"Modern Family, The L Word and telling our stories" Summary

          In a Chicago magazine in 2010, Dana Rudolph tackles an important issue that was and still is arising in pop culture. She uses Modern Family and The L Word as examples of how LGBT parents are portrayed on television. On Modern Family, gay dads Mitchell and Cameron goes through the process of trying to get their adopted Asian daughter Lily into a prestigious preschool. Thinking that they are the epitome of diversity, they do not think they will face any problems. They then discover that their daughter is competing for a spot with an African American girl adopted by a lesbian couple, one of which is in a wheelchair. They realize that they were "out-diversified." Almost the same exact plot line was used in 2008 in The L Word when two moms tries to get their daughter into preschool but are "out-diversisified" by a a gay couple with multiple religions. Rudolph brings to attention how similar these plots are to show the lack of variety when it comes to LGBT parents on TV.
       The article then shifts to talk about how the majority of LGBT on television are upper-middle-class and white. In reality, one in five children that have same-sex parents grow up in poverty. Rudolph argues that storylines around LGBT parents need to start exapanding to represent all classes of same-sex parents. This can be done by hiring LBGT writers, but more importantly, all TV script writers need to go out and listen to the stories of same-sex parents. By hearing real stories, they will better understand what these families are going through, rather than just guessing. Writers need to do more research; there are tons of books containing stories and research about same-sex parents, as well as parenting groups that meet that would be open to sharing stories. Even online, the amount of anecdotes from LGBT parents far surpasses the narrow-minded plots that are portrayed in media. Rudolph encourages readers to push television networks to expand the stories of same-sex parents and to make them more realistic. The public also has to educate themselves in order to know what tv should be representing and what it is lacking. By simply educating ourselves and the people around us, Rudolph believes television networks will hear the complaints and begin to change.

Gender Neutral Children

        The story of Sasha, a 5 year old boy who has been raised as "gender-neutral" definitely sparks different thoughts. I agree that young children should not be placed into the stereotype of their biological sex, but rather be able to explore interests of boys and girls. Maybe I am somewhat bias with this opinion because growing up, I was a young girl who was more interested in the "boy" toys. I never looked at a Barbie, but would receive the newest Hot Wheels track for every holiday. While my older sister was playing dress up, I was playing in the mud or riding my bike outside. While I was supposed to get my sister's hand-me-down clothing, I refused to wear them because they were pink, purple, or had flowers on them. I was much happier with my favorite pair of jeans and a solid colored t-shirt. I was the definition of a "tom-boy," and maybe that is why I agree with the fact that all young children should be allowed to explore all interests, not just the ones contained within their gender. Sasha grew up in a yellow room with both boy and girl clothing available for him to choose, and both cars and dolls to play with. While some may say its overboard or could cause psychological problems down the road, I think it is better than making a boy feel like he has to be the stereotypical boy.
        On the other hand, the end of the article mentions a young girl named Storm. Her parents also plan to raise her gender-neutral. A US psychiatrist spoke out saying that, "We do have male brains and female brains. There’s a reason why boys do more rough and tumble play; there’s a reason why girls have better language development skills." I agree with this too, which may be contradictory to what I previously stated. I believe that we are born how we are; we may not become aware of it until we age, but it is there. I do not think people "turn gay." I believe they are born homosexual and just do not realize it or accept it until that point. Girl and boy brains are chemically different, and there is scientific evidence of that. Even at young ages, boy brains develop and act differently than girls. Making a child gender-neutral, in my eyes, is confusing. I think the child will be teased later on as well. I think a better way is to keep options open and listen to what your kid wants. If you raise a little boy and he is more interested in Barbie at the toy store, then buy the Barbie. But I think having both girl and boy clothes available for the child is confusing and might mess with their development more than it helps.

"NetGirls" Summary

"NetGirls: The Internet, Facebook, and Body Image Concern in Adolescent Girls" is a study that explored the effect of social media/the internet on body image perception in young girls between the ages of 13 and 15. This included over 1,000 female freshman and sophomores in high school, which can be some of the best or some of the worst years of a young girl's life in terms of body image and confidence; these years can shape their personality for years to come. Not including school work, girls this age spend about 1.5 hours each day on the internet, most of which are sites with distorted and objectified representations of the female body. Through a serious of surverys, researched determined how long the girls spend per on the internet per day, which sites they use the most,  how many MySpace or Facebook "friends" they have, what they contribute "beauty" to, and how they feel about themselves. The study revealed that 95.9% of the girls had access to the internet in their home. The time spent on the internet had a significant correlation to their internalization of the thin ideal, body surveillance, and their drive for thinness. This relationship between body image issues and internet usage was even more prevalent in the girls that spent more time on Facebook specifically. The connection was even stronger than researchers predicted, and the study as a whole gives a look into the mind of young girls. Results showed that the "Internet represents a potent socio-cultural medium of relevance to the body image of adolescent girls," which is something that young girls should be aware of. If these things are connected, then a reduction in social media usage should reduce these problems in girls who are facing them. That may be difficult for some girls to do, but in serious cases it might be a beneficial option.

