AMST 201

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Mind Map Reflection

                The presented mind map may seem simple, but at a closer glance it exhibits a certain level of complexity due to the connectedness of all the themes. Throughout the course, it became clear that all the presented themes are connected, and although certain articles were assigned for specific topics or themes, I found myself discussing other themes that seemed to be present in the readings.

                The main theme that seemed to be integrated into nearly all the readings was gender which oftentimes went hand in hand with sexuality. As can be seen on the mind map, gender and sexuality is also connected with power. It was seen often in the readings and in the film “Miss Representation” that males or the females that were able to exhibit certain characteristics associated with the male gender, tended to have more power in all situations. In other articles it was clear that adolescents’ sexuality was being attempted to be kept under control by the adults. This naturally resulted in either an adolescent conforming to the adult’s viewpoints of sexuality or rebelling against their views of sexuality. The concept of rebelling or conforming is based on the set of norms previously put forth by mainstream society.

 Of course, gender and sexuality are tied in closely to identity because part a person’s identity and how he or she is perceived by others is based largely on that person’s gender. However, sexuality is not the only aspect that composes a person’s identity. Other aspects and themes discussed in the readings that related to identity were race and ethnicity. Like gender, the aspect of race/ethnicity as forming part of someone’s identity is a “visible” way of identifying someone. This concept is also subject to connections via power and expectations of conformity. As discussed in numerous articles, a person’s race/ethnicity are often a source of power imbalance. As is seen not only in the articles but in everyday life, if you are a part of the mainstream society you tend to have more power in general while being a member of a minority group automatically grants you less power. From this imbalance of power stems the concepts of conformity and rebellion. There are those who though they do not necessarily agree with the imbalance of power, go along with or conform. Then there are those who rebel against the power imbalance in whatever way they can.

                Power is also linked to socioeconomic status. Though we have seen links between SES and race/ethnicity, this is not the only connection. The link between SES and power is much stronger because regardless of race/ethnicity or gender, if a group of people all share the same SES it creates a sort of equal footing among them. Of course there are still inequalities, but they are lessened due to society’s emphasis on SES and the power that is granted to those of higher SES coupled with the lower amount of power granted to those of low SES. Once again, we see a power imbalance affecting people’s reactions to their status as set by society. There are those who conform to their lower SES amount of power and then there are those who rebel against their lessened amount of power in the hopes of gaining more footing in society.

                Through this discussion one other theme connected to rebellion and conformity keeps popping up. It seems that those who are disadvantaged by a power imbalance are the ones who generally rebel instead of conforming to society’s views of what they should be. It makes sense that those who are advantaged by the power imbalance would continue to conform because they often have very little to gain from rebelling against their privileged position.

                Through the exploration and deconstruction of all these themes, it makes my case for the necessity of empathy development even stronger. Oftentimes, society looks at those who are rebelling and they judge or condemn them without first understanding the reason behind the rebellion. This concept does not just apply to youth versus adults, but to youth versus youth. Through the condemnation of the rebel youth there often sprouts bullying of all kinds from physical to social exclusion to cyberbullying. If young people could understand each other better or least develop a sense of empathy, it would help lessen the amount of bullying that occurs in schools.

                I feel like a lot of teachers try and stay away from controversial topics like we covered in the class this summer. Topics such as race/ethnicity, rebellion, and especially sexuality are often considered taboo topics for the school classroom. This is partially where the lack of empathy stems from. If students are not exposed to it nor allowed to discuss it in a safe environment, how can they possibly reach any kind of true understanding of the concepts? There are numerous pieces of literature that address these topics and which would allow students a peak into worlds different than their own, but also perhaps similar to their own. Through reading, journaling, reflecting and discussing these numerous topics, students will gain a broader view of the world and of society. Through the formation of this broader view will come not only understanding but a development of empathy that the students will then be able to apply to their lives.

                I suppose this view could be seen as slightly rebellious in comparison to many of the traditional views of teaching and the classroom. I whole heartedly embrace this view and believe that without a little rebellion, the world will never be able to grow or change for the better.

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Literature Review: Empathy Development in Adolescents

Although many people have slightly different definitions of empathy, in general it is the ability to understand another person’s experiences and emotions. Some may refer to Atticus Finch’s famous line from To Kill a Mockingbird, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his perspective…until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” Atticus’ quote is a perfect description of empathy. Others use the example of being able to figuratively walk in someone else’s shoes. Through a development of empathy, one is able to establish strong connections with other people because one is able to not only understand, but to really feel what another person is thinking and feeling. There are two clear types of empathy: affective empathy and cognitive empathy. 

Two studies focused on the development of empathy and how it aided in the prevention of bullying. One demonstrates that through a short look into modern day bullying and appealing to adolescents’ cognitive empathy, bullying can begin to be prevented. The other is a look into the incorporation of empathy development through school curriculum.

           The first study was done by Barlinska, Szuster, and Winiewski (2012) which focused on bystanders during bullying with an emphasis on cyberbullying. In traditional bullying, the most admirable behavior a bystander can exhibit is active disapproval of the bullying that is taking place and even attempting to intervene on behalf of the victim as opposed to an inactive bystander that witnesses the act but does nothing to attempt to stop it. According to Barlinska and colleagues (2012), being an inactive bystander in the context of cyberbullying can be a good thing. An inactive bystander in the context of cyberbullying makes the decision to not partake in forwarding or sharing mean messages or images, and they delete them instead. This helps stop the cycle and continued harassment of the victim.

           Their study focused on how adolescents responded to cyberbullying in the role of bystander. It also investigated factors that contributed to the bystanders’ actions. There were a few separate small studies completed to gain overall understanding of the actions of bystanders. One aspect of the study they conducted was investigating the hypothesis that by activating empathy before a potential act of cyberbullying, it may lessen the chances of negative bystander behavior.

This test was conducted in Poland and consisted of 296 students. Students were split into two groups. One group was shown a 2 minute video detailing a case of cyberbullying and how it made the victim feel and the other group was not shown the video. They were then sent a message from a peer that showed a nasty message about a classmate. They could choose to forward or delete the message. The results of this study found that those who were exposed to the short video were much less likely to forward the message. Overall, they found that the chances of negative bystander behavior to occur was increased by the fact that it was cyberspace and if it was more of a private act. They found that negative bystander behavior could be decreased by activating empathy. Barlinska and colleagues (2012) suggest that these findings could be used to create intervention and prevention programs to help the cyberbullying problem that has arisen.

The second study is presented by Michael Seaman, an 8th grade English teacher in New Jersey, who is a large proponent of developing empathy in the classroom in order to help prevent bullying in schools. Seaman understands the importance of bullying prevention as he was a victim of bullying himself during his middle and high school years. Seaman (2012) argues that the reason incorporating the development of empathy into the curriculum is needed is because simply telling students not to bully others is oftentimes an ineffective method of bullying prevention. Seaman points out that simply creating a rule that prevents bullying is not enough because many students view rules as things meant to be broken, not followed. His desired outcome is to create a curriculum that encourages the creation of a safe classroom environment without beating students over the head with anti-bullying messages. Seaman (2012) has created a unit in his Language Arts classroom centered around the Holocaust. This unit, according to Seaman, exposes students to different literature that demonstrates the consequences of silence which students can then apply to their own lives. Guiding the students to being able to make the connections in their own lives is the strength of the unit. It also allows them to reflect on their actions. This connection then leads to the further development of empathy in students.

           Seaman emphasizes that developing a brand new curriculum is unnecessary, and that this engagement and development of empathy can be achieved generally through what is already being taught in the classroom. He makes the point that, “Language arts classes are rich with opportunities for students to make emotional connections with ideas and characters and to celebrate tragedies and triumphs.” He offers general ideas and tips to guide Language Arts teachers. He suggests the incorporation of literature that incorporates themes of tolerance or demonstrates intolerance. He also suggests tools such as journal writing and classroom debates to continue emphasizing the development of empathy within the context of the classroom.  

