Racial Stereotypes:

1. Monday, February 23 - Television (Tru TV), a tv special on gangs ("Gotti Boys"), all of New Orleans was portrayed as segregated into gangs, I feel racial stereotypes/profilings were encouraged
2. Friday, February 27 - Dinner Conversation with friends regarding border patrol, racial stereotypes
3. Friday, February 27 - Work Conference in OKC (Patterson Dental), comments were casually/jokingly made about the predominance of gang-like-violence in Detroit, low-class/racial stereotypes
4. Thursday, February 26 - Site Visit to my Campaigns Class client (Oklahoma Health Care Authority), I went to a company meeting and in lieu of black history month the black employees acted as a famous black person and asked the audience to guess their identity, this led to light-hearted comments from other black employees, I feel these stereotypes encouraged racial stereotypes
5. Thursday, February 26 - Site Visit to my Campaigns Class client (OHCA), also at the meeting, a Hispanic employee made a comment that stereotyped all those with any degree of Latin ancestry

Gender Stereotypes:

1. Monday, February 23 - Capstone Class, Dr. Carstarphen, a comment was made about PR classes being dominated by girls and science classes dominated by guys, gender stereotyping
2. Tuesday, February 24 - Conversation with friends, a joke was made about classifying household jobs as "skirt-work" and "dirt-work", gender stereotyping
3. Thursday, February 25 - Cooking show on FOOD Network ("Barefoot Contessa"), as an introduction to her recipes for the show she posed a rhetorical question "who says grilling's just for guys?", it reminded me of the stereotype that grilling is a 'manly' thing, gender stereotype
4. Thursday, February 19 - an episode of "Private Practice" (ABC) brought up the stereotype of women always being up front with their emotions and men always being emotionally hardened (the couples therapy part), an example of a gender stereotype
5. Friday, February 27 - the movie "Slumdog Millionaire", the character Latika, and other young girls from the poor district, were all shown as having only one worthwhile asset to their being, a sex object (particularly the part where the orphanage headman says something about her being a valuable virgin), gender stereotype

Reflection:

• Were you surprised with the amount of stereotyping that exists in media today? Honestly, I was not surprised by the amount of stereotyping in the media. I think it would be a fair assessment of society at this point to say that it is predominantly segregated by race and to see the media mirror this societal trend is not surprising to me. Similarly, at least from what I've seen, there is a lot of reality in the "stereotypical" roles that women and men play in commercials, tv, etc. Therefore, I think it's natural for the media to imitate this trend as well.
• How did you feel if you experienced racial or gender stereotyping in personal or social experiences? Well, I actually have become more sensitive to gender and racial stereotypes since I began this course. When i hear stereotyping comments, such as the "skirt-work" and "dirt-work" joke mentioned earlier, I feel enraged. I don't want to be put into a box of gender-designated-limitations when it comes to my capabilities. I know how to change a tire, work a grill, drive a car and any other 'manly'-job just as well as the next guy. My anatomy has no impact on my know-how in these examples.
• Do you see how the continuous or cultivation of images affects representation and individual perspectives of different ethnic groups and women? I did. In my opinion, it's impossible to truly gain a personal experience that helps you identify with every segregated group... men, women, black, white, Latino, Asian, etc. Therefore a lot of what people see in the media directly influences the audience's impression of "normalcy" for that race or gender (especially for race). In other words, if the viewer doesn't have a personal experience that tells them differently then they are apt to believe whatever the tv program, radio show or commercial tells them is "typical" for that race. Thus the continued evolution of stereotypes.

Extra Credit - Big XII & Affirmative Action

The University of Texas has afirmative action policies. Searching online lead me to the office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action at a UT health science center (the San Antonio location).

The Unversity of Oklahoma's health science center has an office of affirmative action as well. A summary of the affirmative action laws implemented by OUHSC can be found online.

The University of Kansas also has an office of affirmative action/equal opportunity. A page on the University of Kansas website gives links to different aspects of equal opportunity including a provost's statement on diversity and an online posting of KU's nondiscrimination policy.

Texas Tech's AA/EEO office also provides easy access to Tech's Equal Employment Opportunity Policy and Affirmative Action Plan. Access to the online version of this plan is through Tech's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity.

