"Sexism, Strength, and Dominance: Masculinity in Disney Films"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CWMCt35oFY

I found this video called “Sexism, Strength, and Dominance: Masculinity in Disney Films,” under a search for sexism in Disney movies on YouTube. I thought it was a good example of sexism in our media today, setting an example for both children and adults.

This YouTube video explains how Disney movies portray a message that men are strong and protective and women are weak and submissive. The creator of this clip highlights the fact that in almost all Disney movies, there are tough men fighting over delicate women who are depicted as weak. It is explained that, “Often, the message to boys, both implicitly and explicitly, is that men should view women as objects of pleasure, or servants to please them.” The clip also explains how boys are to grow up into good-looking men with chiseled abs and rock-hard chests, along with huge arms. Also, it is mentioned that in Mulan, the main character (Mulan) is thought of as a man only because of her great strength and courage. In addition, often the ending battle of Disney movies involves two men, fighting for the love of a woman’s heart. The author also explains the message that is put across to children form these movies, that boys should hold characteristics of sexism, strength, and dominance to be considered a real man.

This video related to class because it involves the idea of sexism and the portrayal of men and women in the media. First of all, it relates to the article we read in class, “Why I Hate Abercrombie and Fitch” by Dwight McBride. The article explains how Abercrombie and Fitch ads and pictures depict men as the controlling, classy, white man protecting the girl model. In most of the pictures, the girls look submissive and protected, just as they are portrayed in many Disney movies, including Beauty and the Beast. Another example from class material that ties in with subjects brought up in the YouTube video, “Sexism, Strength, and Dominance: Masculinity in Disney Films,” is that of “Privilege, Oppression, and Difference.” Johnson states that, “Men can usually assume that national heroes, success models, and other figures held up for general admiration will be men.” This is the same case as in Disney movies, where all the role models and heroes seem to be of male gender. It is expected that the man will have the powerful role and in the end, save the day.

I think that this video is great in that it details many occurrences of sexism in Disney movies. I find it interesting that these movies are created for children and to convey good messages to them. However, they are actually doing the opposite, as boys see what they should grow up to be like, and if not, they fail in becoming a strong, dependable man. The movies portray that women should be protected and not have to fend for themselves, when we all know that in the real world, this isn’t quite the case anymore. Instead of showing a common image of what a man and woman should aim to be, the movies should instead convey the message that it is okay to be different and lead a courageous life.

"Racism Sucks"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGOk3_P2w8o

I chose this “YouTube” video entitled Racism Sucks because it explains the ignorance some people have to this day that promotes the idea of racism is our everyday lives.

This clip depicts a man holding a sign that says “White Power,” and a dog in front of him questioning why he is supporting racism. The man holding the white power sign immediately tries to defend himself and the reason he is holding the sign. He says that he can “Stop being racist anytime he wants.” However, when the dog asks him, “How about right now,” he responds by saying, “Next week is better.” The dog then declares his disappointment and walks away, after which he pees on a flag displaying a Swastika. This action represents the dog’s disagreement with racism and all forms of discriminations, including that of which the Nazi’s practiced. The man’s actions in this short video depict the thoughts of many in America and of their ignorance of the true meaning of mankind and its rights.

This video relates to class material because it represents the idea that racist people know that they are wrong in their actions and choose to continue them anyways. “Why I Hate Abercrombie & Fitch” by Dwight McBride brings up this point briefly when he states that, “…careful consideration for the harm that it does to our ways of thinking about and imagining our current racial realities in this country.” This goes to show how people like the man in this cartoon choose to be hateful despite them knowing how their actions affect our country. “What it All Has to Do With Us” by Allan G. Johnson also reflects the YouTube video, “Racism Sucks.” The man in the video is practicing individualistic thinking as described in Johnson’s article. Johnson states, “Individualistic thinking, however, assumes that everything has only to do with individuals and nothing to do with social categories,” reflecting the thoughts of the man in the video. He thinks that he can choose to stop being racist at any time without any problems, denying the effect on those he is surrounded with that agree with his racist stances. The social category he is involved in makes it even harder for him to stop being racist.

I think that this video is a great representation of the ideas of many racist people in America and elsewhere. There are people who know that they are racist, aren’t afraid to admit it, and will stand up for it no matter who the audience. They may be aware of the fact that they are able to change their ways, but at the same time, they refuse to do so. This may be because they are just so involved in actions supporting racism or for the mere reason of it being a part of their lives everyday. Either way, it is sad to think that even though a person knows that what he or she believes in is wrong, he or she will still practice these thoughts despite the consequences on others.

