes how they are commonly in a pornographic setting with emphasis on the black "butt." Though there are many photographs to display this aspect of Black female representation, I could not bring myself to support such images on my blog.

In her chapter analyzing on Black masculinity, Hooks describes that Black men not only grapple with their identity as males, but also how their race complicates matters. Because of the color of their skin, these men are left as inferior versions of their white brothers. This representation and lack of respect is especially difficult in a patriarchal society. In Buchi Emecheta's book The Joys of Motherhood she explains the difficulties of the position Black men face in a white dominated society. Through the eyes of her female character, Emecheta describes how the woman's husband is emasculated by the white society. He is a treated poorly by the white men in the town and washes the underwear of his white mistress. The woman of the novel struggles with how her husband is being stripped of his masculinity to the point where she cannot respect him as the man of the house. Hook reflects this idea on her chapter by saying "Black men and women who wanted to conform to gender role norms found that this was nearly impossible in a white racist economy that wanted to continue its exploitation of black labor." Another factor that Hook ties to this chapter is the sexual representation and rights to private property. In regards to sexual representation, Black men are often seen as less inferior to white men and also portrayed like women in that they are highly sexualized. Like women, Black men were seen as private property instead of owning such items. The prime example is the events preceding the Civil War. Even after slaves were free and into today's society, Black men are not given the respect they deserve. In my school that was predominately white, I watched my black male peers suffer injustices and judgments from teacher. If my friend was to ask a question of the teacher, he would usually get into trouble. If I asked the same question, I would be greeted with a smile and receive my answer. This always infuriated me. Though some may claim that racism is a problem of the past, I believe it is an issue of the subconscious.

"Movin' On Up

Acham's article "Movin' On Up: Contemporary Television as a Site of Resistance" illustrates the continuing difficulty of portraying people of different ethnicity, especially black, in a positive light in the media. He states that each racial groups comes with its own stereotypes. In an interview with Chris Rock, the actor says that you would never see an Asia in the position of a homeless person. The intervewer replied that they were studying in the library. This dialogue reinforces the notion that Asian Americans have had an easier time assimiliating into the American culture. This could be because Asians have a lighter complexion like the white American.

Blacks and Latinos have had a more difficult time being represetned in a positice light in the media than Asians. Acham comments on the first Balck woman to appear in a police drama was Chrstie Love who played Teresa Graves. The current season of CSI recently replaced their head actor with a Black man. Though not the first Black actor on the show, he adds authority and a fascinating dynamic to the team. However, in a recent episode in this past season, there is an episode where a white police officer kills a black man he believes to be commitng a crime. The cop was in a bad neighborhood and thought that every man of color was a criminal. However, the man he shot was a police officer as well.

Join the Pledge for Equality

I saw this advertisement on USA and found it as a wonderful example of the media creating equality. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tpVjt2IhvQ

The Many Faces of Black Comedy

For many of my examples, I am using comedy as a sub-genre of the shows / movie or as a second genre. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a horror comedy, Smart Guy is a family comedy, Men in Black is an action comedy, and Desperate Housewives is a tragicomedy.



Coleman discusses seven faces of blacks in comedy. One of them that I found particularly interesting was the case of the “tragic Mulatto.” I found this term used many times during my research on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Race is not a topic I think of when I consider Buffy because it features a white cast. The main group of characters incorporates vampires, demons, witches, and werewolves, but no one of a different ethnicity. Coleman describes the Mulatto as “female, bi-racial.” These two elements are crucial to the character Kendra in Buffy. Kendra is a vampire slayer like Buffy. She enters the scene for only a few episodes to help Buffy to defeat evil. Her mixture of race can be seen as either a way to blend the two races or to transition from one to the other. At first I saw Kendra as a blend of both. However, her accent was so strong and distinct. This had to be intentional on Whedon’s part (the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer). On the other hand, the more I personally observed of the character Kendra and through the research I encountered, I see her as a tragic character who is trying to act white. Buffy is a white Slayer and therefore sets the standard in the audience’s mind regarding the paradigm of the Chosen One. In some ways it is refreshing to see a human as strong as Buffy and a kung-fu companion to create even more dynamic scenes to add to the action. However, Kendra, with her rule book Slayer mantra, tends to get on the viewer’s nerves as she criticizes Buffy’s technique and more importantly her known identity. Kendra believes that the Slayer should be an isolated figure and fight alone. Buffy proves that life is much better with a core group of friends. Besides, where would Buffy be without the Scooby Gang? In regards to the Mulatto being a tragedy, like I said earlier, Kendra is only on the show for a few episodes. She is killed in the heat of battle. As seen here, the Slayer who is full of herself is the one who ironically is killed as the “lazy” Slayer preservers.


Buffy is a representation of the face of Blacks in comedy as a side genre in horror. Another type of comedy is the family shows such as The Cosby Show. Though I have never seen The Cosby Show, I have seen Smart Guy, which is a Disney teenage portrayal of a Black contemporary family. Coleman’s fifth type, the “comic Negro” is found in this show. Each teenage character depicts a different aspect to the family. The daughter is the only female in the family unit and must therefore defend herself and be a loud presence in the house. The older brother is a dumb, lazy interpretation of Blacks. He slips by school. He is okay with this image until his elementary age brother is moved up into the high school. I see the younger brother as trying to act white and fit into the Anglo-middle class demographic.


Coleman’s seven types are all negative. However, I found a few more identities of the Black race. One I found is a negative form in that many times Blacks are seen as attempting to be White. I have found that some Blacks can be portrayed in a positive light. One of those actors is Will Smith. The movie I correlate to his Blackness is Men in Black. The title alone is a fascinating example of racial analysis. The idea of “in black” portrays a dominate color for the show. There are many racial interpretations within the film, particularly the second movie, as it comments on Will Smith’s ethnic identity. In the beginning of the first movie, we see Smith chasing down a bad guy and creating a blood-pumping high action thrill. He is chosen to participate in an exam to become a Man in Black. When he enters the testing facility, his peers are white high class military people who take themselves too seriously. Smith lightens the mood and does not conform to the environment. While the others are struggling to find a writing surface in their odd chairs, Smith makes a scene by dragging a table. During the shooting test where there are aliens for targets, Smith only shoots the little girls because she is carrying a Calculus book and is therefore more of a suspect than the aliens. He is chosen for the field and becomes a member of the secret government agency. In the second movie, Smith makes a comment about the racism in law enforcement. When he picks up his partner K, he uses a remote to call his car. An inflatable white man is sitting in the seat and then is sucked into the steering wheel. K comments on the technology and Smith replies that he used to have a black man driving, but it got pulled over too many times. Ouch!

In regards to acting White, I see two characters in the show Desperate Housewives as portraying such an image. Carlos and Gabrielle Solis are two Latino characters in the show. Gabrielle was a New York supermodel and Carlos is a big executive who earns a lot of money. There are moments of growth between these two characters, but they always revert back to their standard of shallow lives and materialistic views. There is one part where they lose all of their money, but they would rather be penniless and live in the suburbs with their white friends than move to an apartment they can afford. They both strive to live out the American dream. Gabrielle is so obsessed with her image that it takes a toll on her children. Her oldest daughter, who is a rather large child, becomes self-conscious because her mother is on the cover of Vogue magazine. This feeling of inferiority causes rebellion and a tense household. Many times, Gabrielle, through her pictures and image as a model, fits Coleman’s Black type number 6 – the “exotic primitive.” She is seen as a possession to her husband. She uses her sexuality to make him jealous and attract another boy.