Empathy has been a source of research for many years. However, a vast majority of the research centered around empathy has had to do with those in the medical field developing empathy in order to better deal with their patients. Studies centered around youth and  adolescents is less common, although empathic development in adolescents has started to become a growing topic of research due in part to an increased awareness of bullying in schools. Teachers, parents, and researchers alike have become increasingly interested in how adolescents develop empathy and what can be done to aid in the process of empathy development. It is believed that through a heightened awareness of others and their feelings which is reflective of the definition of empathy, today’s youth will gain new understandings of the people and the world around them.

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http://www.ibtimes.com/kylie-jenner-lip-challenge-gone-wrong-teens-share-after-photos-1889601

For centuries, society has had views and opinions on how women should look and what makes them beautiful. As today’s society becomes increasingly obsessed with physical appearances, a new trend of enlargement has picked up pace. It has gone from enlargement of breasts to butts (thank you Nicki Minaj) and now an enlargement of lips. Whether you care or not, no one seems to be able to escape the influences of the Kardashian clan, and the youngest of the family, Kylie has inspired many young girls to attempt lip plumping at home; a DIY approach to bigger lips.

               It is apparently a very easy process to plump your own lips. You suck on a shot glass for a while and poof! Luscious, plump lips. Here’s the problem, it has gone terribly wrong for many a number of girls. This approach causes severe bruising around the mouth and although the lips are bigger, they look completely unnatural. There is also a chance of the glass shattering and cutting your mouth and causing even more serious injuries. One of my students attempted this, and I felt the need to stage an intervention for any other of my students who were thinking about partaking in this ridiculous behavior.

               This behavior of young girls is beyond disturbing, and while adults are looking at them, shaking their heads, they need to acknowledge that part of the reason behind this self-lip plumping is because of the societal norms of beauty that are constantly bombarding teenage girls. Celebrities “get their lips done” all the time, and when girls are flipping through the latest Cosmopolitan, they see all these beautiful, famous women with fabulously plump lips. They begin to think that this must be the norm, so I need to figure out how to make this happen without first considering the consequences.

               Though there have been movements and groups that are trying to promote healthy body image and high self esteem to young girls, their voices are often drowned out by the larger society norms and ideals of beauty. This lip plumping trend/behavior is just one example of the ridiculous lengths teen girls will go to in order to attempt to enhance or change their bodies. Adult society needs to set the example by placing less emphasis on the physical and more emphasis on a girl’s inner beauty and strength.

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Dummy Smart

Rebelling against authority has always seemed to be an inherent feature of adolescence. However, the type of rebellion and the reason for rebellion can take many different forms. In Rios’ article, he describes how many marginalized youth rebel against authority as well as their reasoning behind their chosen forms of rebellion. Rios argues that marginalized youth have created their own set of behaviors and norms in response to the norms established by mainstream society and especially by adults. Though the rebellion may carry different names or terms, the actual act of rebellion by marginalized youth and the reasoning behind the act are all very similar.

               Marginalized youth such as young African American males and Latinos, do not necessarily start out with feelings of antagonism towards adults and members of mainstream society. They often attempt to take the norms and behaviors they have already learned in their neighborhoods and try and apply it to their interactions with adults. Unfortunately, there are discrepancies between the two, and this results in misinterpretation of their actions by adults. Rios calls this misrecognition, and the result of misrecognition is a denial of the youth by the mainstream. Understandably, this frustrates the youth whose actions are often then criminalized.

               There are numerous reasons for this misrecognition that occurs between the marginalized youth and mainstream society. Unfortunately, the key reasons are rooted in racism and stereotypes. In Rios’ example of Ronny and his failed job interview, we see misrecognition as well as reactions to stereotypes. Because Ronny is aware of how a white woman may view him, “You not supposed to shake a White lady’s hand…They think I’ma try take their shit or fuck’em.” Therefore, he refrained from shaking her hand at the end of the interview. In his mind, what he did was in keeping with the behaviors he learned, but she did not see it the same way. In Rios’ observations, he even noted the difference between the interviewers initial reaction to Ronny in contrast with a white youth who was being interviewed right after. She was much more welcoming to the White adolescent than to Ronny. After experiences like occur a few times, the frustration on the part of the youths builds to a breaking point. This results in deviant, rebellious behavior.

               These types of interactions do not solely occur when interviewing for jobs. They occur at school especially with the majority of teachers being White women, and in everyday interactions with other adults that are part of mainstream society. Depending on the situation, the behavior may be a little different, but with the same general purpose and outcome. The deviant behavior exhibited by many marginalized youth who have tired of being treated like criminals without actually exhibiting criminal behaviors, consists of just that: criminal behavior. Through this behavior, the youth feel empowered and as though they have reclaimed their dignity which they feel is taken from them when they are mistreated by mainstream society. They are simply meeting the expectation with reality.

               In schools, not only are marginalized youth often in the minority, but the majority of their teachers are white. In addition, statistics tend to be their enemy and data shows that African American and Latino youth tend to be underperforming in school. They also make up the highest percentage of students diagnosed with ADHD and ED. This can result in teachers not expecting a lot from them. In response to the lowered expectations, these marginalized students often act the way, people assume that they will. They refer to this as “dummy smart.” Rios discusses one particular student, Darius, who “performed the role that he believed teachers expected of young Black man, defiance and ignorance. However, when it was time to turn in his work or to answer a sophisticated question, Darius was prepared, shocking the teacher…” This behavior gave Darius a chance to basically mock the system and it filled him with a sense of empowerment. He was aware of some of the negative consequences of his actions, but to him, developing a stronger sense of dignity and self-empowerment was more important than staying out trouble. Other youth who are in the same situation feel that since they are already viewed in a negative light, they may as well live up to it, but doing it on their terms makes them view their actions in a more positive light.

               This article puts a lot of things into perspective for me as an educator. My first teaching job was at a rough school in northern Indiana. The school’s majority was African American and Hispanic students from low SES. A number of them had already been in trouble for numerous reasons, the most common being truancy. There were quite a few who had ankle bracelets and had been in the juvenile detention center in town. One student in particular stands out to me after reading this article, and it helps me put a new perspective on his behaviors and his interactions with me. He was a sophomore in high school and came to the school with an ankle bracelet and had just gotten out of the local juvenile detention center. When he first came into my classroom, he often times made sexual references or comments to me, and it certainly made me uncomfortable. However, looking at that behavior in light of the information from the article, it seems that he was responding to what he thought was my stereotypical vision of a young, Black male. After we developed a better rapport, that behavior stopped. However, two days after he got taken off probation, he stole someone’s bike from school. I was driving home and saw him pulled over on the side of the road with the bike by a couple policemen. All I could do was to shake my head uncomprehendingly. Once again, in the light of the article it’s clearer that his behavior wasn’t just him being stupid, it was part of his struggle for empowerment.

               This certainly isn’t to say that I am now ok with his behaviors because I can’t condone any of it, but I at least kind of understand the reasons behind his behavior. It’s just kind of tragic that society has contributed to this development of norms and behaviors where marginalized youth feel the only way to gain power and dignity is to commit criminal behavior.

[arielc88-blog]

Miss Representation

The film “Miss Representation” was enlightening and contained a strong, positive message not just for young girls and women, but for young boys and men, too. The goal of the documentary was to bring attention to the over sexualization of women in the media and by the media. The film focused on the damage done by the images created by the media, and by the negative portrayal of women. While there is a lot to be said for the objectification of women and its negative impacts, it’s also important to remember that it is okay for women to embrace their sexuality without feeling as if they are betraying themselves and other women.

               Throughout the documentary, the objectification of women was discussed at large along with how the media helps to continue to perpetuate stereotypes of women as objects.  This objectification occurs through TV shows, movies, magazines, and video games. The main avenue used to objectify women is by breaking down her value based on physical appearance. This is shown again and again in others’ critiques of someone’s outfit as opposed to the words coming out of her mouth. I even caught myself doing this during the ESPYs this year. Mo’ne Davis won the award for Breakthrough Athlete and when her name was called and she went up to receive her award one of my first thoughts was, “Ugh, her dress is awful.” Seriously, who cares what she’s wearing, this 14 year old girl is badass baseball player and the first girl in Little League Series who pitched a shut out game. That should be the focus, not her outfit. Because we, as a society, have been so deeply socialized to see women for their outer appearance, it takes a conscious effort at times to not take the focus away from what is being done or said by women in lieu of judging her appearance.

