Ethnicity and the Media Spring 2020

Amber HoGlin

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The climax of the red/blue racial coding in the movie Tron, directed by Steven Lisberger in 1982, was an attempt by Disney have a Star Wars Style “triuph”. In all essence the movie reaches climax when the characters Clu, Tron, and Yori defeat Master Control and blue beams are seen all over the world. This part of the movie is known for eradicating “otherness”, homogenization  of the virtual environment, and making it safe for all of Hollywood's norms. Norms such as white middle-class people who are youthful, heterosexual, athletic, and patriarchal. Overall the scene in the movie that sealed these social norms into place was Tron and Yori’s kiss, which created a clean version of space that has been preserved for Eurocentric dominance. Some people even consider it a sanctuary of whiteness for the people in the late 20th century. Additionally in the movie The Wizard of Oz produced in 1939 threats inside a fantasy world make it safe for traditional nuclear families. This movie is another example of Disney creating social norms.In the end it was movies like Tron that caused people to look deeper into race presented by Disney. The movie caused viewers to think critically about race because of the social norms displayed in the popular film, like many others.

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Reading Reflection #9

The article “Disability Media Participation: Opportunities, Obstacles, and Politics” by Katie Ellis and Gerald Goggin discusses participation of the media from a critical disability perspective. More so, it indulges readers on the relative absence of a clear and detailed discussion and research on disability in the literature in regards to community, citizens, and alternative media. On the other hand as presented in the article, disability has emerged as an important element of the characterized cultures and digital technologies. In order to explore disability involving cultures, the article offers an analysis of case studies. Some of the case studies include disability blogs, ABC's Ramp Up website, and crowd-funding platforms. One of these crowd-funding platforms is kickstart. All in all, Katie Ellis’ and Gerald Goggin’s article “Disability Media Participation: Opportunities, Obstacles, and Politics” brings up important points when it comes to disability among people and their involvement in the media. This is an important topic that not very many people are fully aware of, but with time and articles similar to this one the issue is made aware to many people who were before blindsided to this topic.

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Reading reflection #8

Media Messages pages 426 to 452 indulge readers on sexual orientation in US history. This section begins with same sex relationships before World War II. While gay and lesbian relationships were present in art and literature, it is difficult to pinpoint the earliest documented accounts of same-sex attraction and relationships in the US. It is clear though that before the 20th century same-sex relationships in US Society had no title or name. People in same-sex relationships experienced segregation and discrimination because people did not understnd their point of view. Thus, college students during the 19th century organized an atmosphere for freedom of speech known as Stonewall. Unfortunately before Stonewall could make any progress the police raided The Village Inn in New York where they were organizing their movement.  The next section in pages 426-452 is “Developments in the Twenty First Century” which discusses meta-narrative, a story that serves to legitimize power, authority, and social customs on the narrative of human sexuality. The final section discusses homosexuality in religion. From Catholicism to Christianity homosexuality in religion is seen as a sin. People who practice same-sex relationships are seen as people that need to be cured. All in all, this section informs readers about the history of homesexuality in America. 

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Discussion Post #5

In Media Messages Pages 426 to 452 the idea of sexual orientation in the history of It in America is seen. In correspondence to this reading I completed the activity Personal inventory 6.2 “how do I know what I know”. This activity asks you a range of questions in regards to how you were raised in your exposure to the homosexual community. The first set of questions asks when you were a child what your parents told you about people who are gay, lesbian, or bisexual. For me I said my parents simply refer to people gayh, lesbian, and bisexual as homosexual without attaching value judgments. The second set of questions asks if you ever overheard your parents saying anything about the homosexual community as a child. My response to this question was I heard my parents sometimes make gay jokes or mock people they thought were gay, lesbian, or bisexual. The next question is in reference to your parents friends and neighbors growing up, for me there were only one or two people who were gay, lesbian, or bisexual. The final question inquires about how your religion relates to the homosexual community. As for my religion I believe it is a human right that we should support the interests of social justice. These questions in correspondence with the reading show me that LGBYT Community experiences a lot of prejudice and discrimination. Sexuality is a social construction and even though many people know this their views cannot be swayed. At the end of the day the only way to solve these issues is to not feed into the way Society portrays them. 