Another portrayal of Blackness in this dramatic comedy is the new neighbors who move to Wisteria Lane in the second season. The Applewhites create a mixed identity through their name. By having “white” in their surname shows how they attempt to fit into a white suburbia neighborhood. However, from the first episode that introduces this family, they are sketchy. The teenager Mathew begins to date one of the white girls Danielle. Danielle alludes that her mother is racist because Bree allows her son to have his gay lover over to the house, she invites over her AA counselor and sex addict boyfriend, but her daughter is not allowed to be seen with a “hott black guy.” Matthew is portrayed as aggressive while his brother is mentally challenged. Both boys are framed for murder and do not portray flattering depictions of Black characters.

Thelma and Louise: A Comic or Tragic Duo

As I watched the movie Thelma and Louise for the first time, it was for a class on analyzing gender through the lens of media. Throughout the entire movie, I was perplexed as to what I was going to draw from the film in regards to gender ideology. At first I examined the women in the film.

Thelma is the typical submissive, abused wife of the time. She fears her husband and claims she must ask his permission, as if he was a overbearing father, so that she could go out with her friend. From this angle, I see Thelma as a child because she is not treated like an adult in her marriage and I do not believe she considers herself as an adult - period. She has no concept of how an adult woman should behave. I traced all of the misfortunes in the movie to be Thelma's fault. If Thelma had not flirted with the sketchy man in the bar, Louis would not have had to defend her ditsy friend. Also, when Thelma robs the store, she frames them even more and creates a trail of suspicion that draws more attention to their actions. The icing on the cake for Thelma is when she falls for Brad Pitt's sketchy character. She gives herself to him and then, after knowing of his criminal background, willingly leaves him in a room with an envelope that contains all of their money. Contrary to my argument about how Thelma is the root of the problems in the movie, I see her as the character who grows the most during the duration of the film. She evolves from the confined housewife, to a wild woman, to an adult who is seeking freedom from her husband and the patriarchal society as a whole.

Louise represents the strong feminist character in the movie. She is an unmarried woman and demonstrates that she does not need a man to define her identity. She encourages her friend Thelma to come to the same realization. She is the one who tells Thelma to view her husband as a spouse and not a father. She corrupts her friend to seek freedom and enjoy a little "girl time." She is the one who protects Thelma from the initial problem. If it were not for this daring and caring character, Thelma would have been raped. This scene also reveals the depth of Louise's character. We discover later that she was raped in Texas. With this information, we as the audience can gain a greater appreciation for her action in the beginning of the film. In many ways, I see the shooting as a way for Louise to take revenge on the man who raped her. She becomes a very empowered figure as she represents the justice that should be sought for women's rights. It is Louise who takes it upon herself to solve the problems at hand. She also treats Thelma as a child in a way. She tells Thelma not to worry and sends her to the pool while she comes up with a plan. It is Louise who grapples with the consequences and takes matters into her own hands.

The ideology surrounding these characters reminds me of the figures in Mona Lisa Smile. The girls at Welsley come into their education with the attitude that they are being trained to become sophisticated wives. Their degrees are just a way to pass time until there is an engagement. These college student characters are very similar to Thelma in that their mindset of life revolves around a husband/masculine figure. On the other hand, Professor Watson represents Louise. She challenges the girls to be more than their husband. She inspires them to break out of the shadow of men and gain a name for themselves. Watson realizes that she has the privilege of educating the brightest women in the country, but also realizes that their greatest concerns do not go beyond china patterns and children. One of my favorite conversations is between Julia Roberts (Watson) and Julia Stiles (Law student Joan). Roberts asked Stiles what she will do after college. Stiles replies that she will be married. Roberts persuades her student to be more than a wife. Stiles challenges the professor by claiming that she wants to raise a family properly, but that does not mean a woman does not have depth or intellect. Though I consider the characters in Mona Lisa Smile more developed and stronger examples of women in film, I feel that there is a fair comparison in regards to the attitudes of a woman's role in society.

No, I did not forget men. I see three basic types of men in the movie Thelma and Louise. The husband is an example of an abusive slob who cares only for himself and views his wife as his property. He also treats her like a child instead of an adult. This is part of the reason Thelma has no concept of the role and behavior of an adult woman. When he talks sweetly to his wife on the phone, she immediately knows that the police are listening and hangs up the phone. Before this scene, the husband laughs when the officers encourage him to speak kindly so his wife will not be suspicious. Yeah right! The second type of man in Louise's boyfriend. He is sweet and willing to assist Louise at any cost. He is devoted to her, but is more of an equal than overbearing. Many times I viewed Louis as wearing the pants in the relationship. The final male character, and my personal favorite, is the head police officer. He is kind to the women and wants to try and bring them justice without harsh consequences. At first I thought this was really sweet and a great example of caring men. After a while, I realized that he did not see Thelma and Louise as accountable adults, rather he saw them as children who had no concept of right and wrong. This thought rather disturbed me. He was feeding off of the stereotype that lumps women and children into a universal category. Even in the final scene, he calls them girls. This movie demonstrates three types of men and none are terrible flattering.

The negative tendency

In my high school's attendance office there was a poster of a cat covered in spaghetti. The caption underneath said: "When I do something right no one remembers, but when I do something wrong no one forgets." This is a similar idea to the statement made in the article The Racial Chameleon. Entman and Rojecki state that "psychologists have found more generally that people remember negative information most readily." This is very true in regards to the issue of racism. The media has portrayed blacks and Latinos as being the epicenter for criminal action. If you watch any crime investigation show such as CSI, Law and Order, or NCIS to name a few, you will find cases where more times than not the criminal is black or Latino. Even though I know many wonderful black and Latino people, I still clench my purse when I pass a stranger of color on the street. I have noticed that even on my safe college campus I never bat an eye if I pass a white female, but as soon as I see a black male student coming my way my body tenses. As the article Culture, Media, and the White Mind: The Character of Their Contect states, it is due to schemas and frames that these notions are developed. These are the basis for the development and storing of preconceived knowledge. They are our sources of storing and referring to previous experiences or learned information. I have never personally been attacked, but the encounters in the news and in the paper are enough to invoke caution in my step. Are the media solely respnsible for this unnconscious reaction? Stuart Hall comments on this very question in his article The Whites of Their Eyes: Racist Ideologies and the Media. "The media are not only a powerful source of ideas about race. They are also one place where these ideas are articulated, worked on, transformed, and elaborated." This is a straightforward answer to the question of the Media's power over racial tendencies and perceptions in society. It is through the various sources of medium that racial ideologies are formed.