               This applies to women that in the media or who are in positions of power. Hillary Clinton was referred to often throughout the film as an example of people focusing solely on her appearance or that somehow being a woman made her weaker than all other candidates who were male. The focus was on her collection of power suits or that she looked really tired instead of the message she was bringing to the table. The same thing applies to women broadcasters we saw in the film. Jay Leno’s “game” of guessing whether the woman was a news broadcaster or a prostitute speaks volumes about the pressures women feel to amp up their sexuality in order to be noticed at all. Women often feel that they need to be seen as sexual objects in order to get any kind of positive attention even if it’s not exactly the kind of attention they were looking for.

               Unfortunately, this message trickles down to young girls who are being bombarded by media images and messages that they are only worth what they look like. The beginning of the film that showed a discussion between adolescent girls and their thoughts on experiences of how society’s ideals have affected them was very real and at some points upsetting. Young girls should never be made to feel as though they’re not good enough or be taught to hate their bodies and themselves. This is something that I see regularly with my female students. I hear them say to each other all the time that they think they’re fat. There was also a group of girls that were cutting themselves. The awful part is that they didn’t get to that point on their own. They feel as if they don’t match up to what they’re supposed to look like according to the images they see and to what their peers see. This creates double the pressure. It’s not just society in general, but it’s their peer groups as well that continue to encourage a belief in the power of outer beauty.

               The film also discusses the socialization of boys, and the role that this socialization plays in their self perceptions and how they perceive women. So much of the socialization of boys is about turning off the emotional side. The emphasis is on being tough and making sure you are seen as such. In fulfilling this stereotype, boys are also socialized to see women as sexual objects. One of the more poignant examples shown in the film was a part of Grand Theft Auto. A number of my students play this game, and while I know that it doesn’t mean they’re all going to turn out to be murderers and rapists, it does perpetuate the stereotype of women as objects. When they’re no longer seen as people, it’s ok to rob them and then run them over with your car. There is something so inherently messed up about this, but when I talk to my students about it they just laugh it off.

               The film focused on how media portrays women, and one of the pleas of the film is to challenge the media and how they portray women. While the media certainly plays a key role in socializing our youth, schools are also a key arena of socialization. There needs to be a stronger push for schools to help combat the negative stereotypes. The majority of schools have some kind of character education program, why not include these kinds of topics in character education? Teachers should also be aware of how they are modeling these stereotypes for their students. I do my best to make sure that I’m not demonstrating or participating in the negative stereotypes of young girls and boys, and to address it when I see it. Teaching English, allows me to do this better than other classes but if teachers can present a united front on negating and confronting the negative stereotypes portrayed by the media, it could leave a positive and permanent impression on our students, especially our female students.  

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Space, Identity, and Globalization

               In Zilberg’s article, she details the effects of deportation of young Salvadorian gang members back to El Salvador from Los Angeles. Many of the young men grew up in Los Angeles and have very little connection to El Salvador even though it is technically their home and place of birth. Zilberg describes how this transition of spaces affects their identities and their lives.

               It is no secret that there are multiple gangs throughout the streets of Los Angeles, and that they contribute to crime rates throughout the city especially with regards to violence. Once these youth are arrested, they are often deported back to their country of origin whether they have any attachment to the country or not. In Zilberg’s article, she focuses on two men, Gato and Weasel, who were deported from Los Angeles to El Salvador. She details their journey in their re-discovering their homeland and their learning to navigate the streets of their new barrios. This move proved to cause them both high levels of consternation and they attempted to re-shape their identities based on their new space. Weasel seemed to be more successful and unfortunately Gato was killed by rival gang members.

               Gato was deported because of crimes he committed with members of the 18th Street Gang. However, when he was sent back to El Salvador, he moved into a neighborhood that was made of other deportees from Los Angeles that were members of the 18th Street Gang’s main rivals, La Mara Salvatrucha. This displacement into what was a rival gang’s neighborhood really threw Gato off his game. A lot of the guys in his current neighborhood had been his friends when he was very young, before he or they moved to Los Angeles. However, once in Los Angeles they had joined separate gangs which now back home continued to translate into Gato as the enemy in the wrong territory. So, although his location and country had changed, it seemed the street culture and gang politics of Los Angeles followed him creating an odd new dimension in El Salvador. Even though Gato was surrounded by members of a rival Los Angeles gang who wondered why he wouldn’t jump in with them, he remained true to his original 18th Street Gang. He had come to a flimsy agreement with the men around him that as long as he didn’t bother anyone, they would leave him alone. Unfortunately, this agreement didn’t stick and Gato was killed by an MS gang member. Although Gato’s location changed and everything he knew was switched around, he didn’t change up his identity much other than not being active in a gang, but he still affiliated with the 18th Street Gang. His change of space didn’t change his identity; in fact, it may have been the conflict with the other people living in his neighborhood that helped him maintain his identity because he understood where he fit in with those around him.

               The second person Zilberg interviewed was Weasel who was also involved in gang activity in Los Angeles and because of crimes committed was deported back to El Salvador. Unlike Gato, Weasel had no recollection of living in El Salvador and had spent his entire childhood and adolescence in Los Angeles with Westside Los Crazies. Weasel had an admittedly more difficult struggle with forming his identity in his new home because he had no real ties to El Salvador, and his gang back in Los Angeles was not represented where he lived in El Salvador. Because Weasel had no real affiliations in his new town, he went through the process of reinventing himself and forming a new identity to aid him in fitting in to his new space. He joined the punk rock scene and became a tattoo artist, utilizing parts of his previous life as a gang member to bolster his current success. Through his reformation of his identity, Weasel was able to become better adjusted and although he is certainly still part of a rebellious subculture, he has left the violence of gang life behind him which is something Gato was unable to do.

               It is interesting to look at Los Frikis of Cuban culture in regards to how their space defined their identity. Although they were technically forced by law to live in the sanitariums, they very literally brought this space change upon themselves by injecting themselves with HIV. Their change of space strengthened their identities because they were given more freedoms in terms of being able to listen to their music and basically do as they pleased as long as they left the other citizens alone. In contrast to Gato and Weasel who were forced (and were unwilling) to change their space. It did the opposite for their identities. Weasel changed his identity and really he almost had to in order to be able to garner some kind of success. As we can in Gato’s case, he didn’t change his identity and he was killed because of it.

               This article focuses on globalization and how it plays a large role in forming people’s spaces and identities. This theme is also portrayed in the podcast detailing the lives of Los Frikis in Cuba. At times it seems as though Zilberg tries to get the reader to feel sympathy or even empathy for the deported youth from Los Angeles. Although Gato’s death was needless and tragic, it brings it all back into perspective. It’s difficult to feel sympathy for someone who was an active gang member involved in violence. In many ways, it makes sense for the United States Government to want to remove them from the country. What is evident from this article though is that it can prove to be potentially more harmful in the case of Gato, and while it removes the person from the country where the gang violence may have started, it simply follows them to the country where they have been deported causing a whole new kind of problem for the countries having to receive them. As is evidenced in the youth subcultures addressed, space can either strengthen or weaken one’s identity.

[arielc88-blog]

Double Dutch and Los Frikis

                From the beginnings of youth culture and the age of adolescence, there have been the adults and older generations looking to control the youth. This is evident in both Gaunt’s article and the podcast on Los Frikis. While there are certain similarities in terms of people looking to control groups that seemed to reflect negative aspects, the two “movements” are also very different from each other.

                The control of youth culture played a role in both double dutch and in the formation of Los Frikis. In the realm of double dutch, it started as a street game for girls. When two police officers took notice of it, they transformed it into a national, organized activity and founded the ADDL. As a street activity, there were few rules and it was really about musicking. The girls created their own chants and rhymes to go along with the rhythms of double dutching. However, once national competitions began, there were numerous rules and regulations put in place, and if these rules weren’t followed, the team could be disqualified or lose points.