Both Nebraska and Colorado presently have affirmative actions but according to an article in the "Daily Nebraskan" that I found online, these two schools and others are considering revising these policies due to "allegatios of fraud."

According to a CNN article as many as five states (Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma) in 2008 were sending their voters to the polls "...to decide whether they want to do away with affirmative action in government-funded projects and public schools." A "New York Times" article talks about the results of these polls.

RGM Blog 3 - Feb 13, 2009

I think Tim Wise's presentation raises a great amount of legitimate concern. In fact, I think the most important thing I gained from listening to excerpts of his speech is the realization that I need to do some self reflection. It caused me to look inward and take note of how my life is shaped by privilege.

I think there is much truth behind his idea of privilege, specifically white privilege. However, I think privilege extends to other races too. (My numbers 2 & 6 about being Hispanic.) Also, I think it's more difficult for a non-black person to gain "acceptance" in a social group of all African Americans. For example, the Caucasian girl in our class who is an African American Studies student... she mentioned an example the other day in class about skepticism from African Americans about why she was taking the course.

When I try to think of examples of how the media uses privilege the first thing that comes to my mind are stand up comedy performances that I see on television. For example, George Lopez is privileged to make jokes about Mexicans because he is Mexican; Katt Williams can joke about blacks because he's black; Jeff Foxworthy can joke about rednecks because he's "a white country boy". (I put that last one in quotations because I doubt he's actually all that much of a country boy with his fame and consequential money.)

In keeping with answering the "reflection questions", here's my list of the privileges I see in my daily experiences:
1. doors being opened/held for me because I'm a girl (gender privilege)
2. going to Mexican restaurants and often gaining more attentive service because I look Hispanic (happens most often in the summer when I get really dark) (ethnicity privilege)
3. blogging... I think the anonymity which the internet allows gives people more courage to express their opinions bluntly (no-identity-privilege?)
4. I've noticed that people who dress in "labels" gain much more attention and service at hoity-toity retail stores (rich-privilege)
5. last summer my Caucasian friend and I went to a store owned and operated by Hispanics and they refused to speak to him in English, though they know and speak the language well, and instead looked at me and spoke to me in Spanish, ignoring him (ethnicity privilege)
6. my mom and I went into a high-dollar store one time last year just to browse (seriously) and she being much darker than I and much more obviously of Mexican-descent was ignored and the people spoke only to me (we left soon after) (ethnicity privilege)
7. I was at a nail salon a couple of months ago when two friends, one Caucasian and one African American, came in to ask for service. The Caucasian was seated almost immediately while the black woman had to wait for much longer, while other people who came in after here were seated, and all the while chairs were available (ethnicity privilege)
8. I'm not taken as seriously as my father or boyfriend whenever I visit car dealerships because the salesmen assume, before any words are spoken and knowledge displayed, that I know nothing about cars (gender privilege; gender and age privilege when I'm with people obviously older than me)

I honestly don't remember Tim Wise speaking about the "one drop rule".... but from my google search I find that it's the idea of being "non-white" by any fractional amount. (See "How Far Have We Really Come From the 'One-Drop Rule'?")

I don't think society still believes in the one drop rule. I'm not denying that racism is still existent in society; I jut think that racism is a product of ignorance and ignorant people often just look at outside features like skin color to judge whether or not they should treat that person differently. In other words, if you look white, you're treated like you're white; you look Hispanic, you're treated like you're Hispanic; etc. It doesn't matter what your actual ancestry is.

In regards to responsibility, I pretty much believe every idea he expressed. I believe awareness and lack of ignorance is the first step in changing people's behavior. This seems obvious to me perhaps because of my Public Relations background... awareness, attitudes and behavior are three campaign aspects constantly preached to us. As a Caucasian-Hispanic I also agree that knowledge of different cultures and backgrounds is the essential element in overcoming adversity and actions that stem from ignorance. It's a responsibility to be more aware of your privileges and to step outside your comfort zone and extend those privileges across social barriers (i.e. racism based on appearance, gender biases, ageism, etc.)

"If I Were a Boy"

If any person with the slightest tendency towards promoting women’s rights sat down and watched MTV or VH1 I think they would have a heyday of finding examples of the female exploitation.