Postcolonial literature and the White way

"...Many writers see black literature in the US as an aspect of internal colonialism/postcolonialism. Any study of post-colonial literature also needs to distinguish the work produced in former white settler colonies - Australia, Canada and New Zealand - from the literature of black African or the Indian subcontinent." This quote from Barker brings me back to the literature I have read from post-colonial societies written by women who have seen the other side of colonization. This other side of colonization that I speak of is not pretty by any means and becomes terribly degrading for people of color. Edwidge Danticat wrote a collection of short narratives about post-colonial women and their families who reside in Haiti or have moved from Haiti to the United States. In the story "Caroline's Wedding," the older sister describes life as an immigrant in the United States. The narrative opens with her describing her accomplishment of earning her citizenship. Her sister Caroline is less than thrilled for her sister and regards the accomplishment as no big deal. However, the narrator describes that Caroline does not understand how valuable the citizenship is for the narrator because Caroline was born in the United States. Another significant aspect of the character Caroline is that she has a prosthetic arm. This becomes a symbolic theme in the story as the narrator alludes to the fact that the missing arm represents the missing cultural link between Caroline and her family's Haitian heritage. Caroline disregards any type of tradition and believes herself to be fully white because she was born in America. As the generations become more accustomed to the White Way of thought and culture, the colonized heritage begins to dissipate. Edwidge Danticat describes this transition in many of her stories and how the White tradition has dominated not only the people of color, but their culture and way of life.

Buffy Versus Bella: The Quest for Female Role Models

In a world of whirling media stimulation and a hazy identity, role models are becoming more difficult to define and therefore more difficult to find. David Gauntlett, in his summary chapter, describes how media role models are being defined and identified. Two particular teenage female characters have stuck out to me in the recent months. The world has been taken by storm with Stephenie Meyer’s four part Twilight saga. What started out to be a one book ordeal became a four novel world-wide phenomenon. The science fiction aspect of the novel is quite astounding and peculiar. However, the romance and characters are the focus of the fans. Despite the craze for Bella’s romantic life, some women and men are questioning rather she truly is a good role model. Leonard Sax wrote an article for the Washington Post entitled “‘Twilight’ Sinks Its Teeth into Feminism.” This article focuses on the whether or not Bella is a feminist character. He specifically states “that Bella’s ideas about gender roles are decidedly unfeminist.” He argues that her nature disrupts the feminist movement. The Twilight saga is set in a modern day atmosphere that embodies traditional values. Sax argues that she represents a digression of modern gender roles. Bella is a woman who takes care of her father and pines over Jane Austen books. (Do not get me wrong, Pride and Prejudice is a classic and fitting example to illustrate in these novels.) It is the men who are muscularly sculpted and the literal saviors in these novels. They are constantly saving Bella from peril. Even though I agree that Bella is always in mortal danger to the point of humorous dramatics, I feel it is almost unfair to compare her against Edward and Jacob because Edward is an immortal vampire and Jacob is a werewolf. No human man could be compared next to these two fictional beings, let alone a woman.
Sax’s article is referenced in Jan Czech’s editorial “Bella Swan – A Feminist’s Nightmare: Is the Twilight Heroine a Wimp?” This short, but honest article poses the main question that I have been getting to in this blog entry. Is Bella a role model? Czech opens her article by saying: “She [Bella] adores sexy vampire, Edward Cullen but is Bella her own woman? She’s willing to give up everything for love. Does that make her a princess or a doormat?” Catchy, but her argument is controversial for the Twilight admirers as many have responded to this article with fangs dripping with revenge. After the article is about twenty pages of people commenting on it and voicing their thoughts regarding Bella as a role model. The comments page, entitled “Some biting remarks about Twilight’s heroine as a role model” is fully loaded with those who passionately believe Bella is a role model or simply do not care about the topic and simply write to defend their Twilight heroine. Most of the comments included some sort of personal stab at the writer and accused her of being incapable of reading a book for fun. I enjoyed reading the venting Bella lovers and developed my own personal opinion on the subject. As a literature enthusiast and avid reader, I must form two opinions: one as a literary critic and one as a hopeless romantic. From an avid reader of romance, science fiction, and vampire lore, I could not get enough of the Twilight saga. Not only was I officially addicted to the novels from the beginning, but rounded up troops to join in my obsession. My friend Bia, from Brazil who read them in Portuguese, had debates with me about rather we were on team Jacob or team Edward. Also, while I was studying in England I was so desperate to get my hands on the next book I bought it in Oxford with pounds. (At that time the conversion was 1 U.S. dollar to 2 Pounds, but I was that desperate!) Now that you have a feel for my personal view, I will examine the text from a literary critic’s perspective. I agree in many ways with Czech in that Bella is not really a fitting ‘role model’ for teenage girls. At some parts I cringed at how explicit Stephenie Meyers was in the sexuality of her character and I am often disturbed when I see very young girls and boys (ages 10 to middle school) reading the later books. I appreciate that the Scholastic Reader brochures caution that these books are for mature readers. On the note of the role model, I find it difficult for Bella to embody the ideals a teenager should embrace because she really does not do anything terribly extraordinary until the last book. (I realize she becomes a powerful vampire and saves the day at the end of the last book, but that happens not because she is the same human woman as in the other books, but because she has also assumed supernatural powers.) In her article “Taking a Bite out of Twilight” published in Ms. Magazine, Carmen D. Siering states that Bella “is merely an object in the Twilight world. Bella is a prize, not a person, someone to whom things happen, not an active participant in the unfolding story.” Not only does Bella require constant saving, she can only be rescued by supernatural men. This dramatic flair delights readers, but does nothing for the reputation of the heroine.



As stated in my title, I am prepared to pose a counter example for the Twilight’s questionable role model. Along the lines of a similar genre and themes, Joss Whedon brought the world Buffy the Vampire Slayer in the 1992 film and later in the seven season series beginning in 1996. For the sake of the already lengthy blog, I will keep my points short since I am currently writing a paper on the subject of Buffy and am not shy on ideas to convey. Both Buffy and Bella fall for gorgeous vampire men. However, Buffy’s struggle in the relationship is more profound and healthier than Bella’s. Bella desires sex and cannot partake in fulfilling the height of love in the relationship because she is a weak human. Buffy is sexy and is by no means weak. However, sexual relations are more difficult because it breaks a curse that frees Angel from his soul. (Season 2 “Innocence”) Buffy is not the typical horror genre blond that needs rescued every time she peaks around a dark corner. Buffy is the antithesis of the stereotype and therefore reforms the horror genre. The first pre-requisite of being a slayer is that the person must be female. This is a crucial element to the lore. There are interesting gender dynamics throughout the seasons of Buffy. Buffy, the female, saves the day and usually the feeble men in the process. Her friend Xander and Watcher Giles mean well, but always end up needing to be saved by Buffy. The only exception to this trend is her vampire boyfriend Angel. Being superhuman he has a tendency to be able to take care of himself. One last point and in my opinion the most important aspect of the role model debate between Bella and Buffy is their depth of character. I would argue that Buffy is a much stronger role model, not just in the physical sense, but also regarding her personality. Despite the fact that Whedon has seven seasons to develop his character and Meyers has four books, Buffy proves her range of emotions and depth of character within the first season. When her vampire lover leaves, Buffy is crushed and has a difficult time moving on, but she finds a way to recover. Bella cannot function and attempts to commit suicide several times after Edward leaves. Buffy provides witty dialogue to the fight scenes when Bella embodies the stereotypical horror female. The irony about the question of finding the better role model between these two females is that Bella is the most recent character chronologically, but most regressive in terms of gender roles.

The Evolution of Men's Magazines

As I read Cosmopolitan, Miss Magazine, and Better Homes and Gardens, I could not help the tingle in my toes that something was missing...where are the magazines for guys? Do guys wonder how to have great sex like the bold headlines for women in Cosmo? Are guys concerned about health and food ( I mean I know the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, but is he interested at all about what he is eating?) Who tells men what to wear to a business meeting or interview if not a magazine?