                Though the creation of ADDL is a positive organization in that it offers “safe” play and an outlet for young girls to get off the streets, it also demonstrates a desire to control young, black girls’ actions, words, and sexuality. Gaunt points out that the freestyle portion of the competitions are not really freestyle. There are still specific rules that the teams must follow such as “Each freestyle presentation must not exceed sixty seconds and must include three to five tricks…” Gaunt mentions that these tricks are often all the same or least very similar leading to less individuality and more conformity all of which allows a greater sense of control for those in charge of the double dutch competitions. In the competitions in contrast with the street double dutch, there are little to no rhymes that take place at the competition and no musical accompaniment either. The rules of ADDL have stolen away the girls’ voices and left them mute. This removes any ability to express themselves unless it is with their body which is also under control during competitions. In looking to free the young, black girls from the dangers of the streets, it seems that all the rules ADDL has put in place, has actually curbed that freedom.

                In contrast to ADDL, Los Frikis were created out of a need to loosen the control of the Cuban government on the lives of the Cuban people, especially Cuban youth. Instead of being formed by adults seeking more control, they were formed by youth seeking to loosen the control of the government.  When hostilities between the United States and Cuba grew, listening to rock n roll music was more than just a youthful enjoyment of music, it became a way of life and a way to channel the frustration of the control exercised by the government. Led Zeppelin and Nirvana were the new standards.

 It wasn’t just the music and the image of punk that defined Los Frikis, there was another aspect that reeked of total rebellion: self-injecting oneself with HIV AIDS. The leader of the movement, Papo, was the first to willingly inject himself with HIV. Without the foresight and understanding of what HIV does to your body, Los Frikis simply wanted to a way to give the middle finger to the government, and they thought this was the way to do it. They viewed it as a way to loosen the government’s control over their lives in a couple different ways. Papo is famous for saying that, “Death is a door” which is one way the government would lose control over them. The other was in the change of space that occurred once it was discovered that a person had contracted HIV.

The Cuban government forced people who tested positive to live in sanitariums away from the rest of the population. Los Frikis saw this as freedom. They were basically left alone and could listen to their rock music as well form their own bands one of which was actually called HIV. They also always had enough food which could not be said for the rest of the Cuban population who struggled to survive. This change of space for Los Frikis made their culture seem more appealing to young people, and also strengthened their culture because of their close proximity to each other.

Although ADDL created a new space for double dutching, it seems to have gone in a different direction from Los Frikis. Although both new spaces for both double dutching and Los Frikis, were meant to strengthen control and to raise the ability to regulate the groups, this was more successful with double dutching than Los Frikis. In the new competition space created, the rules became more concrete and if you wanted to continue to be involved in ADDL, you had to conform to the rules. Although there were some instances of pushing the envelope during ADDL competitions, like the team from France who incorporated actual break dancing into their freestyle, but they were disqualified for going over the time limit. This disqualification is proof that ADDL does not necessarily embrace individuality or uniqueness, but prefers to keep the emphasis on following the rules.

There are both strong positive and negative aspects of both Los Frikis and ADDL. In Cuba, Los Frikis had some positive impact and Castro opened the country to rock concerts. However, this didn’t happen until many of Los Frikis began dying including Papo. What many construe as youthful stupidity can also be seen as a beautifully disturbed form of rebellion. In contrast, ADDL has caused more conformity than rebellion. Although Gaunt is advocating for a change in the view and actions of double dutch, it has little form of rebellion with the exception of some sexual undertones during the performance. Perhaps, if there was a strong enough movement, ADDL would be forced to loosed the rules enough for true creativity to shine in the performances and achieve what the goal should be: to empower young, black girls.

[tmeadow30-blog]

Disney Movie Analysis: The Lion King

Before this assignment, I had not seen the movie “The Lion King” since I was a kid. Immediately, I was surprised at just how much I noticed parallels could be drawn to both world moral values, as well as religion. Though I do not consider myself a religious person, I was able to see how this film and its character relationships show similarities to the dynamic of the Christian religion. For example, the death of Mufasa could symbolize the death of Jesus Christ. While the greed and mischief of Scar, could symbolize that of Satan. The film communicates the message that each of us has a destiny and a role in this life. This is demonstrated when Simba is left with the decision to run away from home. Once Simba grows up, he realizes his responsibility to his pride and returns to take his place as the king. This movie came out in 1994 in a time that science was continuing its rivaling of Christian beliefs. I also believe this film shows some of the confusion involved with religion during that time. This film in fact challenges the old Christian belief of magic as the work of the devil. Once the young prince, Simba, is born, a monkey named Rafiki blesses him with their modern and wild form of magic. This sort of event is contradictory to traditional bible teachings. This may be representative of the many challenges and contradictions facing Christianity toward the end of the 20th century. I believe that this film provides the message that different beings can exist together in harmony and still fulfill each individual niche in that society to work as one. One critique I would have of this film is that there are mild occurrences of sexism in several points throughout the film. In the film, the male lions are fewer in numbers, while the female lions are higher numbers. Despite this imbalance, the female lions in the film are made to be highly submissive to the males. The identity struggle that Simba endures throughout the film reminds me of the movie “Teenage”. His struggle is similar in the way that he too is searching for his place in the bigger picture.

[arielc88-blog]

I found the parallels you discussed between The Lion King and Christianity really interesting. Another parallel to history, although brief, is a scene during the song “Be Prepared.” When the hyenas are marching past Scar, it’s right out of the history books during Hitler’s survey of his troops. It’s actually really unnerving. I’ve used that parallel in class with my students when we discuss Hitler Youth and the Holocaust.

Another message to take away from The Lion King is the sense of duty and responsibility a man has to his family. Although “Hakuna Matata” is one of the favorite Disney songs, the end result of the movie contradicts everything the song is about. Instead of continuing to live his life of ignorant bliss and leisure, Simba adopts responsibility and saves his family. Surely the portrayal of a well put together family unit was no accident.

[itsmelielli-blog]

Pocahontas Review

At the beginning of the Disney film Pocahontas, Pocahontas’ father wishes for her to marry his best warrior, Kocoum, but Pocahontas has too much of a free spirit for Kocoum’s stern demeanor. Pocahontas decides to listen to her heart and chooses not to marry him. Soon after, Pocahontas meets personable English settler John Smith, and they quickly fall in love despite their racial and cultural differences. When Kocoum learns of Pocahontas and John, he attacks John and in turn gets killed by another settler. The chief then declares war on the settlers and wishes to kill John. As this is about to happen, Pocahontas throws herself in front of John, stopping the execution from happening and convinces her father not to continue with war, creating a unity between the settlers and the natives. At the end John must return to England for medical treatment while Pocahontas stays behind with her people. 

Some of the morals we see in the film include the importance of following your heart which the is the core of Pocahontas’ character (for example when she chooses the windy river path rather than the straight one, representing her life choices), the importance of love over racial and cultural differences, and as love was enough to end war there is a moral that speaks to the power of love.

One aspect I find extremely problematic in the film is that it is meant to be based off real events, but does so in a way that distorts important historical realities. The film ignores the fact that in reality, the real 17th century princess Pocahontas is based off of was 10 or 11, suffered as a prisoner in Jamestown, married an Englishman at the age of 14 out of force, and was Christianized being made to change her name and culture. The essence of the film is mainly cheerful; this is problematic because it gives children viewers the impression that this was a cooperative time for Native Americans and settlers when in fact it was very devastating. 

Even though the film was created almost 400 years after the settlers arrived in America, it reflects common ideology and form of racism still present at the time of production in the 1990s (as well as today) that society must live in harmony within the dominant culture while dejecting other cultures such as Native Americans by viewing them as “savages” and “uncivilized”. For example, the song “Savages” is meant to address issues of the time such as genocide, but instead to the listener hears a strong divide between the two groups. Native Americans called “filthy little heathens” and “savages”, and in turn the Native Americans demonize white people.