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In media messages Pages 403 to 426th the idea of sexual orientation in the fabrication of “normal” Is discussed. A few of the main ideas are sexual orientation and sexual identity. Many people in the United States find these two topics very controversial and confusing, more confusing than any other topic of cultural diversity. This is probably due to the fact that we receive less information about these issues than we do about others such as gender, race, or socioeconomic class. Oftentimes religions teach that being gay, lesbian, or bisexual is a sin. Moreover, people sometimes believe being gay, lesbian, or bisexual is a sickness that needs to be cured of. This is not the case though sexuality is a social construction much like gender. Due to the fact that these things are social constructions people part of the LGBT community are often discriminated against. As well people in same-sex relationships are often told and society that they need to act like traditional relationships. This means that there should be a more masculine partner and a more feminine partner. In this section of the textbook readers are indulged on Linda's story. When did tells readers that growing up she was never informed on information regarding sexual orientation she assumed that she was normal and expected to grow up and marry a man. The first time Linda was ever informed about the LGBT community was when her sister told her once they get into Junior High School her and her friends would not be allowed to hold hands anymore because they would be presumed as gay. Linda also recalls when she got into high school and Junior High there were terms she heard such as “queer”, “fairy”,  “fruit”, and “sissy” in regards to people apart of the LGBT community. More so, Linda tells readers that she was born in 1994 and during this time the LGBT community was not discussed a lot. Linda had a friend who was gay, bu he was taught through his religion that his sexuality was a sin. Another story is told in the section of Leon’s. Leon’s experiences were similar to  Linda’s; they both witnessed people apart of the LGBT community experienced unfair treatment. The only way to solve issues among the LGBT community is to reconstruct our society in the ways people think about and treat people apart of the LGBT community. The final idea in this chapter that I would like to touch base on is The Liberation Theory, which explains that homophobia, heterosexism, and internalized homophobia are the result of misinformation and distortion. 

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READING REFLECTION #6

Media messages pages 334-372 discusses Latinas/Latinos in media. The earliest filmmakers in the United StatesWe're often European immigrants although Latinas and Latinos did participate as actors and directors in these early films. If you examples of these films are the Tony The Greaser in 1911 and The Greasers Revenge in 1914. Although Latinas and Latinos were present in these films ethnocentrism was an issue. Ethnocentrism is the belief that one's ethnicity nationality or people embody a system of beliefs and values that is superior to others this can lead to people making false assumptions about culture and prejudice. Additionally prejudice leads to stereotypes. Example of the situation is the Latino Media Awards in 1995. Latino Media Awards helps to bring awareness to the Prejudice their peoples were facing. Unfortunately the opposite happened after the Latino Media Awards was formed there were far fewer Latino roles in film and television that were proportionate to the Nations Latina/Latino population, Many roles were either small or not important or loaded with stereotypes, and some actors even accepted non-latino roles. Although movies during this time we're not doing well Latino and Latina television became popular and over time certain movies did win Academy Awards. Next, in Diversity in Disney section 1 "A vexing Implication" Talks about offensive characters scene in Disney movies and orientalism. orientalism is style, artifcats, or traits considered characteristic of the peoples and cultures of Asia. This is seen in the movie Lady and the Tramp. In this movie we see ethnic stereotyping the representation of the cats. All in all, in these two sections in Media messages and Diversity inDisneyPrejudice is seen in popular media and has negative outcomes such as stereotyping. 