These very questions were addressed in David Gauntlett's book, an article by John Beynon regarding "The Commercialization of Masculinities" as well as "Advertising and the Construction of Violent White Masculinity" by Jasckson Katz. To reflect on the last question regarding who informs men of modern questions and concepts, Gauntlett mentions that it is a common facade that men just know what to do. I thought that very thing before reading this article. I know that my father and brother would read hobby magazines about cars, boats, rockets, wood working, and whatever was this week's interest. However, their articles, photographs and advertisements were vastly different from my magazines of choice. I never saw male peers in junior or senior high school discussing the latest fades or dating tips from glossy magazines like my fellow female cohorts. So what are men reading behind the glossy covers of their monthly periodicals?

Gauntlett goes into great depth regarding the material covered in a man's parallel to Cosmo. Men have similar fears with sexuality, relationships, appearance, and style like their female partners. Gauntlett describes how in one issue of Maxim, topics from food addictions, sex, drugs, recovering from hangovers, becoming more intelligent, job interviews, fatherhood, massages for women, and romance were covered. So much for the completely put together look of masculinity. This comment is by no means a negative thought towards men, but a reassuring fact that men do struggle with every day problems like women. Though not identical, it equalizes the playing field. Men are influenced by advertisements and articles just like women. In this way, Gauntlett says that "Men are therefore addressed as consumers - traditionally the role of women - although here it seems that ultimately it is a sense of masculine pride which is to be bought." Men see the sexiest new sports car and view it not as a feminine ideal of consumerism, but a new level of defining their masculinity and status among other men. After all that is all an expensive sports car is...a status symbol to flaunt at the country club. Notice how car advertisements tend to include a scantily clothed lady in the ad. So which body are they really selling? Just a thought to muse about. Another advertisement that struck my interest was one describes in Katz's article. He portrays a scene were a man clad in football athletic apparel is running towards the camera while a lady is in the background holding a cake with candles. Who would have guessed this was advertising Clinique perfume for men? Here is a similar ad.
This ad is stressing that Clinique is now for men and if women believe their man is masculine, they need to buy this product for him. So now both men and women can be "Happy" with Clinique.



One idea that I have been mulling over the past few months is the media's effect on the male identity. It was not so much a matter of if but really how it has changed. I have discussed the alteration of feminine roles and identity through the decades so it is naive to think that men would not have had an equally altered identity. Men have had to blend into female roles because women are overlapping into male's traditional roles. There have been new visual representation of men. Now instead of just the female body being the lure of the male gaze, men have become sexually objectified in advertisements, television and movies. Why else would chick flicks involve gorgeous men with ripped bodies if not to be on display for the female public?

Since the old roles of a patriarchal society where only men worked outside of the home have been slowly diminishing, men must find a new image in this 21st century. The media is helping to sculpt that perception and create a whole new masculine identity.

She will, she will slay you!

As the prologue reiterates, the slayer is always female. This is a significant part to the vampire slayer lore because only a woman can possess the superhuman strength to defeat the vampires and other forces of darkness. Since the show aired in 1996 (and the original movie a few years before), Buffy has given girl power a boost. In a "heroine starved"culture, Rachel Fudge argues that Buffy is the beginning of a female revolution on the television. Before and around this time, there were not many shows that portrayed women as the dominant protagonist that could stand up for herself. The only others were La Femme Nikita and Xena the Warrior Princess. Buffy crossed over from the big screen to kill bad guys for an hour once a week and continue to thrill audiences for seven seasons.

This article written by Rachel Fudge has amazingly been referenced by many scholars who have analyzed Buffy as a revolution in the horror genre. I found this shocking because I personally did not perceive Fudge to have made a profound argument regarding the Buffy show. In regards to portraying a genuine female role model, I believe that Buffy is a wonderful character. She kicks butt and looks pretty for her date. Fudge's main grudge against this peppy blond is that she shows a little cleavage. Has she seen Lara Croft lately? At least Buffy lives in California where skimpy skirts and halter tops are at least realistic. Regarding Buffy's wardrobe, it is more than just clothing for this young slayer - it is her signature. While Superman has his cape and tights (no one ever criticizes Clark Kent for blue tights!), Buffy marches to the Hellmouth in her halter. In the episode "The I in Team," Buffy disregards adorning military garb saying that "this halter has seen many patrols." Buffy's wardrobe is not just an eye-catcher, though Laura Mulvey (a media critic known for her analysis of the male gaze) would argue otherwise. Also, this slayer's clothing is her statement to the world. Teenagers would not take her seriously if she did not dress like them. What teenage idol become popular with conservative clothing. This show became popular on the WB network and fans of all ages and genders could not get enough of Buffy. It was not her cleavage that attracted audience members, but her wit and spunk. She was not created to become a feminist controversy, as some have made her out to be, but a role model in a genre were women were the screaming victims. David Gauntlett quotes Joss Whedon, the creator of Buffy. "Buffy is a good role model for not just girls but for everybody, because she has to use her wits and her physical strength to win. Yet, she still has to get high marks in all her courses at school." I am not sure about the accuracy with the grades aspect since she rarely is passing high school and struggles in her college psychology class, but he states his point and gets across the idea that she is a role model for the modern teenager. The interesting fact is that most people believe that Buffy is a female craze, but it has been the men in my life who have gotten me addicted to the phenomena known as Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I love to watch the shows not only to see a woman as the heroine, but to analyze all of the aspects within the show. This may sound extreme that I analyze a television show, but it is really hard not to. Some of my favorite college memories have been discussing Buffy with my roommate and making an argument about how powerful the character is not just for women, but for revolutionizing an entire genre. Horror has not been the same since Buffy came slaying into the big screen with her halter top and witty comebacks. In a genre that sent women screaming from monsters and away from the television, Buffy has attracted women to the horror and science fiction genre. Now horror is not just for men. Through Buffy, the horror genre has become a communal gathering of both men and women. Now this may seem warm and fuzzy for a girl who slays anything but fuzzy demons. However, her fan gathering has been rather surprising given the nuance of the trend.

Another feisty lady to cross the medium border was Lara Croft. Originally a video game that allowed both generations to enjoy the game console, Angelina Jolie brought this character to life on the big screen. Creating a highly sexualized woman for the screen, Lara Croft transformed the dirty work of tomb raiding into high energy, smoking hot action. The perspective of Lara Croft that is most favorable for both genres is not her looks, but her intelligence. She is not just a sexy body for the big screen, but a smart woman who uses her physical strength as well as her brains. Being an archaeologist definitely wins her bonus points. So many times women have been portrayed as just an object. Here, Lara is the commanding subject who can outwit a group of specialized men all by herself. Throw in the latest cool gadgets, a sharp wit, and awesome artillery and the action is good to go!