[arielc88-blog]

I’m really glad you discussed the historical implications, and just how inaccurate the whole Disney interpretation is. Leave it to Disney to put an unbelievably positive spin on the murder and enslavement of an entire people. Of course they did address some of the racial implications, and the song you mentioned “Savages” highlights the tension between the two ethnicities while making it clear that both sides are wrong about the other.

The positive side of Disney’s portrayal of Pocahontas is the depiction of a strong woman who is able to bring peace and is unafraid to buck tradition in order to follow her heart. It’s certainly a nice change from all the damsels in distress who need the hero to come save them.

[arielc88-blog]

Disney Movie Analysis

Analysis:

               Disney’s Mulan is a beloved children’s movie that tells the story of a young Chinese woman who risks her life to fight for China. Originally, her father was supposed to fight in the war against the Huns, but because he still suffers from an old war injury, Mulan secretly takes his place. Her family does not go after her because if they reveal the fact she is a woman, she will be killed for treason. Of course, because it’s Disney, Mulan ends up saving the country and returning home as a war hero as well as finding a suitable future husband in her commanding officer.

               Mulan touches on many topics such as gender roles, culture, religion, and family loyalty.  The most prominent of these is gender roles and stereotypes. The expectation for Mulan is to be appraised by the town’s matchmaker in order to marry into a good family and to honor her own family. Mulan is called a disgrace by the matchmaker which ends any chance of her marrying and fulfilling her duty as a woman: to bear sons for China.  In contrast to the accepted gender role, Mulan adopts a male gender role as she enters the army.

               Once in the army, there are numerous stereotypes about men that Mulan and Mushu (her “guardian”) reference in an attempt to help Mulan fit in with the rest of the army. She attempts some type of swag as she “walks” through camp. She spits, and punches a guy in the arm because “that’s how they say hello.” Obviously, these are all exaggerated in order to illuminate the differences between men and women. As they are marching, the men sing about the characteristics they would like to see in “a girl worth fighting for.” These also address stereotypes that men are looking for in women. They sing about women that are beautiful and who can cook. When Mulan suggests a girl “who’s got a brain and always speaks her mind” they all quickly reject the idea which speaks volumes about the views of women during this time period in China.

               The most poignant scene of the movie that highlights the conflict caused by gender is when it is discovered that Mulan is a woman. Although, she’s just taken out the entire Hun army single handedly, her commander is ordered to execute her for treason because she lied about being a man. He doesn’t kill her because she saved his life earlier, but the remaining army abandons her in the mountains of China as they move on to claim honor and recognition for defeating the Huns. The term treason being used to describe a woman posing as a man seems extreme when the definition of treason is considered. It’s an unforgivable form of betrayal to one’s country, and saving China from being taken over by the Huns doesn’t quite seem to fall under this category.

               In true Disney fashion, Mulan ends up re-saving China once some of the Huns recover and attempt to take over the country. She is then honored by the Emperor who breaks precedent by bowing to her, a woman. The audience is moved by his wisdom and his offer to make her a member of his council which also breaks numerous “rules” and gender barriers.

               Although this movie seems to have girl power written all over it, the ending returns to convention and fulfillment of gender roles when her commanding officer returns to ask for her hand in marriage. After all, Disney seems to still be asserting many of the same values and norms they have been for years.

Lesson Plan Rationale:

               Fairy tales and folk tales are a great way to teach plot and review the definitions for characters and other literary terms. The combination of “The Ballad of Mulan” and Disney’s Mulan offer a multicultural twist on the stereotypical fairy tales most students are used to. They both give glimpses in ancient Chinese culture and students can use their previous knowledge from 7th grade history to sort out the truth from the embellishment. The use of these two mediums also allows for a discussion on gender roles. In the original story, Mulan reveals the truth herself after being in the army for 12 years and is met with no punishment, only some really surprised comrades. However, she’s also put back into conventional roles in both in terms of marriage. Identity, which is also a common theme in 8th grade literature, plays a huge role in both though at different points in the story. In the movie, Mulan forms her identity after being in the army while in the original story, Mulan struggles with her identity after she comes back from war. All in all, the combination of the two versions allows for in depth discussion on numerous topics that are still relevant to today’s youth.  

Lesson Plan: Fairy Tales and Folk Tales

Day 1: Students list examples of fairy tales and folk tales. Complete definitions for both. Go over general plot line for folk/fairy tales.

Day 2: Read Ballad of Mulan.

--What characteristics of a folk tale are demonstrated in this story?

--Fill out plot graph for Ballad of Mulan

Day 3: Watch Mulan and fill out plot line for the movie

Day 4: --Similarities and differences between the two different versions

          --Why do you think Disney made the changes they did?

         --How do they both fit into the category of multiculturalism?

         --In 2-3 paragraphs, discuss how gender or identity plays an important role in the film then discuss the difference in the actual folk tale

Day 5-6: Write your own folk tale based on the original Ballad of Mulan making sure to include the aspects of a folk tale.

[arielc88-blog]

Child Consumers

Children learn from an early age how to be consumers. They even learn about consumers and advertising in schools. Children learn to be consumers from numerous sources such as their parents, teacher and peers, and of course through the media that they encounter on a daily basis.

One of the first places children learn to be consumers is from their parents. This occurs in numerous ways. First, children grow up watching their parents shopping even if it is just grocery shopping. They may even see parents looking through the Sunday paper and cutting out coupons in order to get the best deal on paper towels. By observing their parents, children hopefully learn to be wise consumers. Another way many children learn to be consumers is through allowance. Many children either are given or earn an allowance which is in turn their own to spend as they wish. Parents can also use their children’s desire to be a consumer as a way of teaching them responsibility. When I was about 8, I wanted a pair of roller blades. My parents were not about to spend the money on the roller blades and have me use them for a week and then be done with as often happens with kids. My parents created a chore chart that had to be completed for a few weeks in order for me to be able to get the coveted roller blades. Because I wanted the roller blades so badly, I did all the chores and earned the money to buy them. It filled me with a sense of accomplishment and a desire to continue purchase what I wanted.

School also teaches children to be consumers in numerous ways. Children and youth are taught in different ways how to be consumers, and the “how to” grows in sophistication as children get older. Many elementary classrooms have a system where students can earn tokens or “money” through their accomplishments in the classroom. At the end of the week, students are then given the opportunity to “purchase” something from the school store as a reward. This concept is similar to allowance from parents. Many middle school students also do some kind of project that requires them to understand the concepts behind advertising. They learn different techniques and then must employ these techniques to either convince the teacher or other classmates to buy their product. Though this is role reversal of actually consuming, this unit is still focused on consuming. In high school, there is a class called consumer education where students are literally taught how to be consumers. They learn to fill out checks, balance check books, manage a budget and many other things that are important to know in order to be a smart consumer.

Another way school teaches children to be consumers is through students’ interactions with each other. At school, students come face to face with their peers who are wearing certain brands or who have a specific kind of pencil pouch or a specific type of pen. The majority of adolescents desire to fit in with the main stream crowd and one way to do so is by dressing like their peers. For example, all the boys that played on the basketball team and others all wear the Nike Elite basketball socks and slides. There must be something really special about those dashes on the back of the socks because any boy that wants to be considered an athlete must have these socks, especially if you’re on the basketball team.

One of the strongest influences of children as consumers is the media and its portrayal of American youth culture. Children can’t turn on the tv without being bombarded by advertisements geared directly towards them. One way that advertisers exploit American youth culture into creating young consumers is through the use of celebrity endorsement of products. One such product is Proactiv. Of course many teenagers get acne and can be incredibly self-conscious about it. But here’s Adam Levine, voted one of America’s sexiest men, telling us he used to have acne but he used Proactiv and now he’s #flawless. This certainly teaches adolescents to become consumers, and to conform to society’s idea of beauty.

[arielc88-blog]

Disney and the Middle Class

                Consumerism plays a crucial role in today’s society, and its beginnings can be traced back to the 1920s and 1930s. Though some critics of Walt Disney claim that he and his company are at fault for pushing Disney products and creating an environment where Disney products were must-haves, Sammond argues that it was society’s emphasis on parenting and parent controlled consumerism that elevated Disney’s popularity. There are specific societal aspects that contributed to the cultural rise of Disney that centered on “saving” children and maintaining the pure, white-middle class.