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Reading reflection #4

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Reading Reflection #5

In Media Messages pages 230-269 a few people tell their stories in order to get the idea of racial construction in America across. The first story is Linda’s story. Linda is a white Jewish woman. Like many other families similar to Linda’s they were not able to achieve the American Dream. Linda’s family often struggled financially. The people she interacted with on a regular basis, such as teachers doctors and neighbors, were all white but few were Jewish. Her family's story of coming to America is a journey of being the ‘other’ (Jewish) and becoming ‘white’ in America. Next, is Leon’s story. Leon is an African American man. Leon grew up in a working class family in St.Louis. Throughout his life Leon learned about his relatives and ancestors. He is proud to be African American and proud of where he comes from, despite what others may think. The general themes in both these stories is the idea of family and how their race affected them. In the end, the idea of race continues to change over the course of American history. It is not biological or based on skin color. Race is constructed politically, economically, and culturally. Next, in Diversity in Disney section one “Cannibal” the idea of race displayed in Disney shows is discussed. Stereotypical ideas of blackness in Disney have been present since the beginning, but this is not the case in available Oswald shorts. A few examples of this are The Grocery Boy (1932) and Trader Mickey (1932). Next, in the section “Saludos Amigos” the representation of Latin America in Disney films is discussed. Certain films such as Saludos Amigos there is a political and public relations mandate; to create a good relationship between U.S. and Latin American audiences. In the end, the idea of race and culture is present in certain Disney films in order for good politics to be achieved. 

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Discussion Post #3

Many people have been taught through formal education and personal experience that the United States is a classless society, It is believed that the American Dream is achievable to everyone through hard work. People are usually unaware of the history regarding structural barriers to economic success. More so, people have been taught that discussing money, income, or economic status is impolite. In Prime-Time television and film themes of economic success, social mobility, and economic class are reinforced. Additionally, popular music usually does not address themes of class. In the few songs that do address themes of class people are expected to think critically about the existence of economic divisions and how this division hurts some individuals. These songs address personal results of skewed values and corruption of the wealthy. Around the time of the great recession the media included little about massive job loss, housing foreclosure, and financial loss. Today, the media often sugar coats what is really going on in society. In the end, the United States is not a classless society. The ideas of class are not very present in the television, film, or music industry. People need to be aware of class and how things such as race, gender, and sexuality affect class. These characteristics are often stereotyped in society and make it difficult for these groups of individuals to be successful. 

Gangsta’s Paradise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPO76Jlnz6c

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Reading Reflection #4

In media messages, pages 177-211, the idea of social class is discussed. According to the text, most people raised in the United States have little exposure to the idea of class. A person’s personal experiences and formal education teach them that there are not class divisions in America, but this is not true. When it comes to television the range of middle class characters can vary, this is diversity. This exposure of the middle class on television can lead to images and stereotypes being embedded in people's memories in regards to the middle class. For example, in 1992 there was only 15% of professionals among the US workforce, whereas displayed on television 44.5% of families were headed by professionals. This incorrect display of how America leads to a phenomenon of overrepresentation of the wealthy and underrepresentation of the poor. During the early 1950s most the characters in popular comedies were a part of the middle to upper class and lived in suburban homes. For example, in two popular shows The Honeymooners and I Love Lucy were in suburban settings. Few shows displayed race and class stereotypes in regards to poverty. Although, one show Good Times (1974 to 1979) displayed this. Oddly enough, the show was only aired for 5 years. Overall, class division does exist in our society and ideas regarding class are often not correctly portrayed in television. The middle class is often displayed on television and poverty often isn't.