"KKK"

I found this picture under a Google search for racism in America and chose it because it is a strong depiction of what some believe America is all about in the past and today.

This picture describes what some believe America represents. Being that the KKK represents black hatred, some feel that blacks do not belong in America whatsoever. The picture represents a sense of hatred against African Americans and their ways of life, merely because of the color of their skin. The fact that the man in uniform is holding an American flag put an even stronger meaning behind the picture. It is as if he is saying that because he is holding an American flag, he believes that all of America should follow his values and beliefs pertaining to detesting all minority groups.

This picture strongly ties in with the discussions we have had in class so far this semester. For example, it relates to the topics discussed in Marvin Harris’s “How Our Skins Got Their Color.” This picture actually contradicts what Harris states that, “White was beautiful because white was healthy.” This contradicts the intentions and thoughts of the KKK and the reasons they hate whites. They are ignorant to the fact that in the past white was only preferred because of its apparent signs of good health in humans compared to black skin. This picture also relates to the article, “A People’s History of the United States,” that explains how slavery came about and how the government drove the force behind the idea of slavery. Such practices then drove forth the actions of such hate groups as the KKK represented in this picture.

I think that this picture is disgusting and incredibly wrong that anyone could stand for the ideas that it represents. The hatred of a group of people with the only reason being that they do not like the color of their skin is horrible. It is scary to think that despite all of the changes that have been made since the past and the days of slavery, people still believe this way. Who knows what a person could do to defend their beliefs in a hate group. Many incidents have already occurred, such as the Jena-6, that are repercussions of such violent thoughts.

"African Americans Receive More College Degrees: 1981 vs. 1991"

http://0-proquest.umi.com.maurice.bgsu.edu/pqdweb?index=0&did=483023491&SrchMode=1&sid=3&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1194825635&clientId=3340

I chose to write about “African Americans Receive More College Degrees: 1981 vs. 1991” in the Precinct Reporter in my media portfolio because it explains how there are improvements being made in the ability of African Americans to succeed in education and careers as prejudices are decreased from the past.

This article summarizes the statistics of African Americans earning college degrees between the years of 1981 to 1991. The studies show that bachelor’s degrees earned by African Americans rose by 8% and the number of first professional degrees rose by 22%. In addition, it was African American women who showed the greatest improvement in degree completion over the course of the study, while African American men showed only modest gains. However, this information also explains how the degree completions by African Americans are not steady with their enrollment completion. So, while there are improvements in the degree-earning area for African Americans, they still lag behind the general population for various reasons, some of which include low family income as well as attending college only part time.

“African Americans Receive More College Degrees: 1981 vs. 1991” is relevant to issues discussed in class because it discusses topics that are based on discrimination and prejudices about black people. As described in “Getting Off the Hook: Denial and Resistance,” another reason that blacks aren’t encouraged to pursue college degrees as much as they should be is because of the ignorance to the problem in the first place. Allan G. Johnson explains that, “Another reason for the sick and tired complaint is that life is hard for everyone,” and that we all have problems of our own to worry about, let alone worrying about the success rate of African Americans. This coincides with what was shown in the video we watched in class, “Ethnic Notions”. In this video, like “African Americans Receive More College Degrees: 1981 vs. 1991,” African Americans are looked at as dumb and not capable of handling such a task as earning a college degree or a decent job, when in fact, they could be better than whites themselves.

I believe that “African Americans Receive More College Degrees: 1981 vs. 1991” is an interesting article because it describes the advancements of African Americans in colleges and universities in a span of about ten years. It also included statistics on how they compared with the average white American and that they still are behind in comparison. However, the article could have explained more about the reasons why so many African Americans are not receiving degrees or dropping out of enrollment. I would be interested to know some of the details of the reasons that are affecting their ability or desire to earn degrees.

"Racial and Gender Report Card; Minorities, Women Losing Ground in Sports"

http://0-proquest.umi.com.maurice.bgsu.edu/pqdweb?index=13&did=481104371&SrchMode=1&sid=2&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1194825200&clientId=3340

I chose “Racial and Gender Report Card; Minorities, Women Losing Ground in Sports” by Robert Johnson because it explains how the trend of women and minorities in the sports-related workplace that was increasing has not improved as much as many people thought it would over the years.