During the 1920s and 1930s, the United States was going through numerous changes and transitions. One of the changes was the new view on children and the importance of parenting. As we have previously seen, with the creation of child labor laws, a new idea of childhood emerged. While freeing children from work in factories was a positive outcome of the child labor laws, their growing leisure time and potential to get into trouble increased. The growth of leisure time mostly applied to the working class and to the immigrants since children of middle class families had never worked in factories. As their leisure time grew, their potential to influence the children of the middle class grew as well. This became an ever increasing concern for middle class parents who did not want their children to fall victim to the pitfalls of popular culture that at times were considered un-American because of its associations with immigrants. Enter Walt Disney.

                Walt Disney provided the solution to parent concerns about the potential negative effects of pop culture and media on their children. The video shorts and films created by Disney were different than other films in the messages being conveyed through the characters and the plot line. Disney emphasized characteristics that were valued by the middle class such as denial of self, abstinence, conformity, and delayed gratification. This was in great contrast to other films and even cartoons that exhibited violence, sexual content, and overall were thought to be contributing to the demise of American values. Many parents felt that their children learned something from the films. One fan even wrote that “Bambi was to my children a beautiful experience, and subconsciously they must have absorbed a lesson which will make them better human beings…You have proved by this kind of picture that you not only can entertain but you can mold the character of people.” This thought that there was something to be learned from films is an idea that has been expanded on today. While many parents are aware that sticking your child in front of a tv for the day is not an effective form of parenting, there are certain tv shows that purport to teach children. Shows like Baby Einsteins are certainly popular with parents of small children. These types of shows are usually endorsed by parenting website and magazines. The fact that many of the parenting magazines also endorsed Disney films contributed to its popularity among the middle class.

                Even today, parents still refer to magazines and online forums to help guide them as they decide what is appropriate or not appropriate for their children to view. There is one online reference called Movie Mom that my own mother referred to once to determine whether I could go see Save the Last Dance with my friends. This movie reviewer is part of a very conservative Christian website, and certainly follows and adheres to the same values that were important to the same parents who read Parents’ magazine. Needless to say, I was not allowed to go see Save the Last Dance, and my mom shared the review with other parents of my friend group who also did not allow their kids to see the movie. As a middle school student this was particularly traumatizing as it seemed that I single-handedly had ruined my group’s Friday night plans. I would guess that if I had told my mom we were going to see a Disney movie, there wouldn’t have even been an investigation into the film. This brief anecdote shows us that despite the change of time, similar norms and morals are still prevalent today.

                Not only did Walt Disney’s films appeal to the middle class and their set of values, but the entire creative process of the company along with Walt’s style of managing appealed and supported the values of the middle class. The company was a model of efficiency and numerous articles were written about all the processes that were behind the creation of Disney films. Although the Disney company was seen as well-oiled machine, it was also portrayed as a family environment where Walt Disney played the father figure who ruled in a loving but strict manner. The obvious success of Disney lit hope inside parents that all was not lost for their children if they followed a philosophy similar to that of Disney in their own homes. As Sammond states, “…both emphasized the regimes of management, control, and efficiency as a means of reproducing that ideal American culture.” Disney’s term of “family entertainment” takes two meanings when looking at the depiction of his managing style coupled with his company’s products.

                Therefore, in some subtle and some not so subtle ways, Walt Disney used his company to continue to instill the norms and values of the white middle class into American society as a whole. The films he and his company produced used different protagonists and antagonists to exhibit the values many middle class parents were trying to teach their children as well as hoping to instill in the working class and immigrants. The public nature of Disney’s production also proved that managing or parenting with an emphasis on certain values also would lead to success of a company or a child. Though many years have passed since the formation of Disney, its influence continues to be far-reaching across the world and across generations.  

[arielc88-blog]

Perks of Being a Wallflower Unit Plan

The Perks of Being a Wallflower unit will be mostly be composed of journaling and class discussions based on conclusions students came to during their journaling.

Journal Requirements: While reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower, you will be completing an analysis of each chapter. This analysis should focus on 1-2 subjects from the chapter and should be a minimum of 2-3 pages in length. Make sure to use any parts you marked in your book to help you. You should also have a minimum of 2 direct quotations from the chapter. Remember, this is an analysis, not a summary! You should be explaining the why not the what. There are many controversial topics that are brought up in the novel, don’t be afraid to discuss them in your journal entries because we will be discussing them in class.

Class Discussions: We will be participating in small and large group discussion over the journal entries. Many of the topics discussed are controversial and can be touchy. It is important to be sensitive to others while voicing your opinion on the topics to be discussed. I expect the utmost respect to be given to each student in class during discussions.

Below are the assigned readings and topic suggestions if you’re stuck on what to write about.

1)      Pg. 1-13 Suggested topic: Relationships

2)      Pg. 14-26 Suggested topic: “We accept the love we think we deserve”

3)      Pg. 27-39 Suggested topic: Feeling infinite

4)      Pg. 42-53 Suggested topic: Glory days

5)      Pg. 54-75 Suggested topic: Family/Charlie’s poem/Loss of Innocence

6)      Pg. 75-95 Suggested topic: Dad’s family/Aunt Helen’s life and death

7)      Pg. 98-122 Suggested topic: First dates/Abortion

8)      Pg. 122-139 Suggested topic: Honesty/Friend group treatment of Charlie

9)      Pg. 140-164 Suggested topic: Brad and Patrick/Charlie and Patrick

10)  Pg. 164-182 Suggested topic: Bill and student-teacher relationship/Charlie’s reaction to Sam and Craig

11)  Pg. 183-206 Suggested topic: “We were just open.”/ Charlie and Sam

12)  Epilogue Suggested topic: Overall reflection of the novel/Discovery about Aunt Helen

Unit Project:

Part I: Choose one of the controversial topics discussed in the novel (ex: teen drug use, abusive relationship, abortion) and create an informational brochure/presentation that could be helpful in explaining the topic to other teens. You will need to research this topic and its effects on the teenage population.

After you create your brochure, write a 1-2 page reflection on how your research and the discussion of it in the novel, enhanced your understanding of the topic.

Part II: Choose your favorite quotation from the novel and explain its meaning and significance to the novel and to your life. You may use any medium to do this (ex: an artistic interpretation, a self reflection journal).

[arielc88-blog]

Adolescence as a Disability (?)

                The study of the brain and more specifically, the adolescent brain, led to more of an understanding of how the brain works. The new research had positive and negative effects on society’s views as well as society’s treatment of adolescents. In her article, Elman focuses on and emphasizes the negative aspects that accompanied the study and analysis of the teenage brain. Elman also makes numerous valid points about how the study of the undeveloped adolescent brain created certain societal regressions in the context of gender and racial equality.

                As is evident with today’s new findings and research on the brain, there have been many positive outcomes and new understandings in numerous areas of human development. The findings about the biological and cognitive development on the brain of adolescents is certainly helpful in understanding certain behaviors. The fact that the limbic system, which houses emotions, is fully developed as opposed to the prefontal cortex, which houses judgement and logical thinking, which is not fully developed in teenagers can account for certain reactions and behaviors. After all the research done, there is no arguing with this fact, but what can be argued is the interpretation and adults’ reactions to this information.

                Reactions to this information began leading society down a dangerous path. It allowed for a cop out and excuses for bad behavior. “It’s not his fault, his brain isn’t fully developed yet.” While I agree that the lack of development may account for a certain amount of impulsivity, it is certainly not a justification for all deviant behaviors. There’s a difference between an 8th grade student blurting out something moronic in class and the same student planning the murder of his/her classmates and teacher. The blurting things out in class is something I see all the time as a teacher, and it is usually followed by an apology because they know what they just did was not acceptable in the classroom. That is the limbic overriding the prefrontal cortex, but it also demonstrates a knowledge of the mores and norms of a classroom in the apology that follows directly after the incident. A student who premeditates a murder has more imbalance going on than the typical adolescent lack of development. It is a total disregard for morality and a disregard for the understandings between right and wrong which teenagers are fully aware of. Someone who has the ability to commit a premeditated, brutal murder is suffering from more than a lack of prefontal cortex development.  