 

 

 

Social Networks

I use Facebook every day, but some of the "friends" I see post every day are people that I have not actually talked to in years. However, social media makes you feel like you have not missed anything in their life; you think you know who they are. You see people who are into fitness constantly posting flexing pictures, recipes, and motivational quotes. Is that who they are? Is that their entire life? No, but that's what their Facebook reflects. It makes them seem like they eat, sleep, breath fitness, but in actuality they have a family, a boyfriend/girlfriend, school, and work. The same thing goes for people who only post pictures of drinking/smoking/partying. While that may be something they do often, it is impossible that its their entire life. But yet when I run into friends from high school and we gossip, the things we seen on social media is what we take that person's life to be like. If they post some sad status, we say, "Wow, seems like ______'s life is really sucky, they're always sad" or "All _____ does is party, they're going no where in life." When it comes right down to it though, we have no idea how that person's life is besides what they show on Facebook.  They definitely have a virtual personality that does not always match their real one. They are also very gendered; girls mostly post pictures or song lyrics, while guys post things about the big game and pretty girls. When people go against this, there can be some backlash, but that is constant in almost every social media outlet. 

Girl Rising: Compare and Contrast Wadley & Yasmin

After watching the powerful documentary, Girl Rising, it makes me appreciate growing up in the states. One of the characters, Wadley, is a 7 year old girl that lives in Haiti. She went to school and loved it, but then the infamous earthquake hit Haiti, turning the country to ruins. After this natural disaster, Wadley could no longer attend school because her family did not have enough money to pay for it. This, however, did not stop this brave young girl, who continued to go to school everyday even though she was told to leave. Eventually, she told her teacher that she would come back every day until she was allowed to stay, and the teacher agreed to let her sit in class. Unlike public school in the US, school in Haiti is not free. Children that live there do not have the right to an education as children in the US do, which is sad especially for children like Wadley who crave knowledge.

Another girl in the movie, Yasmin, is shown as a 12 year old girl living in Egypt. The culture of Egypt is different and Yasmin has to wear a scarf over her head. The scene shows this girl telling the police about how a man tried to abduct her and her friend, and ultimately tried to rape her. She fought back and cut him with a shard of glass, claiming to be a superhero. The police tell Yasmin's mother that they will not receive justice against this man, and he is right. The story ends by the narrator explaining that the man who committed this crime had no consequences for his actions. Just like Wadley, Yasmin is a brave and strong young girl who comes from a poor family. Yasmin does not attend school because her family cannot afford it, therefore she works with her mother. The narrator tells the audience that Yasmin is now 13, but she cannot read or write; she is also engaged to be married.

Although the cultures of both these countries are drastically different, they both have very little emphasis on education. Wadley, unlike Yasmin, is lucky enough to have some schooling, even if it is a small amount. Egyptian culture puts emphasis on women being wives, evident by this 13 year old girl being engaged. She will most likely never receive an education, and will spend her life as a housewife having children and taking care of a husband she will probably never grow to love. Both these cultures are drastically different than the US, where girls are boys both have the right to an education. America believes in educating our youth because they are the adults of the future. We also encourage both sexes to be independent and marry who they want to when they are ready. A 13 year old girl who is engaged would not be acceptable, or even legal in the states. I feel blessed to be a part of a country like America, but we definitely take it for granted. I am a 21 year old girl who has always gone to school and plans to be a doctor, while there are girls all over the world who will never see the inside of a classroom. This movie, along with others, are made to put our lives in perspective and to create a desire for change in us; to make us want to go out and help these young children around the world. I think this movie definitely made that point clear.

"Drama is the Cure for Gossip" Summary

The main question Abigail De Kosnik's article explores is why US TV show characters that find their hidden "true self" through the use of theatrical performance. It beings by analyzing one of my favorite shows, Gossip Girl. The show depicts the high school and college years of a group of high-class "east siders," who's secrets are constantly being posted on a blog run by the anonymous Gossip Girl. The article argues that the most important currency to these characters is gossip, which is never the whole truth. While people may read things online about coworkers, profressors, or celebrities, those facts may not tell the whole story: you don't really know that person. The characters on GG find their "true selves" through seeing the portrayal of their drama on the blog. All the characters have experiences that show them they might not yet know who they "truly are," but they work on discovering that. The FOX show, Glee, shares this same theme of fiding your true self. This show shows that "no matter how awkward or cynical you may appear in everyday life, you can slough off your outer skin- your social persona- and show off how smart, fair, kinda, brave, and talented you are if only you dare to sing show tunes in front of witnesses."

So why does American TV find the need to show this discovery through theatrical performance? The author argues that it may be because TV wants to compete with rising popularity of the Internet. Since the internet is mainly full of anonymous posts, which pushes TV to be different than that. Therefore, characters on TV are the exact opposite as they display their true self in front of audiences, rather than hide behind a screen. This is a way to show that TV offers something different than the Internet can, and to fight against the constantly growing internet gossip culture. The author argues, however, that TV cannot promise anonymous nature that the internet can, which will always be a plus of using the internet.