These two fictional ladies have assisted in spicing up the heroine world for the entertainment of both men and women.

gender and race bias in media

How does race affect gender in magazines and other forms of media? Gayle Wald, in her chapter entitled “Just a Girl? Rock Music, Feminism, and the Cultural Construction of Female Youth” emphasizes the “white authority” within the medium of rock music. She defines “girlness with whiteness.” With just these two segments of her chapter, the reader begins to feel a particular race bebecominging dominate within this medium as well as possessing the power throughout the entire chapter. This particular article focuses on the successes of women in music, but also focuses on a specific race. Lisa Duke, in her chapter “Get Real! Cultural Relevance and Resistance to the Mediated Feminine Ideal” focuses on the effect dominantly white magazines have on young African American women. Duke surveys the reactions of Black female teenagers on images presented in popular adolescent magazines. The “fashion discourses” presented in images within this area of media are either predominately White women or show Black women in unrealistic settings. For example, Duke presents the situation where one of her surveyors commented on an advertisement of a Black woman in a Paul Mitchell advertisement. The young girl cannot identify with the model because that particular brand would do more harm than good for her hair. In a sense, the model is a rather hypocritical figure for other females of her race.

Cases like these demonstrate the difficulties of racial identification. Duke references Helms and the “five-stage process of racial identity.” Helm’s model outlines the processes of: “preencounter, encounter, immersion/emersion, internalization, and integrative awareness.” Preencounter is the stage before a person is introduced to a medium that reflects or detracts from one’s racial paradigm. In the encounter stage, a person is familiar with other races and the physical differences, but does not cognitively connect the distinctions. WIth Immersion/emersion, the girls begin to identify with their own race and begin to observe and analyze others of their race and the process of racial identification. The internalization stage engages a young female’s thoughts of Blackness with her identity. These characteristics are combined within her life. The final stage, integrative awareness, the girls identify with her own race as well as commune with those of other races.

Beauty Evolution to Body-Image

I think this clip says it all.

When people, especially women, see models on billboards or other types of media, they are cut down by the expectations of beauty that are placed in front of them. I can speak from experience that these images flood my mind and subconsciously create a physical perfection that I am told to obtain. As a society, we are bombarded with images of expectations that we desire to fulfill. It does not matter how confident a person is about his or her self/body- image, advertisements strike at our self-confidence in ways we do not always realize. I consider myself to be fairly confident with who I am. However, when my media class discussed the distortion of beauty I found myself deeply disturbed at the end of the session. Even though we tended to bash physical perfection, I felt this weight of imperfection bare down on me. I left class with a burden that was not there in the beginning. The area of body-image is such a touchy and difficult subject to grapple with no matter how much you accept your body. (This may not be true for every single person, but I believe it is a fair statement for the majority).

Going back to the dove clip, my first impression of the woman was that she looked like me. There was nothing terribly glamorous about her. I did not feel threatened or challenged to look like her. However, as she was going through the "changes," I found myself grimacing at my own appearance. When the hair and make-up artists were finished, I felt a strong desire to explore my cosmetic bag. Then when I saw her appearance being computer generated to make her neck longer, shoulders thinner, and eyes larger I was defeated. There was no way I could compete with a perfected computer image. This is just one example of how media distorts and harms the self-image of men and women.

The Fashion Facade

Popular women’s magazines like Cosmopolitan and Glamour restrain the body-image of females in their publications. The expectations they portray for women to fulfill at the most basic level can be described as unattainable. Both David Gauntlett and Diana Crane have concluded that fashion magazines depict an unrealistic and severely unhealthy ideal for women to meet. How can a magazine that is supposed to promote female self-confidence in fact portray the contrary? These magazines claim to empower women, but in reality they only create a barrier between a woman’s healthy self-image and the image that is suppose to support this ideal. There is so much pressure on the modern woman to use the right make-up, wear clothes that will flatter her body, fix her hair to attract men, and keep up with the latest fad diet. How do these pressures embody female self-esteem? Basically, these magazines put on a fabulous façade.

These types of magazines mainly targets younger women (teenage years to twenties). In her article Gender and Hegemony in Fashion Magazines, Diana Crane describes how older women admit that they have come to the realization that they will never be able to achieve such a body as the models on the front cover. These women did not see it as a personal failure, but as a misconception within the magazine itself. This is a very healthy outlook in regards to these glaring images that are being flashed in every form of medium. Females are beginning to be portrayed more as an empowered business woman. This is a wonderful reflection for older women as well as a role model for younger women to aspire.

For the most part, I have avoided these types of magazines because I am aware of how vulnerable I am to their subliminal messages. As a middle school and high school student I was able to steer clear from their powerful images. (However, this does not mean I was not affected through other media or friends). Now that I am engaged, I live for Bridal magazines. I love pouring over the advertisements of the countless designs for wedding dresses, the articles on how to budget, tips for the honeymoon, and guest list etiquette. Also, included in these magazines are article about brides and dieting. I remember one editorial being very down to earth and truthful about the dieting craze in the bridal world. One bride said she could not wait to get married not because she wanted to be with her husband, but so she could stop starving herself to fit into her dress. I laughed at this article in good humor, but as the wedding draws closer the pressure is on. Ever since I have ordered my dress people have asked if I have started to lose weight, or make sure I will be able to fit into my dress. Talk about being on the stop while I am downing my morning latte!

Ad tricks

In her article Sex, Lies and Advertising, Gloria Steinem describes the gender manipulation and bias in today's advertising. She tells how certain products are links to a particular gender. Food advertisements are associated with females because they are the primary clients for these products. However, it is becoming more offensive for food advertisements to be linked with recipes because it suggests that women must work for these meals. These associates of women and recipes are becoming more of a turn off for a working mother. They do not like to be reminded that despite their outside career, they are expected to be the one who cooks for the family. On the other hand, electronic advertisements are geared towards men. Steinem states that even when women buy electronic products, they consult their male partners before making the purchase.

These are the reasons behind the reasons for the advertisements, but how do they fit into the magazine industry? While interviewing my Uncle's staff at a magazine company, I discovered their reasoning. My uncle, who is the senior vice-president at AOPA Magazine, brought me to his office so that I could have the opportunity to learn about the various processes that go into the production of a magazine. The one man who stood out the most during my experience described the reasoning behind advertisements. Advertisements essentially pay for the magazine because it is a large source of income for the company. However, the company chooses where to place the advertisements to increase their sales. He said that the company places quite a few advertisements before the table of contents page so that it takes the customer a while to find the page numbers for the articles. What usually happens is a person picks up a magazine while waiting in-line at a store. While they are attempting to sift through the countless advertisements, they find themselves at the counter before discovering the article they were looking for initially. Therefore, they buy the magazine so that they can find the articles at home. I tested this theory the next time I waited in line at the grocery store. Sure enough, I did not find the desired article before it was my turn to check out. The more I browse through magazines, the more I find that this is true. The magazines I have found the most advertisements in were my bridal magazines. Have you every looked through a bridal magazine? Some are over four hundred pages! Do you know how much is actually information versus advertisements? Only about one hundred pages and that is being generous in some occasions. In this respect, it is the advertisement industry that is funding the magazine production in more ways than one.

How to Lose a Dude

In the movie How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Kate Hudson plays a spunky journalist who works for Composure, "the fastest growing woman's magazine in the country." Hudson's character and her coworkers gather information about woman's desires and interest in order to sell magazines. Hudson's character Andie Anderson writes a column about the problems of dating. Her inspiration is her friend who keeps getting dumped. Andie helps her friend by dating a guy and driving him away with the mistakes many women make while being in a relationship.