Unfortunately, some experts are of the opinion that adolescence is a time of temporary insanity and this helps justify and even create excuses for teenagers who commit heinous crimes. As Elman describes it perfectly in her article as, “Neuroparenting’s configuration of teenagers as blameless, both for the imperfections of their developing brains and for the bad decisions caused by these imperfections…” This viewpoint that teenagers just need some time for their brains to rewire can cause adults to overlook more serious issues that may be going on with an adolescent. It could cause people to ignore what might actually be a severe psychological issue. It is also important to remember that the brain is continuing its development, it does not go on a developmental hiatus during adolescence. Adults should not then take a temporary leave of parenting and teaching. Disciplining according to the grievance committed helps to reinforce “correct” behaviors the same as is done with children who have not yet reached adolescence. If a lack of guidance and discipline occurs during adolescence it can have detrimental effects when that teenager becomes an adult. All of a sudden the behavior that was excused before, is now no longer acceptable and they will not know how to handle themselves in society.

Elman also discusses the racial and gender implications that followed the findings on the adolescent brain. All the new ideas and reactions that followed the analyses of the teenage brain were manipulated to maintain “racial, sexual and bodily hierarchies.” A gap was created between the white adolescent, suburban male shooter and the black adolescent male shooter who was also given the name “superpredator.” “Research” seemed to support that white males were able to be rehabilitated because the reason they acted the way they did was due to lack of brain development. This contrasted with the perception that all teenagers of color were hardwired for violence because of low IQs. This meant that they were incapable of rehabilitation. This school of thought played out and continues to play out through the judicial system. In 1997 there were about 9,000 adolescents mostly composed of teenagers of color in detention centers. This imbalance is still occurring today. At a school where I used to teach, I had numerous students that had been in the juvenile detention center, they were on probation and had the required ankle bracelets. The vast majority were African American. I did not have a single white student in my classes that had an ankle bracelet, and this certainly was not because they didn’t commit similar offenses to those of the African American students.   

Not only did the new findings and research affect racial inequality, but it also had an effect on gender as well. New books and studies began to surface blaming feminism for the turmoil adolescent boys were facing. It was claimed that adolescent boys were in trouble because of the push for male sensitivity and that the feminist movement was turning boys into girls which was a less than subtle acknowledgement of homophobia. Boys could not be blamed for their outbursts because they were fighting back against becoming the inferior sex. As it states in Elman’s article, “1990s girls allegedly became less threatened by their own brains than white teen boys, who were physiologically prone to angry outbursts and imperiled by feminism’s gains.” Instead of dealing with the actual issue, many people tried to place the blame on racial minorities and women sending society back to the years before the Civil Rights Act.

While the study of the brain can be an enlightening area of research and helpful in many ways, it is clear from Elman’s article that it is not so much the information that is discovered that is harmful; it is people’s interpretations of that information that prove to be detrimental to society as a whole.

[arielc88-blog]

http://www.cosmopolitan.com/lifestyle/news/a41720/bullied-teen-prom-dress/

This article draws attention to a young girl who designed her own prom dress. The designing of one’s own dress may not seem like an act of rebellion in and of itself, but the reasoning behind her desire to design her dress coupled with the actual design demonstrate a level of rebellion against the mainstream society.

18 year old Kyemah Mcentyre designed her own prom dress, and had it made by a local seamstress to express her own individuality. As it states in the article, “McEntyre was inspired to make this captivating number to express her individuality and give a giant middle finger to anyone who's ever tried to bring her down.” If that’s not a show of rebellion against the norm, I’m not sure what is. When it comes to rebellion, especially that of youth, it is less about the act itself and more about the reasoning behind it. Mcentyre’s desire to silence her peers who had expressed negative attitudes towards her is the quintessential form of rebellion. In a society that values conformity to the norms and in a world where there’s usually a few girls that end up wearing the same prom dress to the same dance, standing out from the crowd via your own creativity is an admirable form of rebellion.

The actual design of the dress demonstrates a level of rebellion as well. It was designed using traditional African patterns and color schemes which is certainly not reflective of the typical pastel prom dresses. The dress also had long sleeves which you never see on prom dresses that tend to be strapless or thin straps with chunks missing from the side of the dress. Her willingness to embrace her identity and creativity, also solidifies her own rebellion. As Kyemah said so eloquently, “"I would like to take this moment to say that you have to understand who you are because if you leave that space open, you leave your identity in the hands of society. Don't let anyone define you.”

 Another aspect of this event that demonstrates rebellion is how it contradicts the stereotypical idea of the rebellious youth. Oftentimes when we think of youth rebellion, we imagine youth rebelling against the adult generations. In this case, Mcentyre is rebelling against her peer group. One of the best parts of Mcentyre’s prom dress design is that she was given the opportunity design another dress for the red carpet. This is an excellent reminder that not all acts of youth rebellion need to take on negative connotations.  

[arielc88-blog]

Zoot Suiters

Luis Alvarez’s article, “The Power of the Zoot” details the formation of the zoot suit culture that began in the 1930s and continued growing in popularity through the duration of World War II. The zoot suit came to symbolize many different aspects of youth culture during this time period some of which was positive and some of which was negative. Though the majority culture and those of the older generation seemed to view the zoot suiters as deviant youth, many of those who participated in this subculture category would disagree. Although the general population viewed zoot suit culture as one lump group, there were different nuances throughout this culture based on the ethnicity and gender of the person wearing the zoot suit. Even though the youth wearing the zoot suits were seen as deviant teenagers, there were also those who participated in the zoot suit fad, but still conformed to war time norms set by the majority culture and population in the United States.

               There are many different possible origins of the zoot suit, and people make numerous claims about who brought it into the mainstream. Some say it was a Mexican-American invention, some say it was influenced by Filipino culture, and still others claim it was a young African American man that started the trend. Regardless of who started it, there were certain commonalities that all zoot suits shared. The first part was the long jacket that went down to about the knees. The jacket also had padding which exaggerated the shoulder width of the wearer. The second key part were the pants. They were high waisted and ballooned out right about the knees. The exaggeration of the width of the trousers was a source of pride for zoot suiters and it also set them apart from fellow zoot suitors. “One youth proclaimed proudly that his pants were pegged at fourteen and twenty-eight inches, while the other was said to have shamefully confessed that his were pegged at only fifteen and twenty-seven inches (p.95). The accessories also helped solidify a youth as a true zoot suiter. The full get up included the suit, shoes, a hat, and a chain. The suits shared commonalities, but there were differences that set the zoot suiters apart often based on ethnicity. The African Americans’ suits were very colorful while the Hispanic zoot suits were mostly brown and black. The unique style of the zoot suit allowed the zoot suiters to stand out among the rest of mainstream society.

               Standing out from the white majority is exactly what the zoot suiters wanted to do. The zoot suit culture represented the nonwhite minority seeking to redefine their identities. They used the zoot suit culture to regain dignity, to exude masculinity, and to generally challenge the racial and stereotypical “boxes” they had been forced into. The minority groups were on a path to especially prove their masculinity in a society that was changing towards valuing this trait even more with the current war. Many zoot suiters combatted the view that masculinity meant wearing a uniform and fighting for the United States in the war. Alvarez states, “Whether zoot suiters expressed their masculinity by criticizing the armed forces, their style…contrasted sharply with images of the dominant wartime masculinity of white U.S. serevicemen…The masculine performance of nonwhite zoot suiters…was a stark reminder of how gender could reflect the ethnic and racial fissures on the home front” (p.104). Because minority ethnicities had been dehumanized for so long in the United States, they felt the need to draw attention to their masculinity and therefore solidify their position as men of worth. Alvarez points out that, unfortunately, in their desire to be seen as masculine, the zoot suiters often emphasized their masculinity at the expense of women. Oftentimes, the women that were seen with the zoot suiters were thought to be prostitutes and immoral women.