The last piece of this article discusses how TV claims to be a form of therapy, just as the theatre used to be. Both media outlets use relatable characters as ways to connect the audience to the plot line. Is the Internet going to take over television just as television took over the theatre? Nowadays, the TV industry has to constantly "defend its relevance" and show that it is still important. Through the use of drama in its shows, it competes with the Internet gossip culture.

Reality Television

I am personally not a fan of reality television, but as per the assignment for this blog post, we were required to watch an episode of a show. I watched an episode of the only reality TV show that I have ever taped episodes of: The Jersey Shore. This show is a disturbingly awful representation of not only NJ, but also of Italians. Being Italian and from NJ myself, I take offense when people from out of state refer to this reality show as what jersey is actually like. The Real House-Wives of NJ also does this, but that's another story. I decided to watch the first episode of the first season on Jersey Shore, just to get a feel for where it all started. There is NO piece of the episode that is real, not even the names of the characters! Mike is referred to as "the situation," Nicole is known as "Snooki," and Jenni is called "J-Woww." If names aren't even real, can we truly expect anything else to be? I decided to pay close attention to Snooki and see how her gender is portrayed. She, along with every other girl on the show, is portrayed as dumb, slutty, and a party animal. She is often seen having no common sense, drinking until she cannot function, or having sex with random men she doesn't know. While this may be the life of some people, it is severely exaggerated and glorified for the purpose of entertainment.

Throughout the show, Snooki's ridiculous character is funny just because viewers are embarrassed for her. Take this photo for example which is from season 1, a classic example of Snooki: drunk, looking ridiculous, and walking back from a one-night-stand:

Its embarrassing, but its is how they all became famous. For years, this is what Snooki was known for- being trashy and crazy. Flash forward to now, she is the mother of 2, a fitness advocate, and has turned into what I believe is a great person. Would you be able to tell from that picture? No way. And there are still many people who cannot see past these old photos, and she will never live down the impression that she made during the years she was on the Jersey Shore. Here is Snooki now, the person that I consider to be real, rather than the fake cast that was exaggerated on the show. Good for you Snooks...I mean, Nicole!

Boys, Girls and Toys- Oh My

In the video presented, the adorably frustrated Riley is right- marketing does make it seem like girls have to buy "pink stuff," and the boys get to have the other colors. This has been seen for years, but does that make it right? Absolutely not. This is a picture of the typical dolls for young boys and girls, can you tell which is for which gender?

While girls are pushed towards Barbies and the idea that they should want to look/act like a princess, the boys are directed towards action figures such as GI Joe. The message to boys is that they need to be "manly," like guns, and not like pink. 

Lets take a look at another set of dolls/action figures to see what message they give. 

While superheroes have always been a big thing, the recent release of all the Captain America, Iron Man, Batman, and Spiderman movies have reenergized the idealism of superheroes. (Notice how all those movies I mentioned have MALE superheroes.) In just this set of 7 heroes, there is one woman: Wonder Woman. She is strong, tough, and fights crime just like the rest of the heroes. But wait, why is her costume the only one in which skin shows? While the male heroes get to have full protective suits, armor, and even capes, Wonder Woman is in what looks like a leotard with her breasts partially exposed and her long lean legs on display. This is the epitome of children gender marketing: even if a girl wants to be strong and a hero, she still needs to look good, and by good I mean sexy. Barbie, GI Joe, and superheroes may give different messages to the gender they are targeting, but they all have the same theme of needing to fit gender norms.

"Fighting Fire with Fabulous" Summary

        An article written by Dana Casadei titled, "Fighting Fire with Fabulous," discussed two brothers who plan to make a statement in the home city of the Westboro Baptist Church. Dave and Scott Dambacher are bringing their musical show, "Freaka in Topeka" right into the fire. The Westboro Baptist Church is well known around the country for their hateful opinions and expressions. These brothers created a musical rock n' roll play with characters that are targeted by Westboro. The purpose of this show is to bring attention to the issues with this cult-like group, and to hopefully make a difference in their ways. Dave even states that he hopes the group protests their show because that will only bring more attention to their cause. Although it may be risky to not only run this show, but to take it directly to the home of the church, the Dambacher brothers are confident that their show will fight the intolerance of the church in a fun and positive manner. When asked about their show going worldwide, the brothers agree that they have to start somewhere and that Topeka is a great place to start.

 

 

Gender and the Military

For two years, I dated a man in the US Marine Corps. I had known him prior to his enlistment when he was a wreckless boy who barely graduated high school. When I saw him again after he finished boot camp, I could tell that the military made him into a "man," something they told him they would do. For the years we were together, his only outlet for emotions was talking to me. At work, which was a mechanics shop for him, he was in charge and had to be tough, emotionless, and the "man" that the USMC built him to be. I am not at all saying this was a bad thing; the military turned him into a caring, compassionate, driven human being. It showed him that he can do anything if he puts his mind to it and commits. However, I do think that at times this overwhelming need to "be a man" caused issues. Slang and demeaning words fly out of the mouths of my ex and his buddies; they constantly were calling each other girls, fags, gay, or insinuating that they are anything but the manly man they are supposed to be. I remember asking him why they always said that and what would happen if one of them actually WAS gay. He said that even if one of them were, they were never come out of the closet because it would ruin their career in the military. He went on to explain how men wouldn't feel comfortable with gay men in tight living arrangements, such as they have in combat situations. They shower together, change together, sleep together. He said it would be awkward if they knew that the guy next to them in the shower is homosexual. This is similar to one of the reasons why some military men feel uncomfortable with women in combat zones; the living arrangements get awkward. These are all congruent with the statements made in Melissa Trible's article.