I know the first examples that come to most people’s minds are the numerous music videos in which women are either barely clothed, dancing provocatively or both. However, music videos in which the women act, for lack of a better term I’ll call it slutty, are not the only examples of gender stereotyping.

I saw the music video for Beyonce’s song, “If I Were a Boy” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVTyLqkez6A), the other day and the stereotypes were so obvious that it kind of took me aback. Now, I’m a fan of Beyonce and I know she has songs geared toward “woman-power” and all, I just thought the video illustration of this particular song was interesting.

Okay, here’s some background… she’s telling a story from the perspective of a woman that feels taken for granted in her relationship. So basically, she’s saying that if her guy could see things from her perspective (if they could switch roles) just for one day then he’d understand how she’s offended by certain behaviors of his. However, because he’s a boy, he’ll just never understand.

So the first part of the video they’ve switched roles. She’s in his shoes as a police officer, working with a partner of the opposite sex, her male partner is obviously interested in her and she flirts back instead of discouraging it, she goes to dinner with coworkers while ignoring calls from her guy, flirts with her male partner at a bar, etc. Meanwhile… he’s doing what a girl would call “all the little things” in a relationship, these things go unnoticed, her guy’s feeling unappreciated, he’s working hard, doesn’t go out with coworkers that flirt with him, gets upset at the bar when he sees her flirting with her male partner, etc.

Then the “switched-roles” part culminates when they both ask each other, “Why are you so jealous? It’s not like I’m sleeping with her.”

Okay, working my way backwards: This question stereotypes all guys are being insensitive to girls’ feelings. Macho-ness may not allow guys to admit it, but they’re not ALL insensitive like this.

Second, there’s the stereotype that all girls are innocent victims of women-chasing boys and that all girls are really loyal, don’t cheat on their boys even when opportunities present themselves daily, etc. Once again, though the girls that do this might not blame themselves for cheating, there are disloyal, boy-chasing girls out there just like there are disloyal guys.

Third, the stereotype of jobs… the guy works this macho job, a policeman while the girl has more of a secretarial job position. Although there is a woman police officer in the film, there is no representation of a male secretary. In other words, even though there’s a display of gender equality in the police officer job there’s not an equal counterpart in the secretarial job that the woman works every day.

Fourth, the girl is shown to be the one charged with domestic duties such as cooking. That’s just a typical stereotype; no need for explanation.

For any women’s rights activists who are feeling slightly angered toward Beyonce now, no need to worry. Here are two examples of “woman-power” songs she sings too.
“Single Ladies” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLhEvu4QDVQ
“Irreplaceable” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsQvXgCcng8

Race, Gender & Media - Blog 1 (Feb. 3, 2009)

I find it difficult to broach the topic of race, gender & media. I think this is so because I could probably blog about each of the three topics separately for a length of time without running out of thoughts.

So, I’ve decided on simply rambling…

The first thing that comes to mind is Don Imus. The first Imus incident that I think of is in regards to the Rutgers women’s basketball team. While Youtube-ing the search term “Imus & Rutgers” I stumbled upon this video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=rFEsaRjlbbk.

There is obviously much debate as to whether Imus made his degrading comment about the women basketball players with an intentional racist tone or an accidental one. I think Imus believes it to have been accidental. I get the impression that many African Americans, such as public figure Al Sharpton, think it was more than an accident; it was representative of a racist frame of mind.

I don’t know whether it was an accident or not. I do think that there is an argument for both sides.

Perhaps Imus is a racist, insensitive radio host who has taken on the role of a “speak your mind commentator” and does so via words and expressions that come to him naturally.

OR

Perhaps Imus is a non-racist, as-sensitive-as-the-next-guy radio host who just gives the people what they want. He’s built an audience not by coincidence and luck but out of sheer interest in his annotations (albeit for different reasons ranging from humor to news commentary).

This last argument brings me to the following question: With so many media programs (everything from newspaper to radio to television to internet) offering venues for racist & sexist views, does it mean that these are the sorts of programs that we, the audience, want from the media?

I mean, we are inclusively the audience to whom media caters. So there must be people out there who are proponents of these media programs that are racist, sexist, etc. … right? But is it just to create controversy and debate?

Maybe that’s the trick to media; stir up arguments and the media’s got their prize… continued interest. The media is, after all, just a business.