               The opposite tended to be true for it was not only nonwhite men that embraced the zoot suit culture, but nonwhite women as well. These women were not only fighting the racial inequalities they faced, but also the gender inequalities they faced. “By challenging notions of feminine beauty, sexuality, and race that prescribed how they should behave, they discarded the submissive roles that parents, middle-class activists, and even their zoot suit boyfriends expected them to play” (p.108). The zoot suit women spent time together in tight knit groups that offered support and friendship. The combination of the hypermasculinity of the men and the gender role breaking of the women, created a movement of embraced sexuality that set the conservative general population shaking their heads.

               It wasn’t just the white population that disapproved of the seemingly overt sexuality of the zoot suiters. “Many older members of Mexican American and African American communities viewed the zoot suit as a sign of disrespect because of its often confrontational nature and popular association with wartime delinquency, violence, and drug use” (p.101). Many young people’s parents and grandparents disapproved of the zoot suit culture and all it represented. This could have been for many different reasons. First, it went against the generally accepted social norms and mores. Second, minorities were searching for equality and many of the older generation probably didn’t believe standing out in a negative way was going to accomplish that goal. In fact, they may have feared it would do the exact opposite and damage the relations further.

               This phenomenon of older generations disapproving of how the younger generation portrays sexuality does solely belong to the 1940s. Historically, the 1960s showed even more upheaval, and this rings true even today especially with women embracing and being open with their sexuality. The first example that comes to mind (which also dates me, but oh well) is one of Christina Aguilera’s first music videos. She was showing midriff and openly talking about sex. This caused quite a stir because young girls were looking to her as a role model, and certainly this not a woman young girls should look towards as a good example. Of course now, what she did in the 90s is seen very tame in comparison. Because of younger generations’ needs to push boundaries, the discrepancy between older and younger generations will always be present.

               The Zoot suiters comprised of mostly nonwhites, used the new fad in fashion to establish a new sense of dignity and masculinity that they felt had been denied them because of their race. Young nonwhite women also embraced this movement. The zoot suit phenomenon brought a new level of awareness to different minority groups and gave them a new sense of power.

[arielc88-blog]

We Boys Together Response

               The chapters from the book, We Boys Together, chronicle the shift in how relationships between teenage boys were viewed along with the expectations of these relationships. Dennis points towards World War II as the turning point of the shift from homoromances to heteroromances being portrayed as the norm. Dennis also points towards growing homophobia or the fear of “inversion” as another cause of the shift. This transformation in the 1940s has had lasting effects on how today’s society views relationships between teenage boys, and how they’re portrayed through media.

               Dennis suggests that the roots of the portrayal of homoromances between teenage boys lie in the creation of the “Boy Next Door” image. This image came into existence because the “white” majority who also tended to be of the Protestant faith, felt the need to maintain a semblance of control over the incoming immigrants from Europe. During this time, the concept of the teenager was still relatively new, and certainly there was a perceived need to help the young people maintain their innocence and purity with a clean cut image. “The Boy Next Door heroes are not described in much detail, but the two or three adjectives they receive always suggest physical perfection, in contrast to the hulking, dissolute, unattractive villains.” This ideal is still portrayed today. The majority of the protagonists have spot on bone structure and chiseled bodies which is no different than the original Boy Next Door who was, “extraordinarily handsome, immensely muscular, strong, sturdy…” Although Indie films often portray a different type of protagonist (thanks, Michael Cera), the general expectation of the hero falls under the stereotypical boy next door.

One of the most interesting aspects of “The Boy Next Door” is his denunciation of all things feminine, including girlfriends and dating as opposed to the hero’s sidekick who tends to be involved in heteroromances. This is often a cause for derision of the sidekick which is in complete contrast to how the hero and sidekick are portrayed today. Nowadays, it is usually the hero that is popular with the girls and may even have a steady girlfriend as opposed to the nerdy sidekick who is constantly rejected by girls. One of the explanations for the rejection of heterosexual relationships was that the subject of sex was still seen as taboo. Adults felt the need to protect and encourage purity, so portraying the cool kids as sexless and the uncool kids as involved in heterosexual relationships, they could, in a subtle manner, insinuate that sex was inappropriate for teenagers.

The rejection of girls and the lack of female character leads is also reflective of the time period. It demonstrates how women were viewed and treated. They were pushed to the background and showed up only as very minor characters and negative distractions for the main characters. It was also made evident that women couldn’t possibly have as important of a relationship with the boys because they were incapable of doing activities the boys enjoyed. As shown in the article, Dennis references a film in which girls are mentioned only to prove that they are deficient because, “One thing about girls…they can’t throw a ball. They can’t whistle either.” Girls would have to maintain a tertiary role due to their deficiencies. This helped to reinforce the societal view of women as unimportant and inconsequential in the general scheme of things.

As such, it’s made clear that the teenage boys needed only each other, and from this stemmed the homoromance portrayed in so many films and stories. As Dennis states, “…but some also have particular friends with a particular bond…with the emotional intensity and physical intimacy that evoke homoromance rather than comraderie.” These relationships were usually formed in adolescence and were maintained through to adulthood. While there are definitely friendships like this that exist, they are not portrayed as such by today’s films, books, and other media. In “The Sandlot,” for example, the boys are a tight knit group who reject girls(with the exception of the life guard) especially because girls can’t play baseball, however; at the end of the film the audience discovers that they’ve all moved away and formed their own families and their own lives independent from each other. The idea of them all continuing to live in the same town together and rejecting heterosexual relationships would be seen as very odd today. It would seem as though they would have stunted each other’s maturity because nowadays, a hallmark of becoming an adolescent is becoming aware of and engaging in romantic relationships.

So when did this shift in homoromance to heteroromance occur? Dennis claims there were three happenings that produced this shift. The first catalyst of change was World War II. With the older boys and men overseas fighting, the teenage boys were left home and many took over the role of the man of the house. They were pushed into adulthood, when it became acceptable to date, and so they began to develop heterosexual relationships earlier. Another side effect of World War II was a growing lack of trust amongst people. Everyone was on heightened alert and watching out for the infiltrating enemy. Because of this severe lack of trust, it was difficult to create and maintain the strong relationships that are necessary for homoromances to exist. These consequences are certainly the opposite of what one might expect from these occurrences. Due to the absence of the majority of male role models, it would be expected that young men might become more effeminate because they spent a lot of time around women. One might also assume that because of the threat of “the enemy” it would cause a stronger bond of trust to develop between friends. These happenings could have caused the relationships between teen boys to go either way. There was a “discovery” around the time of the war that pushed things into creating emphasis on hetero-relationships. Psychologists were publishing works that encouraged heterosexual relationships. These writings created enthusiasm for and made it seem a necessity for girls and boys to be involved in relationships during adolescence. “…the teenage boy’s attraction to the opposite sex was proof of his masculinity rather than a feminizing threat…”

There was one other aspect that fully tipped the scales towards normalizing earlier acknowledgement of heteroromance. It was the fear of the “invert” or the homosexual. There was a rising awareness of the existence of homosexuality, and people began to perceive it as “a dangerous disease, threatening body, mind, and soul.” Because of these increasingly negative ideas of homosexuals pervading society, it became all the more necessary for boys to prove that they were heterosexual. Thus, the homoromance relationships between young boys disappeared in films and books. These feelings and the need to prove heterosexuality is still prevalent today. Though homosexuality is certainly gaining more acceptability, it is still considered deviant behavior by many youth. Oftentimes a boy will give his friend a compliment or something of that nature, but then feel the need to follow it up with “no homo.” This need to be perceived as heterosexual decreases as boys get older, and as they become more comfortable in their own person. However, the days of homoromance being portrayed in the media are dead.

Through the reading of these chapters, it is clear that there was a shift in the ways teenage boys and their relationships with each other and with girls were viewed. Many different aspects factored into this change, and it has been a lasting transformation. Though homosexuality is becoming more normative, homoromance has disappeared and it won’t be fully revived. Nowadays, if there was a film or book that had a homoromance, it would be assumed that they were gay. There’s no middle ground left because of the changes that occurred during World War II.