Spouses in the military also are different. I used to watch this show called Army Wives which was a series that followed a group of spouses of soldiers in the Army. They were fictional characters, but it was as true to the real lives of military spouses as a show can get. In the group was a handful of wives and one husband, who's wife was a high ranking officer. The dynamics and differences between the roles were interesting. Sometimes, the solider's husband was looked down upon and told that his wife "wears the pants" in their relationship. The wives of soldiers were often referred to as trophies, since they seemed to just accompany their husbands to fancy events. I think this must hold true in real life; military husbands probably deal with masculinity problems at first, or at least face people who think they should feel demasculinated. 

When it comes to the media, I think there is only one way that male military men are portrayed: tough, strong, brave, resilient. When a male solider is presented any other way, it is a serious sign of disrespect. Women soldiers, on the other hand, I think can be presented in multiple ways. There are times when females in the military are also presented as tough, strong, and brave. However, there are also times when these strong women are viewed as "dominating," "lesbian," or "butch." The power of a woman in the military is intimidating, and not always absorbed well by others. There is also another way females in the military are portrayed: like they do not belong there. Females in the military are often said to not be able to do the same things the men can do, or not as well at least. Since they are women, they must be delicate and girly like the girls who dress up as soliders for Halloween. This is far from the truth; although there are physical differences between the capabilities of men and women, there are some women who are stronger than some men. I think the media has made progress in their support and representations of females in the military, but there is always room for improvement.

Intelligence vs. Icon

     Society's first impression of beautiful woman is that she must not be smart. Years of shows, movies, and stories have portrayed gorgeous women as blonde, ditzy, and guidable.  In contrast, smart women are showed as nerdy and unattractive. Smart and sexy are rarely seen together, but the article explains how the most famous American sex-icon, Marilyn Monroe, was actually quite intelligent. However, this intelligence was hidden. She may not have chose to do it purposely, but no one even bothered to see how smart she actually was; they didn't care. She was a blonde bombshell and that's all that mattered to the public. A smart woman is not as easily pleased or controlled, so they are therefore intimidating. In order to maintain her sex appeal, Monroe did not reveal her true intellect. 
       In today's society, not much has changed. Although there are smart beautiful and talented women in the media, mistakes and drama receive more attention. One of the most well-known beauties is currently Kim Kardashian. She comes from a famous family, but the release of a sex-tape of her is what brought Kim into the spotlight. Since then, she has been portrayed as a curvy, pretty attention seeking woman, but the media never makes her seem intelligent. I think her brain is hidden to publicity sake, but in reality she is a successful business woman. According to Liberal America's website, Kim never had financial concerns, but yet built her own empire. She has had multiple tv shows, runs a clothing sore, branded fragrances, and has her own app game, jewelry line, and an affiliation with an online shoe store. The expansion of her empire can not be ignored, and it is something that she has worked for. She may have been born into famous and received fame from the tape leaking, but she capitalized on those opportunities in ways that not every one else would. It may not be the typical way to do business, but Kim Kardashian "knows what she is good at, what her brand is." This is a brilliant way to make the most of her time in the spotlight, and that suggests that there is more to Kim Kardashian's brain than what the media portrays. 

http://www.liberalamerica.org/2014/11/03/kim-kardashian-west-brilliant-business-woman/

Christy Mack Assault Summary

        Simon McCormack wrote an article for The Huffington Post about the details of the attack on Christy Mack. Well known for her role in the porn industry, Mack's assault brought up conflicting opinions. While everyone agrees that the beating she received from her ex-boyfriend was awful, some have suggested that her role in the industry may play a part in the attack. 
         Mack and her ex-boyfriend, MMA Fighter and pornstar Jonathan Koppenhaver, broke up in May of 2014. He came back to her house in August when another man happened to be at her house, yet there were no signs of any sexual relationship. Koppenhaver brutally beat Mack's friend, let him go, and then began to focus on Mack. He first made her shower in front of him so he can watch. He then continued to violently beat her, and threaten to rape and kill her. Mack's account of the assault is cringing to read, but McCormack published her exact words so readers could fully understand the severity of the act. Although Mack admits that Koppenhaver had hit her before, she explains that this was nothing even close to that. She luckily escaped, running naked through her neighborhood seeking refuge. Koppenhaver was arrested and brought up on charges, and Mack suffered severe but non-lifethreatening injuries. 
      Although McCormack's article does not dive into the comments that have been made about Mack's case, some suggest that both her and Koppenhaver's roles in the porn industry may have contributed to this beating. The general idea of the opinion is that by being in the porn industry, Mack is objectifying herself and making herself almost "not human." If Koppenhaver had adapted the idea that Mack is an object rather than a person, mercy may not have entered his mind. Also, Koppenhaver and Mack may have experienced "rough porn" in their careers. Although it is extreme, those types of pornographies desensitize men to the abuse of women and make it seem enjoyable. These theories, even though there are people who came up with and believe them, only show disrespect. Anyone who can put even the slightest blame on Christy Mack for this brutal attack is flat-out wrong. It is admirable that she speaks out about this traumatizing event in order to spread awareness of the problems of domestic violence.