The events in this movie are similar to classic headlines found in many Cosmopolitan magazines. Laura Ouellette, in her article Inventing the Cosmo Girl: Class Identity and Girl-Style American Dreams, discusses the phenomenon of woman's periodicals. Helen Gurley Brown is the founder of Cosmopolitan Magazine and author of the bestselling book Sex and the Single Girl. This book "sold more than two million copies in three weeks" (Dines 118). Her target audience is single women. She writes for the woman who wants to know how to be beautiful and have relations with men. Many have criticized her for promoting twenty-first century prostitution. Female sexuality has exploded since the publication of her book. Between her novels, magazines, and countless authors who have mimicked her genre, women have defied their inhibitions of sexual relations with men who are not their husbands. When the bold, capitalized headlines posted on the monthly Cosmopolitan magazine proclaim the latest sex tricks, it is no wonder women have been less timid to explore their sexuality. The sanctity of sex in marriage has been slid to the back burner for a light simmer while promiscuous relations are at a rolling boil.

Don't Mess With Her

This clip from Miss Congeniality is the transforming moment when agent Hart goes from a rough female to a groomed lady. Though she does not exactly embrace her femininity by any stretch of the imagination, she does use her body to get behind the scenes of a beauty pageant. Hart describes that despite the hairspray and wax, she is still armed and dangerous. No amount of beauty products will cover up her tough side. Throughout the movie, this FBI agents shows time and again that beauty is not what makes a woman. Her smarts and kick butt attitude saves the day at the Miss United States Pageant.
David Gauntlett describes the role of beautiful, aggressive women in his chapter Representations of Gender Today. He draws on the Charlies Angels movies and how they combine beauty and action in the three main female characters. Current movies make a big deal about women using their bodies for kick-butt action and sexy lore. Why is this so monumental in the film world? Haven't men been portrayed as sexual beings with some serious action? Let us take Harrison Ford for example. Even in the most action packed scenes he is able to loose his shirt. He saves the day and displays his well toned body to the public. Is it so shocking that women are portrayed in a similar manner?

van Zoonen's three feminisms

Liesbet van Zoonen defines three degrees of feminism in her chapter regarding Feminist Perspectives on the Media. Liberal, radical, and socialist are the three degrees of feminism outlined in this chapter. In the section regarding liberal feminism, van Zoonen argues that the media portrays women as either practicing the traditional roles of the gender or as a "sex-object." This view is very similar to Barker's comment on how women are either "housewives" or "sexy bodies." Both authors agree that these are the two jutxaposed viewpoints that are represented in media. As I have argued in an earlier blog, both views can be melded into one image in the media to portray an empowerment of women. However, for the sack of van Zoonen's argument of liberal feminism, we must examine this perspective of feminism. She argues that women should move towards equal opportunities within the labor world. Also, the mass media should attempt to blur the lines of gender roles and create overlapping images. By not using gender bias language and images, women will be able to gain equality within society.
The radical feminism argues the basis of biological roles of gender. Since the time of Adam and Eve, man has been summoned by God to dominate woman. This is due to the fall and sin of man. Therefore, the position of a man or woman is predetermined by the genetic make-up of his or her biological make-up. Radical feminism challenges these notions of biological domination and encourages women to fight the genetic bias. However, this is only an ideal society for women. Being radical, it implies that it focuses on the extreme end of the societal change for women's rights. Basically, there is no room for men in the radical feminist world.
The final degree of feminism is the socialist aspect. Socialist feminism hones in on the bigger picture of gender. It does not solely focus on the narrow lens of genetics or domination, but broadens its spectrum to issues such as economics and societal hierarchy. This aspect focuses on the equal distribution of labor and monetary gain so that men and women are equal at the end of the day. This allows for a more mutual platform to nurture the family. In other words, men and women work equally outside the home so that they can be equal participants inside the home. In this area of feminism, both men and women will be responsible for nurturing the children, taking care of the home, and being the outside representation of the family.

Feminism

Chris Barker describes seven angles of feminism in his chapter Sex, Subjectivity, and Representation. In his chapter there are seven categories in which to define feminism. At first this may seem a little extreme to divide the area of feminism into so many sections. However, the term is broad enough that this is an appropriate measure to take. The first subheading in the text combines two of the groupings of feminism. He links liberal and socialist feminism together to say that they can be seen as two similar angles. Liberal feminism examines the cultural and socio-economic aspects of gender instead of the biology of the sexes. Barker adds socialist feminism into the same paragraph as liberal because it contrasts the ideas of gender in a society. He says that a socialist perspective sees women as cheap labor for a culture. The next category of feminism given by Barker is the difference feminism. This type of feminism focuses on the equality of the genders within a culture. However, some have argued that this particular type of feminism does not create equality, but overcompensates for the inequality of the past. The next two forms of feminism are black and postcolonial feminism. These angles look at women from other cultures and how they have been influenced not only by male domination, but white domination. Therefore, postcolonial women are oppressed more than their white sisters. This angle of feminism focuses on the idea that postcolonial women have different desires and goals within the feminist fields than white women. The poststructuralist feminism deals with the issue of sex and gender being a “social and cultural construction.” In other words, the two exist simultaneously and therefore one cannot exist without the other. The last area of feminism to examine is postfeminism. Despite all the progress women have made throughout the years to gain equal rights, there is still much to be done. As long as we live in a society with a history of male domination, gender will live with that stigma for a long time. For now, “postfeminism stresses the ability of women to make personal choices.”

Television - the leading model

In episode 7 of the first season of Desperate Housewives, Lynette throws a dinner party for her husband and his co-workers. She does this so Tom can pitch a proposal in the comfort of his own home. However, since Lynette was also a successful business woman in the advertisement field, she begins to take over and wow the guests with her ideas. This particular scene demonstrates that Lynette was a successful and powerful woman in the career field. Now as a mother, she is trying to keep up with the "Bree VanDacamps" of the housewife world. (Bree is another character on the show who is the "perfect" woman with the pristine home.) Lynette discovers that she was more successful as a career woman than as a mother. She is frustrated that she is failing in the role of a mother and woman.

David Gauntlett describes how it was accepted in the 60's - 80's for women to work until the birth of their first child. When the woman and her husband began a family, it was the cultural norm for her to quit her job and be a full time housewife. Therefore, there are certain expectations of women as soon as they becomes mothers. Many women, including Lynette in the show, feel they are failures when it comes to the job given to them by nature. Later on in this same episode Lynette breaks down because she believes she has failed as a mother. She sees her friends with the perfect home and perfect children and wonders why she cannot have the same. She feels alone and incompetent in a role so many other women make look easy.

In looking at this scene with Lynette and two other characters, why is it that women have this heavy expectation on them as mothers? Gaye Tuchman, in her book The Symbolic Annihilation of Women by the Mass Media, describes how while other forms of media like magazines have evolved with the time as far as the female image, television still remains the leading depiction of the model housewife. Television bombards women with a powerful housewife image that they are expected to uphold. Like the show Desperate Housewives, all of the women represent different approaches to the same message - women ultimately become housewives. Will this image ever fade from our television? Will this medium eventually show women as men's equals in the business world?

