Week 13: reality TV, Film, and stereotypes
This week made me really reflect on my relationship with my father. For context- he raised me by himself by the time I was 11, working days away from home at a time. He had to play the mother and father role, but he was stretched too thin... Old enough to be my grandfather, the age gap between us didn't help our family dynamic. Throughout the lecture, I couldn't help but relate everything back to him. He was trying to play 2 people, but he couldn't help but play the role that he assumed he was supposed to take- that of a traditional masculine man. Whenever he attempted to show emotion or be feminine, he always ended up apologizing later. It confused me then- now I understand that there was no cost for me, as a woman, to be vulnerable; but God forbid a father to be anything but a tough hardworking man.
I've even found myself observing my male friends perpetrating the hegemonic masc stereotype, and I can't help but feel as if it's the media's fault for teaching us to be this way. I had a male friend come over the other day very upset, and I had asked what's up.. He replied, "Guys don't share their feelings."
At that point I started talking to him about this class, and even showed him "Man Enough Episode 1." He fits the SCWAMP framework (minus the property), and continued to criticize the episode.. Yet when I spoke to him about his emotions once again, he started to open up. I told him he didn't have to believe that it's not okay for him to show emotion, that it's (literally) human nature, but I didn't get too far in our conversation.. He dropped one final bomb on me, then left abruptly afterwards.
Why do we have to define masculinity at all? There's no trait that is specific to only males or females, so why are we still dividing them? It surely can't just be one or the other. Sigh.. Generationally, we are only now realizing something we invented (gender norms) is not working anymore. I just wish I had the answer.
Week 12: Latinos Beyond Reel
I learned so many things about Latinos in media this week; I feel crazy for not having seen the patterns but here I've been consuming it!!! It's sad to me that Latinos are virtually absent from media, even though they are becoming prominent in population... Los Angeles is roughly 50% Latinx/Latine, yet only 1% work in film. Journalism is supposed to serve the public; but what will the underrepresented and misrepresented think when all they see on the TV is straight, white, cis people? And when people of color are shown on screen, is it accurate? Or simply a story of a poc being told by a white person? And why the hell does Will Ferrell play a lot of Latino roles?
Out of 1,201 stories about Latinos, only 42 (3.5 percent) have been covered by Latino journalists over the past 10 years.
Latinos were nearly absent from general news coverage. Out of 115 stories NAHJ examined during two sample weeks, only two were about Latinos (both about baseball player Alex Rodriguez), and only two stories featured an interview with a Latino.
- (Source: National Association of Hispanic Journalists, Network Brownout Report)
It's no wonder that networks struggle to appeal to Latinx community; it's because they aren't being allowed to tell their own stories! The stereotypes that media portrays POC as doesn't seem to help either. Stereotypes rob people of their humanity, only allowing the person to be perceived in one dimension... We are consuming media predominantly made by white males, and news flash!: it's no secret that SCWAMP's retell history in a way that makes it more ~palatable~.
"Oh, that Latino man over there defending his land from settlers trying to take it? He's a bandit. He's bad."
-What I imagine a privileged white person would say
Is the current media doing this as a conscious agenda? Or are we just repeating what the layout is? The wonderful thing about the internet and phones is that we essentially have a extraneous extension of us- the world is at our fingertips! People have the ability to be informed and knowledgeable as ever. One reading from this week mentions that millennial Latinos are more likely to have the necessary tools to be politically engaged and active than previous generations. People are starting to pay attention to minority stories more, and I can only hope it takes a snowball effect.
Week 11: TELEVISION, FILM AND POPULAR CULTURE
Self objectification is a national problem - the American Psychological Association has even declared it an epidemic. It's defined as "viewing and treating another person's body as an object valued based on its sexual appeal, usually to the neglect of other aspects of the person, such as their thoughts, feelings, and desires." Media is what perpetrates self objectification, but could it also be the instrument of change? Deep gender bias seems to be ingrained in our society, but when did this happen? Who said what? Why do we think the way we do? The questions are never ending!!! (?)
We are not immune to the damage on women that media represents. Everything now seems to be "too much, too soon, and too fast." (Miss Representation) According to Ronald Weitzer and Charis Kubrin, there are five main misogynistic themes in music: Derogatory naming and shaming of women, sexual objectification of women, distrust of women, legitimization of violence against women, and celebration of prostitution and pimping. Music isn't the only medium promoting a toxic culture against women... Movies allow filmmakers to indulge in toxic fantasies- some going as far to depict graphic murder and rape scenes. (Is it always necessary to include these images?) We even use different language for males vs females-
"He was strategic with his response." vs "her argument was calculated."