"Hetero Barbie" Summary

     Chapter 14, titled Hetero Barbie, begins by explaining how the lives of heterosexual females begin to revolve around men usually during puberty. They face pressure to have the "right" body size, shape, clothes and even hair. Barbie, a famous childhood doll, captures this ideal look. However, she is seemingly single and childless, which makes her "abnormal" in the feminine world. Since she is meant to represent the "perfect woman," but also is so abnormal when it comes to the life of a stereotypical woman, this leaves her with many more levels of interpretation and a variety of consumers.
     The author of this article, Mary F. Rogers, states that Barbie may not even be heterosexual or a woman, but rather a man in drag. This theory is supported by her long legs, flat hips, and her ultra-feminine wardrobe and makeup. Due to these characteristics, she has sparked the interest of many homosexual men. Rogers suggests that Barbie's world is seemingly free of heterocentrism and heterosexism, which makes this toy appealing to people in the non-heterosexual world. Barbie's gender is so open for interpretation that she can be constructed to fit almost any. RuPaul, a known drag star, even has a Barbie specifically made to be him, which lies in the collection of Michael Osborne. This extensive collection is extremely valuable and near-and-dear to the heart of Osborne, said to be homosexual.
    The terms non-normative/normative occupations are introduced in this article, which refers to jobs that attract and are known to be for a certain gender. For example, some non-normative occupations would be ballet and hairdressing for men, and for women it would be military careers and auto mechanics. Osborne admits that his dream careers of becoming a hairdresser or the president of Mattel, Barbie's designing company, are non-normative. However, Osborne, alone with many other people interested in Barbie's interpretations, see this doll as a way for Mattel to influence society; they can use Barbie to "define, commodify, and mutate sexual identity." The statement a Barbie Doll can make in society can be huge if Mattel uses this power wisely.

Gendered Slang / Language

      Overall, I would say our language is gendered, but not to the extent of some other languages. For example, while the English Language uses gendered pronouns (he, she, his, hers, etc.), twisting the words of that sentence may eliminate the need for the pronouns. Not all adjectives in the English language are gendered, although we might use some more often for males or females. There is only one form of the word "nice." Whether he or she is nice, the word does not change. However, in spanish, if the man is nice, you say he is "simpatico," but a woman would be "simpatica." Same thing with some pronounds; if a group of boys is being referred to, they are "ellos,"while a group of girls is "ellas." If there are 5 girls and 1 boy in a group, they are still referred to as "ellos." In English, we would just say "they," and the genders of those being referred to are unknown.
     On the other hand, I would say some colloquialisms in the English language are gendered. They may not change like spanish words do, but the connotation that follows the word can be male or female. For example, if you call a man a "pussy," that is basically calling him a vagina, or feminine. If you call a woman a "prick," that is calling her a penis, which is masculine. Sometimes we may not even realize the gender behind the word. For example, the word "soft" is often used in today's language. This words means that the person shows weakness, which is commonly seen as a feminine trait. We all use many colloquialisms in our every day conversations, but if we really took a second to think about the words we say, we would notice the gender stereotyping that is subtly behind most of them.

"Image-Based Culture: Advertising and Pop Culture" Summary

      Sut Jhally begins his article by talking about diamonds. Prior to their change into a symbol of love in 1938, diamonds were known only for their worth as precious stones. Once the slogan, "a diamond is forever" came out, this stone became a status symbol, one needed to be bought in order to marry the woman you love. This is his way of introducing how consumer advertising can shape culture. The technology-based society that we now live in provides a faster and easier way of sharing products on the market. Newspapers to colored magazines to the radio to television, and now the internet. That is how the history of advertising developed; with each change causing a dramatic increase in the creativity of advertising, resulting in imagistic ways of representing products.
     In the 1920's there was a shift from advertising necessary products to trying to sell "nonessential" goods. With the changing technology, marketing switched to using visual and textual advertising, which in a way was teaching society how to read commercials. After a while, the sexual side to commercial messages disappeared because consumers finally understood how to read purely visual advertising.
     Jhally explains that advertisements want to show us how to achieve happiness. He further states that surveys show that what makes people happy is "personal autonomy and control of one's life, self-esteem, a happy family life, loving relations, a relaxed mention-free leisure time, and good friendships." He points out that none of these things are actually connected to physical goods that can be bought. However, commercials bend this reality. Marketing preys on the life-goals society idealizes by connecting products to each of these, making consumers believe they need those goods in order to achieve that life-goal. Commercials reflect what people are dreaming about, not necessarily what they are doing in that moment. The problem with this is that it leads society to focus on having these things, rather than being the person reaching their life-goals. They identify themselves as what that have, rather than who they are.
      The author warns that this visual image-sysetem is dangerous because it is a way for industries to persuade people how they wish. He mentions how music videos, which became popular in the 1980's, use sex to sell, just as commercials do. If a music video is memorable or popular, the song is more likely to be a hit. This fades into the authors opinion of present day commercials, specifically how fast they appear and disappear. Rather than older ads which were static, such as in a newspaper or magazine, commercials now are under 60 seconds long. This means marketing companies prey on emotions rather than actually selling their products. A person may not even know what the ad was for, but they remember the emotion it instilled, which may be enough to buy the product. This is another reason why sexuality has become such a huge part of advertising. They need to catch the consumers attention and get them to feel what they want them to feel. Jhally warns that this type of advertising suppresses reasoning and encourages feelings, which ultimately has a more persuasive effect on viewers.