He's the Man

For the most part, it is the women of society who have gotten most of the attention in regards to media influence. As many of my blogs have shown, gender (mainly the female sex) is one of the hot topics in the media. But what about the men? What does their identity look like now? With the feminist movements, women have gained the right to vote, a higher education, and therefore jobs that can provide for the family. The traditional roles of gender has been that the woman is the bearer and nurturer of children and the man provides for the family. Now that woman's role has been redefined, has a man's roles been altered? Do the men in our culture have to adjust their societal expectations? Who really has the authority to decide on the roles of gender? David Gauntlett, in his book Media, Gender, and Identity describes the "male crisis" in the first two chapters of his text. He also discusses who has the power - the media or the people? Is it really the media who decides the roles of gender or is it really a creative reflection of the culture? I have asked mostly questions in this blog, but isn't that where a conversation starts? With all of these questions, I am really aiming at the evaluation of a particular advertisement. Really look at this advertisement for absolut vodka. What are they really selling? - alcohol or a lifestyle? Who are they selling to? What does this say about the media's relation in regards to the "male crisis" discussed in Gauntlett's book. How dramatized is this ad?

http://adsoftheworld.com/files/images/Absolutpregnant.jpg
Personally, as amusing as this ad is, I think it is very dramatized. Looking from a female perspective, what woman wouldn't like to give up some of the physical inconveniences of pregnancy? Ladies, let's be honest, men get the better part of the whole birthing process! Is this advertisement a fun spin or a commentary to illustrate how far women have gone from the maternal environment? I am not an anti-feminist by any means. I am currently a college student seeking a professional degree myself and hoping to secure a full-time job. However, I also realize that biologically I am the one who is able to carry the children who will one day create my family. My husband is unable to fulfill that part of our marriage. That is just nature; there is no qualms, just facts. As women, we need to pursue great things, but also honor and cherish the men in our lives when they fall under the "male crisis."

Belle and Mulan ...Disney's Heroines!

In his article Are Disney Movies Good For Your Kids?, Henry Giroux tears apart Disney's animated movies to prove how they are inappropriate for children in regards to race and gender. Though he makes many fascinating and provoking points, I have to disagree with him on a few areas regarding Disney's female characters. In the previous blog I referenced three women who may not be the best role models. Now I am going to defend the overarching theme of Giroux's article by providing my thoughts on two great women in the Disney films.
In the article, Giroux provides excellent examples that elevate Belle as a model heroine for young girls. However, to keep to his article I believe he takes a few low blows. He does give her credit for looking beyond Gaston's manliness and seeing the true beauty in the beast. However, even with his strong statements about this lady, he concludes that "Belle simply becomes another woman whose life is valued for solving a man's problems." Ouch! That is a bit of a stretch (in my humble opinion of course). This was a particular jab for me since Belle has been my hero since the movie was released in theaters. I believe she is one of the strongest examples of a Disney woman because she rejects the attractions of a masculine suitor and denies herself what most women would consider a wonderful life. If she had married Gaston, she would have been well provided for and have the town's "best man" as her husband. However, she would not settle and instead saved a spoiled man from a lifetime of captivity as a beast. In return she marries a prince who adores her for who she truly is. Now the happily-ever-afters don't get much better than that! (In my humble opinion of course). What did Giroux expect Belle to do after she save the beast by loving him? - reject him and live a life on her own? That is even less realistic than singing teacups.
Now for Mulan. She basically single handily wipes out most of the Hun army with an avalanche. All of this was so her father, who was very old at the time, would not have to fight in the war. Can we say kick butt heroine? The female warrior does not really get much better than that! Mulan is a woman who defends her father, her family honor, and saves the emperor from the Hun leader. I believe she deserves to 'get the guy' in the end. Yes we can chalk it up to another Disney happily-ever-after, but it is not like she ate a bad apple or pricked her finger. She actively saved not only her own life, but defended all of China.

Gender in Disney

For the most part, we have all grown up singing "Be Our Guest" and "Hakuna Matata." However, what do these animated films teach us about the roles of gender? Though this question could be applied to every Disney movie, I will stick with The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarves for the sake of space in this blog entry.

The Little Mermaid can be misleading in its value of the heroine. Ariel's fight for freedom can be seen as a typical teenage rebellion. However, if one looks closer to the film, they will see her constantly in the shadow of a male figure. In the beginning it is her father who dominates her surroundings. He is the king of the merpeople, her father, but most importantly a man. He has control over her and sends another male (Sebastian) to watch over her. Ariel wishes to see the surface. However, she becomes more persistent in her quest to be human when she meets Prince Eric. It is because of this man that she pursues her desire for the surface. So in reality she is really jumping from one male figure to the next.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarves is another example of a female solely dependent on a male figure. First, Snow White is saved from the evil Queen because of the sympathy of a man. He refuses to kill an innocent princess and risk his own neck. It is because of his generosity that she is able to escape into the woods and into the mercy of another race of men. The dwarves take in the scared princess and attempt to defend her from the evil Queen. However, when that fails, it is the handsome prince who saves her from death by poisoned apple. Let’s say Snow White is not exactly the model heroine for today’s girls.

The last example that I will examine in this blog, though there are so many more to be discussed at a later time, is Aladdin. Like Ariel, Jasmine is another example of a girl rebelling against her father for freedom from a sheltered life. She escapes the confines of her palace life only to find herself in danger with a male merchant. Aladdin rescues her in the market place. When she returns to the palace, her father attempts to force more suitors upon her. Though she bravely denies them to gain her own free will, she ends up in the arms of Aladdin for a happily-ever-after. Though I personally believe Jasmine to be a fairly courageous heroine, Henry Giroux agues in his article Are Disney Movies Good for Your Kids? that Jasmine is just another example of a woman whose life is defined by a man. However, my argument on the case will be saved for another entry.

homosexuality in the media

One of my college friends made a comment that ABC was attempting to up their ratings by incorporating homosexuality. Just this past season (2008-2009) Grey's Anatomy altered the sexual orientation of a main character. Originally, she was married to one of the male interns. However, after her divorce, she began to have a homosexual relationship with another female surgeon. The show Desperate Housewives featured a single episode where the women on wisteria lane shared their encounters with homosexual fantasies or interactions with homosexual co-workers. What was the purpose of these choices by the directors? Was it really to "up ratings" like my college friend claims, or is it a true reflection of the cultural acceptance of homosexual orientation. The media attempts to keep up with our changing society. Is this their interpretation of our culture? Is it because homosexuality is a hot topic to boost ratings or simply a display of more accepted lifestyles? I will leave that for you to decide.

How is the family unit portrayed in media?

Television shows attempt to portray what an American family looks like. Though there are some exceptions, television attempts to be a lens for American families. The nuclear family (i.e. a male parent and a female parent with children) is the norm for a family unit. This is truer for older television shows such as Seventh Heaven, Meet the Beavers, and many others. However, television is becoming more risque within their portrayal of the family unit. My question when I read this idea is this - Is television really breaking the mold of the "normal" family or molding into the family units of the twenty-first century. During a survey of middle school and high school students, a study has shown that only approximately 5 percent of children live in a family made up of two people who are their biological parents. In other words, only 5 percent of American families consist of two parents and two children. Wow! Think about that. Can we really condemn television for portraying the "family unit" that is indeed a fair reflection of the twenty-first century? A few examples: Two and a Half Men - two brothers raising a young boy and the father sometimes attempting to hook up with the woman he divorced. How about Everybody Loves Raymond. Though it does show a man with a wife and children, it also portrays a man who has not followed the culturally accepted lifestyle of marriage and family because he lives at home with his parents. What about the media's interpretations of the "normal nuclear family?" Two that come to mind are the Simpsons and Family Guy. What do these television shows reflect in regards to the family unit? Is there any values left, within the lens of media, in regards to a nuclear family?

