Reading Chapter 5 it brought to light more answers as to exactly where some of these stereotypes were stemming from. As stated by Bishetta D. Merritt (2000) media has a strong influence as to exactly where some stereotypes begin. We are indeed seeing less leading roles by African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Latino/as, Pacific Islanders and so on. Although in the last few years this has seemed to change with the additional of such roles. Tyler Perry has become popular for creating roles which as consistently been dominated by not only African-American men but also African-American Women. Scandal has gotten rave reviews for the leading lady Kerry Washington who has been breaking barriers as she is a woman, and African-American.
Another place where stereotypes seem to stem is from peers. We all grew up being influenced by our peer groups at some point in time. Peer groups influenced the way we dressed, the music we listened to, the people we hung out with both at school and outside of school. Peers influenced our activities whether they we sports, drama, music, hobbies etc. We all read the small paragraph on page 211 of our textbooks bout the influence of discrimination and prejudice that was heavily influenced by peers. The girl changed the mind about her relationship with her friend because of the prejudice that she was coming into for merely being this girls friend. While reading it was interesting to think back on past events, thoughts and actions and how they may have been influenced by either peers or the ever present media.
Kerry Washington on her hit show Scandal (ABC)
Tyler Perry
Where do we go from here? I think from here we can think about more clearly how influenced we are into making certain stereotypes and then proceeding to use these to discriminate. Whether this is done intentionally or not, isn't the issue. After reading these two chapters, I personally will be more acutely aware of the influences that both the media and my peer groups have. I will think about both what I hear from conversation that take place face-to-face between me and my friends or family or about what I hear when I'm listening to music or watching television. Some of the most common stereotypes, like the ones I listed above are ones that I've been hearing as a kid. For as long as I can remember these are the things that I was hearing and putting into my brain. Now that I am a college student I'm beginning to realize that everyday these stereotypes are being broken. Blondes are smart, sometimes even smarter then the Asian-Americans. The Asian-Americans are not always smart in all their classes, they as human beings are struggling with certain subject material much like the rest of us. Breaking these stereotypes won't be easy but by just merely being aware, they can be broken.
Works Citied
Capretto, Lisa. "Tyler Perry Explains Why Hollywood Lacks Movie Roles For Black Actresses (VIDEO)." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonpost.com, 05 June 201, Web. 25 Jan 2014.
Martin, Judith N., and Thomas K. Nakayama. Intercultural Communication in Contexts. Boston, Mass: McGraw-Hill, 2007. Print.
"Scandal: Season 2 Clip - Plea Deal (2013) - Kerry Washington Show HD." Youtube. YouTube, 14 Aug. 2013. Web. 25 Jan. 2014.
Kim,
ReplyDeleteYou engaged with the complexity of stereotypes and their pervasiveness really acutely! I noticed that in your first paragraph primarily, and also throughout your blog post, you used the word 'us' in relation to other racial groups. I think this could be another subtle way that stereotypes and assumptions govern our lives and thought patterns. When using the word 'us' in relation to differing identities, it made it seem as though everyone who reads this blog post will have the same identities as you. Food for thought! Good ending, bringing the reader back to our similar basis of humanity.
Kim,
ReplyDeleteThis blog made me think a lot about how I myself perceive stereotypes along with the chapter readings. Every example in the first paragraph I see as a tropical stereotype as well. I believe that if we can start thinking in this mindset to at least be more aware of all of these stereotypes and not so passive things will change slowly. I really liked that you tied your entire post together and kept it interesting!
Hi Kim!!
ReplyDeleteI think you did a great job of introducing stereotypes! Your introduction is so strong and it really grasped my attention right away. I think many people struggle with stereotyping and your blog post made me really reflect on the stereotypes I have given others and myself. I think it is something everyone is guilty of and it should really be worked on. Your blog post was very relatable and I believe it will raise awareness in readers. You did a great job bringing in visuals and touching on how stereotypes can be formed by media. I enjoyed reading your post. Keep up the good work!
Kim,
ReplyDeleteThis blog post was really interesting to read! You brought up a lot of stereotypes that I knew about but would have never actually thought about. It's funny how our teachers, peers, and even sometimes our parents can influence us at a young age. Even some Disney movies and stereotype people! Your post really made me think about all those stereotypes out there. I think we all need to be aware of them to help treat everyone as an equal. Great job!
Great depth of discussion with your blog. Good use of photos and videos. Moving forward, make sure that you explicitly respond to the blog prompt. For instance, the first blog asked you to find a current event and explain the different cultural identities involved. I'll post those to the class blog on Mondays after the previous learning unit is due.
ReplyDelete