Lisa Ling quotes in Miss Representation that "as a culture, women are fundamentally brought up to be insecure." I couldn't help but relate this week with my younger self. I grew up without a mother figure in the house, and had no example of what a healthy relationship looked like. Everything I learned was from the media I consumed- and I had unsupervised access to the internet from a young age. In many ways, media filled the void of my (innocent!!!) questions, all of my "what-if's" and "how-to's." It was the wise, cool friend I wanted, but was it the friend I needed? I think about all of my beliefs, and wonder how many are influenced by the toxic culture I was watching behind the screen. How many subtle messages can you hide in a kids show before anyone notices? (ask Disney)
Week 10: Sports Media - Gender and Race
Saying someone should feel honored is very different from actually honoring them.
Sport is all about achievement, individualism, playing the game and playing it well, but where does politics fit in? It's simply a jock-ocracy.
Professional sports leagues don't even question how militarized sports has become. BIZARRE! We don't bat an eye when it comes to the mix of sports and politics, as it's become natural to us.. We've been deceived for so long it's made the public numb. Commercialism has also made sports safe for politics.. Take Pat Tillman for example- he left his professional football career to enlist in the army shortly after the 9/11 attacks. The NFL used his life and death to promote a war he didn't approve of- but how couldn't they? It was the perfect story: Pat denied his 9 million dollar NFL contract to serve his country. What the NFL and the media left out is that Pat despised the war- his close friends share that he thought it was illegal, a mistake, a disaster. They said he was killed in action (which he was), but left out that it was a result of accidental friendly fire.
It was already too late to change the narrative. The damage had been done, and he is forever labeled an American hero. Sports media and politics go hand in hand; is that a good thing or a bad thing? I don't know! You tell me!
Why do we highlight individuals? Always about the triumphs of one, rather than the triumphs of whole teams. // Digging deeper, where would we be if we highlighted full black teams rather than just black athletes?
Week 7: Part II: Rape culture/rape myths
As a woman, I feel as if we are now raised to prepare ourselves for sexual assault, which is quite sad. 1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime, according to RAINN. We probably encounter at least one victim every day, whether we know it or not. How has our culture come to accepting such a heinous crime? How do we stop teaching our young that this is okay?
The answer is is that it's going to take a long time. Everywhere we go, we see messages that perpetrate rape myths- and if you see something enough, you'll probably start to believe it. Whether the media likes it or not- they are accountable for perpetuating these myths. Many shows and movies don't depict just the experiences of rape, but exploit the depiction of the experiences and how the viewers are being asked to view them. Many times it's not about the sexual assault, it's about the power and control one can have over another.
Many shows nowadays normalize rape and abuse, which in turn desensitizes viewers. It teaches abusers that it's a part of life, and shows victims that nothing is going to change. Analyzing the show Big Little Lies, we see how class and status can play a part into the believability of ones experience... The show centers around 2 women, one of upper class and one in lower class. They both had been sexually assaulted/raped or abused, but the way the writers frame the show leads you to question Jane's (lower class) story. Whenever abuse is shown, it's typically romanticized:
- Evokes sympathy and pity
- Celeste shows her upper class lifestyle
- Jane feels alienated due to class differences
- Money/class over reliability
Doubting Jane the entire show by hiding the identity of Perry (abuser) from her, allows us as the viewers to side more with Celeste (upper) and her abuse, before her class and status.. That feels more grounded in a reality.
“Some voices speak louder than others”
Many TV shows have started to show the rise of feminism with narratives of sexual violence- yet still fall short and write about males protecting the woman rather than woman being empowered.
Week 7: Part 1: Social Class and Disability in Media
Half of homeless people are single women with children. Systemic racism underlies disproportionate levels of homelessness in Black, Indigenous and People of Color. Homeless Hub states: "Many of the solutions and supports for homelessness have focused on emergency services, such as shelters and food banks. For individuals who are trying to escape a cycle of poverty and homelessness, emergency services alone are not adequate." Entertainment media often employs offensive stereotypes, unaware that their framing is unfair. (Or maybe they are aware and just don't care- who knows.)
News media also frames disabilities unfairly, for example:
- “Overcoming” a disability as opposed to living one’s life
- “Supercrip”: insinuating special powers
- Medicalized descriptions defining people by their disability
- emphasizing the impairment rather than accomplishments/achievements
- “Suffering, victim, afflicted,” all are assumptions, not facts
Here's some tips we went over in class-
- Refer to a disability only when it’s relevant to the story and, when possible, confirm the diagnosis with a reputable source, such as a medical professional or other licensed professional.
- When possible, ask sources how they would like to be described. If they cannot communicate, ask someone close to them.
- Be sensitive when using words like “disorder,” “impairment,” “abnormality” and “special” to describe the nature of a disability. The word “condition” is often a good substitute that avoids judgment.
- “High functioning” and “low functioning” are considered offensive. “Severe” implies judgment; “significant” might be better.