This article explains how a study was held that found, “Every professional sport had lower averages for employing women compared with the last Racial and Gender Report Card two years ago, and minority hiring slipped in pro and college sports.” Minorities have lost ground in important management positions in the world of college and pro sports. Some of these positions include that of athletic directors, team vice presidents, and general managers. An example of such is that in the NHL, as of 2002, there were only three minority head coaches in the league, which was an all-time low since the 1991 season. In addition, as of the 2002 season, there were only 16 minority players in the league. The writer comments that the world of sports has to keep adding minorities and women to their executive positions to make the trend more common so that the organization becomes more diversified.

“Racial and Gender Report Card; Minorities, Women Losing Ground in Sports” relates to class material in that it discusses the role of minorities in the workplace. In relation, according to Allan G. Johnson in “Privilege, Oppression, and Difference,” the idea of privilege exists when, “One group has something of value that is denied to others simply because of the groups they belong to, rather than because of anything they’ve done or failed to do.” This is the case in “Racial and Gender Report Card; Minorities, Women Losing Ground in Sports” because the women and minorities are denied the rights and opportunities that white men receive in the industry merely because they are not of the same ethnic group or of the same sex. In addition, this article can be related to another we read in class by Allan G. Johnson, entitled, “Capitalism, Class, and the Matrix of Domination.” Johnson explains that, “Capitalism also shapes and makes use of gender inequality. The cultural devaluing of women, for example, has long been used as an excuse to pay them less and exploit them as a source of cheap labor.” He goes on to say that, “Women’s supposed inferiority has also been used as a basis for the belief that much of the work that women do isn’t work at all and therefore isn’t worthy of anything more than emotional compensation.” These thoughts trigger those in the sports-related workplaces to not long to employ women in such important positions due to the belief of the inability to handle such pressure.

I think that “Racial and Gender Report Card; Minorities, Women Losing Ground in Sports” is a commendable article because it discusses the lack of importance that women and minorities have in the job fields related to college and professional sports teams. They could do just as well of a job as any white male in the industry could do, but yet are not allowed to prove themselves. This is the case in many other workplaces as well and should be changed before their roles become too scarce. However, it is plausible that the author of the article explained that they are trying to rebuild the roles of women minorities in the sports area to create more diversity.

Workplace Discrimination

http://0proquest.umi.com.maurice.bgsu.edu/pqdweb?index=0&did=482844891&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1194824169&clientId=3340

I chose “New Book Shows Major Advances for Minorities in Professions Marred by Persistent Discrimination” found in the New York Voice off of the Ethnic Newswatch resource because of the ongoing presence of discrimination in the workplace, both of different races and different sexes.

This article explains how women and minorities are occupying more jobs in the work place, both managerially and officially. However, some still believe that “women and minorities are not contributing as much as white men in the workplace.” It is shown that, despite the popular belief that women and minorities are making a comeback and gaining ground in the executive workplace as the expense of men, the case is not so. "In corporate positions, white women and minorities are almost absent from the very highest levels and when represented at the middle level, are most typically in segregated or `racialized' positions that are not avenues to the higher level." Black women are always shown to be in the least-favorable positions and Hispanics and Asians are often underestimated compared to their abilities.

This article relates to topics discussed in class in more cases than one. For example, it reflects the points made in the article, “Getting Off the Hook: Denial and Resistance.” This article explains how people use the excuse of men being the “breadwinners” historically to back up the strength of men in the workplace and that these traditions should just continue. Some feel that “Male superiority is a natural arrangement dictated by genes and other biological imperatives,” so it is only fair that they hold the more rewarding positions in jobs. In addition, “New Book Shows Major Advances for Minorities in Professions Marred by Persistent Discrimination” reflects a point in “Privilege, Oppression, and Difference” by Allan G. Johnson when he states that many popular (and proven) thoughts of society include that “Whites don’t find themselves slotted into occupations identified with their race, as blacks are often slotted into support positions or Asians into technical jobs.” Whites often get the better jobs due to their “destiny” of succeeding and their natural right to have a better life.

I find it sad that, despite the belief of many that minorities and women are improving their positions in the workplace, the actual case is the opposite. It is shown that more men, especially white, hold the higher positions in the office and get the better rewards. Either by monetary rewards for plausible work on the job or by reward of promotion, white men are rewarded the most. Those of minority groups are still looked at as being incapable of holding high positions in companies, therefore the scarce appearance of them in important workplaces. It seems as if, no matter how many improvements are made or steps are taken to better these qualities, discrimination will always be present in the workplace.

"Dave Chappelle - American Indians"

This YouTube video was found under a search for Native American comedy.