Langauge as a foundation for culture

Language is the fundamental resource of communication between cultures. Rather the medium be through vocal presentation (speech), body language, writing, or sign language; communication, in one form or another, is crucial for a community of human beings. Barker outlines two central themes that outline the basis of language within a culture. The first is that language is the formation of meaning through a particular medium or mediums. The second is that this meaning, formed through language via a certain medium, creates a knowledge to be gained by the members of a community. It is up to the people of the culture to determine the set rules for a language and its meaning. The development and the medium of language are crucial for communication to be successful. Language is a defining element that separate humans from most animals. Though all animals have forms of communications, it is arguable that humans have the most sophisticated and developed language. Basically, the core of human communication and meaning is rooted within the foundations of language.

What do advertisements really sell?

Only the first 3 minutes and 11 seconds are going to be important in this blog.

For those of you who are not familiar with this file (Mona Lisa Smile), it is set in the 50's at Wellesley College (An all women's college in Massachusetts). Julia Robert's character makes two crucial points within this scene. The first is that history/ time has a powerful influence on the roles of gender. Second, Julia Robert's character illustrates the power of media as a lens for gender as well as how it assists the recording of the anthropological ideology of the culture. In Chris Barker's chapter on "Questions of Culture and Ideology," he reference's Raymond William's views on "cultural materialism." The specific idea that I am referring to is that "the purpose of cultural analysis is to explore and analyze (sic) the recorded culture of a given time and place.... At the same time, we need always to be aware that cultural records are part of a selectively preserved and interpreted 'tradition'." Basically, Williams is saying that the identity of culture depends greatly on the time. The cultural ideology of the Middle Ages is going to vastly differ from our own due to the time and location of the two cultures. In the movie Mona Lisa Smile, the ideology of women was slowly shifting from the rigid housewife roles to allowing a woman to expand her potential within the guidelines of society. During the time of the movie, it was a rather significant opportunity for women to be able to attend an institution of higher learning. However, Julia Robert's character, Miss Watson, expected a greater progression for women in this conservative New England culture. Throughout the film, this character is constantly fighting the confines of tradition.

The second and dominant point in this particular clip is the anthropological ideology associated with women in the fifties. Barker describes the influence of advertisements on the culture. "Textual and ideological analysis of advertising stressed the selling not just of commodities but also of ways of looking at the world. The job of advertising was to create an 'identity' for a product amid the bombardment of competing images by associating the brand with desirable human values. Buying a brand was not only about buying a product. It was also about buying into a lifestyle and values." Is not this quote true regarding the clip as well as our own culture? What is an advertisement really selling us - the product or a lifestyle? We buy the product with the hope that the 'good' connotations associated with the desired object will enhance our identity within society. Essentially, we are really 'buying' the connotations with the perk of the product. For example, in the film clip the first advertisement shows a women and a canned product. What is the advertisement really selling - a product or the image of women? Miss Watson describes how these advertisements stand as a record of women during that era. Therefore, advertisements not only reinforce gender stereotypes, but also embed historical representations of cultural ideology within the confines of media.

"Housewives or sexy bodies"

"Representations of gender in advertising, which depict women as housewives or sexy bodies alone, reduce them to those categories." Chris Barker, in his book Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice, reflects on the portrayal of females in "popular culture." He analyzes the importance of power in society and who has the authority within that culture. The majority of cultures revolve around a patriarchal society. Therefore, Barker's statement of women's portrayal in media parallels the reality of the patriarchal mindset and attitudes. Women are forced to submit to their husbands within the context of these traditions and become confined to Barker's concept of a woman being either "housewives or sexy bodies." The question becomes is Barker correct? You could find several examples of the media breaking that female mold, but for the most part the account is accurate. The specific example that came to mind when I first read this statement by Barker was the current television show Desperate Housewives. Mark Cherry, the director of the show, creatively combines both of Barker's opposing elements of femininity into a sassy season of witty women. These ladies use their domestic and sexual natures to manipulate the men around them and therefore reverse the possession of power. Each woman represents a different stereotype of the gender. One is a prim and proper housewife, another is a promiscuous middle aged lady, another is a clueless women always between men, another is a spoiled city supermodel, another is a power-hungry business woman, and another is a perky perfectionist. These six women tamper with the distribution of power in a comical way through the lens of the media.

Later in his book, Barker goes on to say that "... feminism is centrally concerned with sex as an organizing principle of social life where gender relations are thoroughly saturated with power." (This quote is taken from his section on feminism describes the struggle of gender and power.) Though this is not a new issue by any means, women have obtained the freedom to speak more openly in regards to equal authoritative distribution. However, before Barker explores the area of feminism and media relations, he presents a fascinating section on the Freudian analysis of sexual maturity and subconscious gender tendencies. As I approached this section of the text, I considered this question: What determines our sexual nature? Freud argues that it is the natural bond between a mother and her child. The first object in a child's life is his or her mother. Therefore, that is the first and strongest attachment a baby makes after leaving the womb. The first step is adapting an identity. Consequently, identities are formed around concepts that are the most familiar to us. In other words, a child identifies with its mother before any other being. The infant's desire for the maternal figure is so strong that the child will grow to obtain that being and the identity that goes along with that person. Barker says that, "the child wants to 'be' the mother and to 'possess' the mother." For instance, a boy child will develop with the fundamentals of the characteristics of the mother. After a period of time, he will realize his place as a man in society. However, he will still yearn for his mother even though it is culturally taboo for the child to desire anything more than child-like affection. Therefore, the boy turns to the father for guidance as he becomes a man. His identity has now transfered to the father even though he still embraces the ideals of a mother's love. Also, the male child realizes that it is the man or nature of the Phallus to possess power. The child is drawn to that desire for power and so follows the example of his father as he matures. However, the sexual maturity process for female children does not shift as much in terms of identity. The girl cannot 'be' her mother nor can she shift her identity to the masculine. Therefore, the female is caught between the parental identities and must find a compromise. A female realizes that she cannot possess the power because of her lack of a Phallus. Therefore, she seeks to regain some power by conceiving a male child through the Phallus of another man. She earns her power through a child - usually a boy. Now this Freudian analysis may seem rather outdated, but these principles are very prominent in other countries and still remain true in our culture's subconscious. Returning to the illustration of the show Desperate Housewives, the women use their sexuality to control their men. Just because they lack a Phallus does not mean they cannot use their sexuality to gain what they want. These housewives use their sexuality to gain the power of the Phallus. Also, these women on Wisteria Lane nurture the children that they have conceived from their husbands. The offspring represent the bond of marriage and their ability to identify with their mother by begetting a child of their own and then becoming the object of their child's love. Basically, they are repeating the cycle.

Though Freud makes a fascinating case, as it is presented in Chris Barker's text, I wonder if our culture does not encourage these behaviors by predisposing the children to set gender characteristics. Let us consider for a moment a couple who is expecting a child. Do they not prepare a child's room a certain way after finding out the sex of the child? If it is a girl, the couple is likely to paint the nursery pink with frilly blankets and a princess border. A boy would never have such a room in this twenty-first century society. His room would be blue with sports or sail boats. Though these ideas may seen extreme, you understand my point. Our society sets certain expectations of gender from an early age. The media just reflects and accentuates on these standards.