- Consult a guide such as the NCDJ Style Guide https://ncdj.org/style-guide/
Week 6: “Sex Sells—But Gender Brands”
By using gender-inclusive marketing, brands can portray themselves as progressive and accepting... But motives can be unclear- some advertisements can easily come across as performative to serve the brands image and boost sales. Is this always a bad thing? I don't think so. In today's world, you have to pick and choose your battles. However, not all people care enough to inform themselves about the world they live in- their only exposure may come from one of these brands performative advertisements. In a perfect world, brands would use their platforms to bring awareness to problems, but news flash! It's not a perfect world, and most brands care about one thing: MONEY!
Challenging gender norms is the most effective way for viewers to reflect on their biases and expectations. People tend to believe the media they consume, that's why they tune in. But what if all media challenged the way our society thinks? What if we allowed girls to be "manly" (but what even is manly?) and allowed boys to be "feminine"? Where would the world be if we allowed men into their hearts and out of their heads?
We teach boys at a young age that it's bad to "play like a girl." The media perpetuates a culture of male entitlement, linking respect to violence- making boys more fearful of the world, and less sensitive to the emotions of others. We teach girls to be nice, good girls- but what the hell does that mean? (I'll touch more on that in week 5)
Week 5: “The More You Subtract, The More You Add: Cutting Girls Down to Size in Advertising”
“I'm not lying, I'm advertising”
Ads are used to retract power and individuality from female audiences, and tries to teach them to be “just a pretty face.” I couldn't help but be transported back to my middle school years during this week. My mom was virtually absent at that point- and I learned all of the girl stuff online. Reading infographics on how to use a tampon, googling how to make zits go away, answering quizzes in magazines on How to get boys to like you. I was prone to advertisements, and technology had a way of showing you just the right ones. (Thanks, cookies.)
It was then and still is now profitable for marketers when we feel terrible about ourselves, and boy did I fall into that pit hole! Countless hours spent wondering why couldn't I look like the girl in the ads... Taking a selfie, deleting it, taking another one, deleting it, taking ano... Oh, I'd give myself a big hug if I could. Oh wait, I can. You should too! (Yourself a hug, not me a hug. Unless if you want to.)
It's insane to me that now as an adult, I get the chance to analyze these messages I was consuming but now I see them in such a different light. Media literacy seems so natural to me, but that's because I'm a journalism student, and I spend way too much time online. I feel hyperaware of what these brands are doing- which is scary and awesome at the same time. Humans are always adapting, and we're getting too damn good at hiding subliminal messages in advertisements !!!
The last note I had for this week is that men and women live in very different worlds, that of which women are constantly scrutinized. Women can do the exact same thing a man does, but will be graded on a curve. It's profitable for brands when we feel bad about ourselves- think of all the products that claim they can fix you or make you "more beautiful".
Week 4: "Trust Me, I am Not a Racist: Whiteness, Media, and Millenials"
My first note from this lecture: It only became less acceptable to be openly racist at the turn of the 20th century. Yet, here we are in 2022, and there are still people out in the world who are openly racist!!! It just boggles my mind.
This week in class we watched The Black Press: Soldiers Without Swords. I really enjoyed getting to dive into the history of the Black press, and see the "story of the pioneering men and women of the Black press who gave voice to Black America."
We also discussed how "humor yields new perspectives on familiar habits and shines a light on the contradictions of society." (Lind 159) Boiling that down, the class chatted about the ethics of using humor to combat racism. We watched a few clips from Stephen Colbert, and I couldn't help but think of Eddie Murphey's White Like Me SNL skit- which was one of my very first introductions into satire as a child.
Types of racism:
- “Ironic racism” often seen more in white majority wealthy areas
- Racism through ignorance - someone refuses to acknowledge existing racist structures and systems
- Racism through tribute - racial appropriation. Its okay because I'm “honoring” them
“Colorblind isn't ending racism, it’s ignoring it”
Ignoring race will also ignore privilege- which eliminates the persistence of racial injustice. (Lind 158-163)
Week 3: Symbolic Annihilation, Gender Stereotypes and Feminism
“There’s always a sense that we may have betrayed the source in some way”
(Lind 225)
This week we watched two Ted Talks, one by Cameron Russell, "Looks Aren't Everything" and "We Should All Be Feminists" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
“If you don't see yourself in media, why would you want to look at that?”
60% of journalism students are women, but women only make up 40% in the newsroom. Women journalists are often pushed into “Soft news” --> Arts, lifestyle, entertainment. Women only make up 33% of sources in interviews, and when they are on camera they are often portrayed as crime victims; only to be quoted as someone's wife or mother- rather than who they are. Why are we being portrayed like this and who does that serve and support? Who does it hurt?