All in The Family

    If you type "Nuclear Family" into Google, you will be bombarded with images of the stereotypical family; Mom, Dad, Son, Daughter. In the nuclear family, the father is the bread winner, holding a steady job to support his family. The mother's job is to have/raise the children while tending to household chores. This is how the majority of families were in the past, however, times have changed. Today, many parents both work, not only the father. Women have full-time careers in which they are extremely successful. Sometimes, as discussed in Sara Eckel's article, Dad-Mom Role Reversals, the mother is the breadwinning of the family while the father stays at home raising the children. This may have been completely taboo in America years ago, but it is generally acceptable today.
    Eckel discusses how although this change in roles is sometimes financially necessary due to the ever-changing job market, this can cause issues with the "man of the house" staying home with the kids. The media, including TV shows and movies, portray men as the head of the household, and instill in men the idea that they need to support their family in financial ways. So when this ideal changes and a man's wife is bringing in more money, it can cause serious self-esteem issues for the husband. Seen as "Mr. Mom," a stay-at-home dad may have a difficult time adjusting to the idea of raising kids. A couple discussed in the article, The Smith's, faced these issues when Stefania's husband lost his job. She had to pick up a part-time job on top of her at-home coaching business. While she was supporting the family financially, her husband, Darren, became a full-time dad. He explains the struggles he faced, such as not knowing that the clothes his daughter was wearing out of the house were pajamas. It took some time, as it does for most stay-at-home dads, but Darren eventually got into a routine of being Mr. Mom.
     Eckel's article states that, "51% of all workers on U.S. payrolls are women, compared with 33% in 1969." This is a significant statistic; just think about it. More than half of all workers are women, which mean that if they are married, their husbands may not be the bread winners of the family. They may need to stay at home with the children in order for the family to live comfortable. As a woman, I see nothing wrong with this concept, but I can understand that as a man this may be emasculating. My hope is that as this becomes more common, it will be more tolerable for men and women to deal with. I plan to have a strong medical career in my future, which means that depending on the career of my future husband, I may bring in more money than he does. I would have no problem being the provider for my family, therefore I need to find a man that understands and supports my career goals, knowing that he may need to take care of the home-life. 

"There Are Bitches and Hoes" Summary

        Tricia Rose's article, There Are Bitches and Hoes, is a strongly worded piece on the sexism of the hip-hop industry. She beings by explaining the development of the word "pimp." Rappers in the music industry glamorize black pimp culture by incorporating the "gangsta" style, slang and attitude into their identities. By marketing themselves as a pimp, these popular rappers promote the domination of women. This advertising is not only a part of the music industry, but has bled into other areas of pop culture such as television shows, movies, and themed parties. The pimp ideology supports the controlling of prostitutes through physical violence and emotional/psychological manipulation.
        Rose goes on to talk about how the popularity of these rappers and their music videos that degrade women make it so women feel the need to live up to it. It encourages "young women fans to emulate the behaviors of 'bitches and hoes' to get attention, to be desired, and to be considered sexy." Although the point can be made that the women in those videos are exposing themselves to the degradation of the hip-hop industry, they need to act in this hyper-sexual way to make any strives in their career. Any challenge these women make towards sexism in the black community can lead to difficult isolation. To go against hip-hop in the black community is seen as an "anti-black community action," making these women targets for ridicule. It is easier just to go along with it. Another way black women are handling this discrimination is by embracing the term "bitch," and using it as a term of empowerment instead. However, this does not change much.
        The history behind this discrimination of black women can be traced back even to Ronald Reagan who coined the term "welfare queen" in the 1980s. This term suggested that black women are "sexually irresponsible, money-hungry, and lazy," females who cheat the welfare system by having more babies to increase their payments. This racist stereotype is the type of women that rappers, such as Snoop Dogg, refer to as "bitches and hoes." Their lyrics tear apart black women, saying that they are just "trying to get a nigga for his money." The author of this article questions how many poor women are really trying to get the money of these rappers; they may have grown up in urban neighborhoods, but they now live in more affluent areas where there are most likely not "bitches and hoes" like they rap about. Therefore, the author questions as to why these rappers need to still bring these women into their music? She states it is because they "choose to represent a sexist perspective about reality they no longer have."
       Tricia Rose is very vocal in her article on the subject of female sexual freedom, specifically in regards to black female's. She strongly critiques the sexism and discrimination that black women face from the hip-hop industry, and urges society to see this and fight for "what is right," referring to sexual freedom. It is pointed out multiple times that sexual freedom is not the same as hyper-sexuality or sexual repression, but rather the freedom to decide how each woman wants to express her sexuality without facing judgement. The author asks readers to stand up and defend black women from the sexist ideologies of the "pimps" in the music industry.