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

This excerpt in from an episode of the Dave Chappelle Show, hosted by Dave Chappelle, a standup comedian. Chappelle tells the audience that he thought all Indians were dead, but that they really are not. He says he knows this because he found a “gathering of them” the other day, and that the gathering was at a Wal Mart store, in the hunting department. He states that they were all looking at bows and arrows with which to hunt. He went on to tell how he met one of them from the Navajo tribe and asked to have a “peace pot-smoking ritual” with him and his chief and other Indians. At this meeting, he tells that the Indians brought weed to the beat of drums, after which they gave him a teepee to sleep in for the night.

This racist episode of the Dave Chappelle Show relates to the ideas brought up in class about Native American Indians, and how we assume and make fun of their ways. Chappelle’s remarks remind me of the image we saw in class of the Cleveland Indians’ mascot and the misconceptions of the Native Americans that we often make. The Indians’ mascot is shown to be “happy-go-lucky” with feathers on his head dress and red skin. These assumptions, as well as those made my Dave Chappelle, are often made about Indians based on the thoughts of the English and those of the past. In addition, this related to our class material because as stated in A People’s History of the United States, “If you were a colonist, you knew that your technology was superior to the Indians.’ You knew that you were civilized, and they were savages…” Chapelle’s words mock this, especially when he says all the Indians were gathered at Wal Mart (saying they are not civilized enough to shop elsewhere), when he mocks the way they talk, and when he talks of how they smoke marijuana and worship spirits as savages would. By all of these comments, Chappelle is hinting to the fast that they are of a lower class and their ways of surviving and worshiping are weird compared to those of normal Americans. In addition, viewers of this show as well as Chappelle himself believe that these comments are not racist and merely out of good fun. They are clearly practicing the denial that is explained in “Getting Off the Hook: Denial and Resistance,” that racism does not occur in the first place, that it is all a matter of making light of a different ethnic group.

I find it difficult to believe that Dave Chappelle made those comments about Indians without any intent of them being racist comments. He was indirectly belittling Native Americans and any of them that were watching could very well be offended by his remarks. Just because the audience and himself believed the remarks to be funny does not mean that others did not take them to heart. It is sad to see so many examples of this in the media, of people making false claims of the Indian way of life as well as mocking the habits of Native Americans, without taking into account how it may affect them and the thoughts of their ancestors.

"When Sexism Claims are a Real Hoot"

I found this article under a search for sexism in the news, as Hooters is a hot target for sexism blames.

Stossel, John. "When Sexism Claims are a Real Hoot." Real Clear Politics 28 Jul 2006 29 Sep 2007 .

“When Sexism Claims are a Real Hoot” brings up one of the common debates on sexism in the work force. The article includes background information on the well-known restaurant Hooters, known for their wings, beer, and female waitresses wearing skimpy uniforms while serving the customers. The writer explains how most of the job opportunities at Hooters are for women and only a few open for men to occupy. While the company is beginning to open up more jobs such as for cleaning, bussing, and managing, the women still outnumber the men in the business. While many complain that there are not many jobs at Hooters for men, the writer has a point when he explains that not many people would like men replacing the Hooters job of women, as they would also be dressed in the skimpy outfits.

The obvious relation between this article and the class material is that of sexism and the unfair treatment of a particular sex. In this case, both genders are treated unfairly. On the female side of the situation, they have to deal with sexist men hitting on them and making crude comments while they are trying to do their job. However, not much can be said for the women in this situation because after all, they are the ones who applied for the job in the first place and should expect this kind of treatment. However, men on the other hand, are not allowed to occupy such a position at Hooters as it is. If they want to work there, they have to manage, bus, or cook, without the option of serving, which is clearly discrimination. The first example of sexism in “When Sexism Claims are a Real Hoot” relates to an article read for class, “Capitalism, Class, and the Matrix of Domination,” in that women are “culturally devalued” as they are often treated merely as sex objects, especially in situations like working at Hooters. On the other hand, the writer of this article almost disagrees with “What it All Has to Do with Us,” as it is stated that male managers are often quick to hire other men who are “more qualified” to get the job done. Clearly, it is the men being turned away at this occupation. This is an odd case, however, because of the fact that the women are expected to hold such a sexist position.

I think that this article brings up an interesting way of looking at sexism. We often are more likely to think of the oppression of women when someone mentions the word sexism. However, the article forces us to look at sexism from the other point of view. Women are not the only ones that are turned away from jobs; men are now beginning to feel the rejection as well as they cannot occupy particular positions either. Also, it brings up a good question of whether or not to look at women that are involved in a job like Hooters as being victims of crude sexism by the treatment from their customers, as they are putting themselves in the situation.