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Reading reflection week 3

Media messages pages 92-136 mentions a few key ideas regarding differences between men and women portrayed on television in the mid 1990s, music during this time period, gender targeting, and social power. First off, during the mid 1990s due to the power held by men in television, there was a gender gap in employment. Since, television during the 1990s reflected cultural values and conveyed messages regarding ‘how to be a man’ strength and toughness alongside masculinity, women experienced unfair treatment. According to the text, From 1965 to 1985, the percentage of male characters on prime-time television was 71% and that of female characters was 29%” (Holtzman and Sharpe 96). Women were seen as caretakers in a home setting, women were shown to groom more than men, and in film women were seen as romance seekers. The idea of gender ideology, a gender or social role, was in this time focused heavily on hegemony. Hegemony is the leadership or dominance by one social role, during the 1990s white men were dominant in the media. This dominance leads to gender targeting. This meant that a person’s race, sexual orientation, and/or gender could cause you to experience oppression and/or discrimination. For example, adult animation shows, that are even a part of society today, have disrespectful white men in them and are often explicit. Finally, during the 1990s, music was a huge part of prime-time television and film. Typically, the music was romantic. Ideas displayed in media messages connect to Diversity in Disney section 2 "What Do You Want Me To Do". During the 1990s Disney was seen as a large corporation displaying popular culture with racism and sexism in portrayals of minorities and women. On the other hand, in June of 1994 Disney released a popular, diverse film, The Lion King. Characters in the film and lovable, the song in the film “Hakuna Matata” promotes a problem- free philosophy, and the characters Timon and Meerkat are diverse. Some saw Timon and Meerkat as gay and Jewish-Identified. In the end, during the 1990’s ideas portrayed in popular films and prime-time television heavily affected society.

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Discussion Post #2

For media activity 2.2 I chose three Prime-Time television shows that are narrative fiction and family based. The three shows I chose to view are The Vampire Diaries, Friends, and Grey’s Anatomy. The relationships in The Vampire Diaries I examined are between Elena Gilbert (F) and Damon Salvatore (M) and between Jenna Gilbert (F) and Alaric Saltzman (M) As for the second show I chose, Friends, the relationships present are between Rachel Green (F) and Ross Geller (M) and between Monica Geller (F) and Richard (M). In the final show I watched, Grey’s Anatomy,  the characters present in a relationship Jo WIlson (F) and Jason Myers (M) and between Arizona Robins and Eliza Minnick (F). I found it interseting that the majority of these relationships were same-sex couple relationships and only one was a heterosexual relationship. Overall, these were the Prime-Time shows I viewed in which all had relationships between major characters.

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Reading Reflection #2

In our textbook “Media Messages” chapter 2 “Gender; In Pink and Blue and Vivid Colors” the idea of gender is presented. A person’s personal experiences is what leads them to establishing a gender. Along with this idea of male and female, is the idea of femininity and masculinity. With femininity comes delicacy, the color pink, dresses, beauty etc. With masculinity comes sports, the color blue, strength, etc. These certain factors are due to socialization. According to the text “all of this misinformation we receive narrowly defines masculinity and femininity can be unlearned and replaced with new information” (Holtzman and Sharpe 92). Next, Diversity in Disney section 2 "Fighting the Cold War" gender and sexuality are discussed. These ideas are seen in Disney movies and films such as Full Metal Jacket, The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Dumbo, and Bambi. In Mickey Mouse Clubhouse for example, characters such as Minnie and Mickey are in a male and female relationship. Moreso, Minnie is a girl who wears bows, dresses, and the color pink whereas Mickey is a boy who wears red pants. In the end, shows such as Mickey Mouse Club House play a key role in the socialization of young children. This idea of socialization, which is mentioned in the textbook.

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This weeks reading, ‘“The Connections; Life Knowledge and Media” was in regards to Socialization. Socialization is a process of learning how to behave in society, it is a sense of personal identity people develop based on social interactions with others. Along with this idea of people developing a sense of self in our society is the liberation theory; a theory that any individual from any group has natural qualities of brilliance that are a catalyst of being happy and successful. Though this is largely known and important theory, a lot of people deal with oppression. Oppression is unequal treatment of certain peoples or groups due to things such as social power and hegemony. Social power in our society is when certain individuals have influence over social norms. For example, white men often possess a decent amount of social power. Moreover, it is important for people to be knowledgeable of these things in our society. Our society would be more fair and just if people were knowledgeable, respectful, and understanding of other cultures, this is known as the cultural competence theory. All in all, chapter one brought my awareness not only to the idea of socialization, which I knew prior to this reading, but to ways in which socialization negatively affects others.