Music Videos Imagery and Lyrics

Girl in a Country Song - Maddie & Tae

       Maddie and Tae have not only written one the hottest country songs on the charts right now, but the song also is one of the few songs in the country industry that addresses gender roles. I personally love country music, but it is obviously sexist by nature. Strong manly men doing hard labor, whistling at pretty southern belles in short jean shorts and cowgirl boots. That is the base of most of the music videos and songs in the genre. Although this reflects the gender stereotypes that are strongly rooted in the south where country music is most popular, it has caused some problems with the females in the industry. Huge female stars, such as Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, and Gretchen Wilson have written songs about strong women that stand up to men and enjoy doing things that "men do." None of these songs reversed the roles like Girl in a Country Song does, though. 

      The Song itself is about how girls are tired of being objectified in country songs. It literally says, "Like all we're good for is looking good for you and your friends on the weekend, nothing more." Maddie and Tae express their disgust for how girls are shown as useless pretty trohpies in country music videos. To further show this in their video, it opens up with country boys sitting on a tailgate of a truck, whistling and calling for two girls walking towards them in daisy duke shorts, a bikini top, and cowgirl boots. This then changes, showing the men in short shorts and revealing tops, obviously mocking them. The girls are also shown washing cars, a common image of women in music videos. The men are then showing doing the same thing, which shows how ridiculous it actually is. Althought it doesn't completely reverse the roles since the girls in the video are still objectified, the humorous portrayal of the men has made a ripple in the country music world, and has brought attention to the way women are shown.

I Luh Ya Papi- Jennifer Lopez

       Everyone knows that Jenny from the Block is a strong, sexy and successful woman. Her newer song, I Luh Ya Papi challenges gender roles by objectifying men, similar to Maddie & Tae's hit. The music video is the opposite of most of the popular rap videos, where women dancers are barely dressed dancing behind the male lead. This one shows J-Lo dancing in front of men in very little clothing. Although there are also girls in the video dressed in skimpy clothing and dancing, the point of the video is to show the men as sex objects. However, unlike Maddie and Tae, J-Lo is not mocking the men. Where the men in the country video are meant to be humorous and not at all sexy, the men in J-Lo's video are obviously attractive and objectified. I found it interesting that J-Lo's video also had men washing a car, soaking wet and dripping soap down their bodies, but this was to show them as sex figures. 

       In addition to the portrayal of men, the women are also presented differently. There are parts with J-Lo and her dancers in short shorts dancing, but then there are scenes with them in baggy sweatpants dancing almost "ghetto" like rappers. J-Lo has a strong sex appeal in this video, but it is a dominant sex role. She is in control and she seems like she could have any of the men in the video, rather than the other way around. The lyrics do not challenge gender roles as obviously, but she is asserting herself as a sexual and dominant woman, which goes against the stereotype of how woman "should be." 

Kudos to Maddie, Tae, and J-Lo. You go girls.

YouTube, I Tube, We all tube

How to Hit on a Girl at the Gym  --> stereotypical gender roles

If Girls Acted like Guys at the Gym --> defying gender roles



    Both of the video links above are comedic representation of gender roles. The first, which is a clip of the YouTube personality Dom Mazzetti, is an extreme (in some cases) portrayal of how men act in a gym setting. All of Dom's videos are part of a series called BroScience, where he exaggerates gym stereotypes and common topics in the fitness industry. The second video is a clip of girls acting like guys, and vice-versa, in the gym. The girls in the video talk like "bros," discussing protein and lifting as the steroytypical gym guy would do. On the other hand, the men basically do cardio, ab work, and talk. This video shows how both sexes view each other's roles in a fitness setting. Although extreme, like Dom Mazzetti's, it is funny because the way the men/women act is unrealistic to those watching it. For example, at one point a girl walks up to a guy and offers to "help him lift," using it as an excuse to hit on/touch him. It is comedic because we know it would be rare to see that in reality. However, when Dom uses the same technique in his video, it seems normal.
      These videos are not advertising anything specifically, so therefore it is hard to say who they specifically target. Dom Mazzetti's videos target "gym bros" because that is the demographic that would find him funniest. Being a part of the fitness world myself, I also find him funny, as would other females in the industry. Some women mind take offense to this particular video due to related experiences with men in gym settings. On the other hand, the second video is aimed towards both sexes. Women would find it funny how the girls act like the guys, and men would find humor in how the males portray females. However, both sexes could find insult in the the representation of their own sex. The humor in both the videos, in my opinion, is enough to hide the insults that accompany both sexes.