"CSI: Miami - Bloodline"

I saw this episode of CSI: Miami entitled “Bloodline,” in the Spring and noticed its racial cues. After looking it up online, I found this synopsis explaining the racial assumptions that the makers of the episode used.

http://www.bluecorncomics.com/stype743.htm

In “Bloodline,” authorities are suspicious that the death of a gaming official who has been scalped was involved in a plot dealing with the County Commissioner and casino money. Authorities DNA test all of the people involved in the case and find that only one of them has the blood to be considered for casino earnings, who ends up being the scalper. He is found to be 1/16 Kipayo Indian, which seems to connect well with the fact that he was the scalper of the gaming official. Many of the suspects happen to be Indian as well for this reason as well as being part of the Indian community in which the casino is located.

This episode of CSI: Miami, “Bloodline,” has many racial notions targeting Native American Indians. It just so happens that the three important “bad people” involved in the show (two murderers and an adulterer) all happen to be Indians. In addition, it is also stereotypical that the way the gaming official (Lansing) is scalped to death instead of being killed in any other manner. Therefore, since this was the way he was killed, authorities of course look to the Native Americans in the area to be the killer. This method of murdering someone depicts the way that Indians are perceived to be savage and barbaric, even in current times in a modern television series. Also, the producers of the show have one of the main characters using a deer antler knife. However, it explains that deer do not commonly exist in the Miami area and that it is hard to believe such a knife would be used, except to racialize one of the suspects to make them seem like a typical Indian. This episode is related to many of the articles that we have read in class, especially “The Tempest,” where Indians are described as “savage” and “barbaric” and treated unfairly by the English, as were the Irish of the time.

I think that this episode of CSI: Miami unfairly depicts Native American Indians. It is cruel how one of the characters was scalped to make it more interesting to the viewer and to have them automatically assume that the killer is an Indian. Also, it isn’t fair how all of the suspects and murders or adulterers in “Bloodline” are of Native American descent. This just goes to show that the racial assumption that have been made in the past are still evident today, and even displayed in a television series that is viewed by millions of people. Not only are the facts of the show not completely true, but they lead those who watch it to develop false accusations and pictures of Native Americans of the past and present.

"All This and Rabbit Stew"

I found this video on You Tube after seeing a list online of racially questionable cartoons from the website http://members.aol.com/wowvideo/rscartoons.htm.

This old cartoon depicts one of the many antics of Bugs Bunny. As this was from the earlier years of the cartoon, it has some racial referencing in it. The episode opens with a little black boy with a gun hunting for a rabbit, moving in a slow, lazy manner. He talks in a way that seems less civilized than the normal white person would talk. Also, the way the boy is depicted offers a crude picture of the African American race. He is shown to be extremely dark in color with large lips that are considerably lighter than the rest of his body. In addition, the boy is shown to not be highly educated. He is fooled numerous times by Bugs Bunny while he is trying to hunt him. I chose this item because it represents racial notions that people have in a simple, elementary manner.

This cartoon is a excellent example of how blacks were depicted in the past and in some ways even today. Not only were older African Americans racialized, but so were young children, as in this cartoon. The slow manner in which the boy walks and talks represents the laziness and carelessness that people of African American descent were thought to hold. Also, the large lips and incredibly dark skin show how the English thought of whites as so much different than themselves. The mere fact that the boy is hunting a rabbit shows the labor that the African American slaves were to exercise for many years. This cartoon brings up the idea that was mentioned in Capitalism, Class, and the Matrix of Domination by Allan G. Johnson, that whites developed the idea of whiteness to justify their treament of blacks and place themselves in a higher social category than those of different race. This cartoon depicts how blacks were placed in a lower social category than whites in the ways listed above. The boy is obviously not of high social standard by the way he walks, talks, and his general image. His image also reminds me of those we saw in our screening of Ethnic Notions, where the caricatures of blacks (typically the black sambo) were happy-go-lucky, extremely dark, had huge lips, and were clearly not as civilized as the whites.

I think that it is sad that a cartoon like All This and Rabbit Stew were ever aired on television. Even though cartoons were once aimed at being viewed by adults, children often watched them as well, and even moreso today. To put these ideas of racial prejudices in a cartoon viewed by so many people of various age groups, races, and genders is, in my opinion, sickening. The fact that these ideas were agreed upon by many and shown in such an elementary way is part of the reason that we still see racial prejudices in our world today. It was once so prevelant that it is hard for people to forget and not send these notions from generation to generation, as it is all they once knew.