Unfortunately in our society stereotypes are abundant and utilized in every avenue of media. To give you an idea about the extent of penetration in our society here are some instances this week I've noticed.
1. 2-23-09, TV show-Chuck on NBC, watched online, usually airs Mon. at 7pm
This episode featured one of the female characters dating an Asian man who is very intelligent and being manipulated by a mob-type group because he can't stand up to them.
*Racial stereotypes
2. 2-24-09, in the OU Daily newsroom around 8:30pm
There is a news scanner that runs constantly in the newsroom and when we got wind of police at the union, of course people rushed over. It ended up being a false alarm. The police were there because some people were scared because a Black man seemed upset and possibly out of control.
*Racial stereotypes
3. 2-24-09 TV Commercial on E while watching Chelsea Lately, 11:25pm
I was watching a television show and a commercial came on that was advertising vitamins (one-a-day for teens to be specific). The commercial featured two teens (one male, one female) and the slogan of the commercial was the one-a-day vitamins (one for females, one for males) target what each gender desires--for males it enhances healthy muscle growth, for females it enhances clear facial skin complexion.
*Gender stereotypes
4. 2-24-09, TV show-The City, watched online (usually airs Mondays at 9pm)
This show is one of my trash TV addictions! In the episode this week on of the girls (Allie) is a model and is working on the set of a shoot. The shoot was for a magazine and it involved Allie and a male model on a bed flirting. Initially he is encouraged to take her jacket off while she gives in. Then as the shoot continues she ends up on the bed, under him, with him kissing her neck.
*Gender stereotypes
5. 2-25-09, at work around 7:45pm
Unfortunately working in a restaurant uncovers stereotypes/assumptions that are unflattering. One of these such stereotypes is that Black people do not tip well (percentage-wise and compared to everyone else). This being said, a server I work with was complaining about having a table with Black people.
*Racial stereotypes/assumptions
6. 2-26-09, Class-Health Promotion Programming at 9am
We were talking about statistical grouping and discussed the race/ethnicity categories listed on many surveys, applications, etc. Our class is not extremely diverse but our instructor reverted to the Black man in our class to ask his opinion and a woman with Native Indian background.
*Racial assumptions
7. 2-26-09, TV show-NCIS, watched online at cbs.com 11pm
A character in the episode Caged is a female prison guard who went on a few dates with her co-worker and then she continued to call him over 150 times in 3 weeks with no response from the man.
*Gender stereotypes
8. 2-27-09, TV show-NCIS, USA 4:10
This episode a child called the agency because his father was kidnapped. The agency had to call social services and a woman showed up to take care of the child.
*Gender stereotypes
9. 2-27-09, TV show-NCIS, USA 4:15
Same episode, the agents visited the office of the child's father and his assistant was a beautiful blonde woman who proceeded to get the group of men coffee and make flirtatious eye contact with the attractive male agent.
*Gender stereotypes
10. 2-27-09, at work around 6pm
I realized at work tonight that we in restaurants perpetuate the stereotype that all cooks are Mexican and do not speak English. While this is often the case, we do have white cooks and many of the Mexican cooks understand and can communicate in English very well.
*Racial stereotypes/assumptions
When I think about all the instances this week of stereotyping, it actually shocked me more to see how many gender stereotypes I encountered. Let me explain (because all stereotyping is shocking-or at least should be). I noticed more gender stereotypes that I listed above-many, many more. I think I could have listed 20 or more because of advertisements. I'm still not entirely sure why this shocked me so much because I know that gender stereotypes are extremely common in advertising. This of course saddens me because the constant bombardment of these types of images cause younger generations to internalize these stereotypes and perpetuate them.
It also disturbs me that instead of trying to combat these stereotypes we (our society in general) choose to use stereotypes for humor and entertainment (which only makes people think it's acceptable to maintain these practices).
Also, I think the fact that in our society we are always bombarded with stereotypes day in and day out, we take these stereotypes to be valid and then are not quite as accepting if people do not fit the box we try to put them in.
If you want to check out NCIS go to http://www.cbs.com/primetime/ncis/
If you want to check out The City go to http://www.mtv.com/ontv/dyn/the-city/series.jhtml
The tipping stereotype has been discussed several times in this class. Interesting
ReplyDeleteI can identify with the 6th stereotype. I use to work at Country Mart back in Lawton. My boyfriend at the time (who is white and is now my husband. I am black by the way). explained to me why he was such a fast cashier. He said that black people and white people dressed in ugly, non-brand clothes used foodstamp cards (EBT), so before they came to the cash register, he would already have the EBT payment method ready. White people usually paid with credit card. I was really offended because I thought it was an unfair accusation because just as many white people who did not fit his discription came to my line as blacks that used the EBT card.
ReplyDeleteI was not surprised that I noticed more gender stereotypes than racial. I noticed more gender stereotypes because I am married and I have alot of male friends. I do not identify myself based on my race so I don't readily see discrimination of prejudice unless it's really obvious.
I too work in a restauant and know exactlly what you mwan. You see all the time, when you(server)get a table and you're quick to judge them. I've been given lousy tips before as well, but its just not from black people its from all races. You'll always have good tippers and bad tippers no matter what color there skin is. Its sad for me, that as an african-american, people are quick to judge that. It makes me wonder when I go into a restuarant how servers react to seeing me. OUr society is filled with stereotypes, hopefully they will change for the better but I doubt it. I think as long as the media has a strong hold on our perspectives then things wont change.
ReplyDelete03-27-09 midnight
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that the fact that stereotypes are so prevalent in the media is disturbing because of the profound effect it can have on the younger generations and if we want these stereotypes to change or go away we cannot be implanting these ideas in our youth. I also think that humor, at times, can aid in making these stereotypes acceptable. However, do you think that humor can also be used identify how ridiculous some of these stereotypes can be? I think that many times when people see a stereotype used in a humorous way it can really make the stereotype identifiable and allows people who are a part of the group being stereotyped to recognize that it exists, and it needs to be changed. Also, humor can provide an amiable arena for people to contrast stereotypes with how a particular group is departing from that stereotype and help make it clear that old notions are dying and signifying that a change has been made. An example that comes to mind for me is the role of women 50 years ago as compared to now and when that old stereotype is viewed in contrast to the role of women now, the contrast is rather satirical.
ReplyDelete