"Sociology of Sex and The City" Summary

      The first chapter of Linda Jin Kim's dissertation is titled, "The Sociology of Sex and the City," commonly referred to as SATC. Her paper discusses how SATC has been recognized for touching upon many modern feminist topics such as female sexuality, motherhood, and pregnancy. Her research focuses on what people watching the show take away from it, rather than the previous analyses done by expert sociologists and psychologists. However, she starts by summarizing the prior research done on the hit television show.
     This popular show, which follows the interconnected lives of four single white females living in Manhattan has received positive and negative reviews for its blunt nature. It has been praised for how it portrays strong independent women, unbreakable female friendships, and for its uncensored discussions of female sexuality. It does not show women as dainty, fragile and prude, but rather as sexual beings equal to men. Critics, such as Gerhard, suggest that SATC shows alternatives to marriage and relationships. He says that the family that these four girls have created with each other is relatable to the families that gay men and women have created for years now (Kim 8). It shows that you do not need to have the standard family to supported.
       The show also addresses the realities of motherhood and pregnancy, rather than the glorified expectation of the two major life changes. SATC character, Miranda, has an unplanned pregnancy, and even contemplates having an abortion. Although the show did use Charlotte, a character who is pro-life, to give contrast the controversial topic, it still was radical to float around that idea (Kim 9). Miranda, who is a driven attorney, expresses the hardships of pregnancy often overlooked by shows that try to make motherhood look like the best option for a woman. Another character, Samantha, decides that the married life is not for her, and the show uses her to represent female liberation and the fact that not every woman is born with maternal instinct. Samantha is also the origin of many of the risqué conversations the women have, some of which include topics of sex toys (Kim 10). 
     One of the main critiques of the show is that the women have the lives they have due to the privileges of their race and class. The cast of the show, although it has some homosexual and ethnic characters, does not represent these differences well. The four women only go after straight wealthy white men, for the most part. SATC has also been said to validate an outrageous consumer lifestyle, especially due to its Manhattan location (Kim 13). Linda Jim Kim states that not many scholars have researched how audiences react to SATC, and therefore her following chapters dive into how the general public, rather than experts, interpret this entertaining series. 

"You Play Like a Girl" Summary

Elena Bertozzi’s “You Play Like a Girl!” explains how females are treated in various cross-gender competitions. She begins by discussing females in the digital gaming world. It is a fact that more men play video games than women, but Bertozzi dives deeper to find the reasons why fewer females play video games. It may have to do with their violent nature, and it may have to do with women being portrayed as sexual objects in many popular video games. However, this chapter focuses much on the interaction between females and males in competition, and how social expectations make it difficult for women to compete at the same level as men (Bertozzi 492). Tying this into video games, Bertozzi discusses how men are expected to treat women a certain way in society, and therefore this can cause problems when competing against them. Men are taught to be protective and caring towards women; male aggression of any sort towards females is unacceptable in today’s culture. Although, in theory, this standard should disappear in situations such as sport or game competitions, it is difficult for a man to disregard this expectation. This has even led to females choosing to use male avatars in video games so they are treated as true players, rather than coddled and protected (Bertozzi 492).

According to Title IX legislation, females are allowed to play on men’s teams if a female team does not exist. Therefore, it is not completely uncommon to see girls playing football or wrestling at the high school and even college levels (Bertozzi 493). This presents some issues for both sexes. Bertozzi uses the example of a male football playing on a co-ed team. He has a responsibility as a player to be physical with teammates in practices and opponents in games, but he also has been taught that his responsibility as a man is to protect and not harm women. So what if that opponent or teammate is a woman? He is faced with a dilemma. A man competing against a woman is also in a lose/lose situation. If he wins, it is not always a respected win because men are culturally expected to be stronger than women. If he loses, then he will be ridiculed for losing to the presumably weaker sex (Bertozzi 495). On the other hand, a woman who decides to challenge a man in sport has her own social issues. She may be seen as masculine, unattractive, and even viewed as a threat to masculinity. This can push men to dominate her in other ways, for example sexually, or they can taunt/punish her to challenging them. This is evident in video games as well, where men have been known to become “extremely aggressive when beaten by a player using a female avatar.” Females also worry about the damage to their sexuality and sexual relationships when they challenge men; a strong woman may not be seen as sexually viable (Bertozzi 494-96). This can be due to her dominance of men or due to her physical appearance. Female athletes are physically built and may not have the “womanly body” that the media shows as ideal (Bertozzi 497).

Bertozzi touches on many issues that females face when they attempt to break social norms. This can be in the virtual world, in sports, or even in the workplace. Although women should be treated as equals in any environment, historically cultural expectations are hard to move past. Bertozzi gives suggestions for how game designers can address sexist issues, one being that they should present competitive women as sexually desirable (Bertozzi 499). Her article, as well as her suggestions, should be taken into strong consideration by both sexes.