Lashaej’s Blog

All of my artifacts included things that we see in our everyday lives. From photos of a strong man holding a seemingly vulnerable woman to a picture of a man pushing a stroller looking confused, this is what we see in the media daily. But how reflective are these images of what really goes on? How much can we generalize what we see on the television and in magazines to what really goes on? I’m not a vulnerable female, and I certainly don’t depend on men to take care of me, so according to the media what does that mean? If you were to take it to the extreme, which the media often does, I probably sound like I’m a bit butch or an extreme feminist. Why does that have to be the case when in all actuality, I’m just a straight female who knows how to take care of herself? The media is the reason, in my opinion for the many insecurities people have, however the media is what it is because we feed into it and we continue to go along with the status quo which is influenced by both us and the media.

All of the theories I’ve related images back to, the identification theory, psychodynamic theory, social learning theory, the media and self concept, and reflected appraisal theory, to name a few all aide in developing who we are from our upbringing according to each individual theory. That being said, however, the media is still a very huge factor. The identification theory, how many little girls do you see on television who wants to wear their fathers’ cologne and not their mother’s makeup? Social learning theory, how many little girls under five years of age are playing with little boys and playing cars with them?  Even the psychodynamic theory, the theory that is supposed to relate to how family dynamics influence behavior and identification, how many girls are really given the task of taking out the garbage when there is a male available? And media and self-concept, how many real plus sized models are there, and who deemed “plus” to begin with a size 10?

The media is not all bad however, there are some women playing empowering roles where they are fully clothed and are not seen as sex-objects, and there are some male roles where they are real fathers, are capable of cooking and cleaning as well as having relationships with there children. My point is not to say that the media is neither good nor bad, but to point out the fact that it is our responsibility to take from the media in moderation. To not become what the media says you should be but to allow the media to show a representation of who you are. In conclusion, if this change were to happen there would certainly be more little girls whose favorite color is blue and more openly gays. Additionally, there would be more people who are happy and less who are depressed because they don’t fit the proper “pretty girl” description. There would be less discrimination and more acceptance, but could that happen?

Here is a picture of a few members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. Delta Sigma Theta, an organization whose members have the same goal and founding principles, has members who experience the same things. According to Gamble & Gamble, this can be applied to the standpoint theory. The standpoint theory posits that group’s social circumstances shape not only what its member’s experience, but also how they think, act, and feel.

In this picture you see a man and woman engaging in a conversation. Typically, one would assume that the female is doing most of the talking. Wouldn’t you? Why not? It is a common belief that women have more to say and that men just sit in the background. Going along with that common belief however, if that were true wouldn’t it make more sense for men to be “submissive”, in the background and in less control than the woman? According to Gamble and Gamble however research shows that the opposite is true. In reality, men actually talk more than women which would in fact make sense given other common stereotypes.

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Pictured is a soccer game. The men in the picture are playing a competitive game and desires the attention to be on them while all focusing on one goal- winning the game. Gamble & Gamble say that this is because boys’ games teach boys to use communication to assert themselves, gain control, and try to dominate others. Additionally, they try to attract an audience, gain status, and keep the focus centered on them.

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What’s the difference between the two images you see? As Americans, for centuries we’ve discriminated on the kind of one of these people, and for no validated reason. Women in American have yet to be seen as equal. With Hilary Clinton running for president, it seems that this has been the closest we’ve come to seeing a woman as president and in charge of our country.

According to Gamble & Gamble, we attribute uncertainty to women, we evaluate them as less intelligent, habitually perceive women as receivers and they are cast in reactive roles. Perhaps this is the reason America has still yet to have a female president? Perhaps…

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A Family that Preys, by Tyler Perry is about a family that, as the title suggests, preys on each other. The main two characters work in the same business and have the same level of education. The woman who works for the man sleeps her way up top and has a conversation with another woman who is above her and is baffled when, the woman in a higher position was asked who she slept with to get where she is and her response is “nobody”.

Gamble & Gamble explains the woman as sex-object stereotype to be when women are overlooked and their appearance is more concentrated on then their performance. Even though the situation was not seen as a form of harassment in the movie, this is a type of quid pro quo sexual harassment. The woman did sexual favors for her boss in exchange for cash and cars.

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50 Cent AYO Technology feat Justin Timberlake & Timbaland music video is a perfect example of how women are depicted in most music videos. According to Gamble & Gamble, when the music videos are written, produced, or sung by me, videos are more apt to promote sexism and communicate a misogynistic message by commonly depicting women as sex objects or slaved. Women are portrayed as considerably more dependent, affectionate, sadder, or more frightened than males and are also shown behaving in a sexual and subservient manner.

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Here is a picture of Lara Croft, a character in Tomb Raider. Years ago, this picture would have been forbidden and was unheard of having an empowering woman. You would see women in movies whose job was to get in trouble and have the hero rescue her.

According to Gamble & Gamble, however, we now see in the pop culture women such as Lara Croft:Tomb Raider who are sexy and unafraid of their sexuality, able and independent as well as icons of empowerment.

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Google images. (n.d.) Retrieved May 6, 2009 from http://roddysrockinreviews.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/lara_croft_tomb_raider.jpg

Shown is an image of a strong man with muscles and who looks like he can take over the world. This is am acceptable image of a man in films. According to Gamble & Gamble, when it comes to their portrayal in films, men are commonly depicted as hard, tough, capable, sexually aggressive, brave, and in control. Movies like this, The Terminator, feature a lead character that embodies the stereotype of extreme masculinity. Men in serious films are rarely depicted as caregivers or homemakers. Instead they are usually shown as incompetent when it comes to performing household chore.

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Google images. (n.d.) Retrieved  May 6, 2009 from  http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/G/posters/Kjm-285_The_Terminator_1984.jpg

Wall, chilern,
whar dar is so much racket
dar must be somethin’ out o’ kilter.
I tink dat ‘twixt de nigger of de Souf
and de womin at de Norf,
all talkin’ ’bout rights,
de white men will be in a fix pretty soon.
But what’s all dis here talkin’ ’bout?

Dat man ober dar say
dat womin needs to be helped into carriages,
and lifted ober ditches,
and to hab de best place everywhar.
Nobody eber halps me into carriages,
or ober mudpuddles,
or gibs me any best place!
And ar’n't I a woman?

Look at me!
Look at my arm! 
I have ploughed,
and planted,
and gathered into barns,
and no man could head me!
And ar’n't I a woman?

I could work as much
and eat as much as a man –
when I could get it –
and bear de lash as well!
And ar’n't’ I a woman?

I have borne thirteen chilern,
and seen ‘em mos’ all sold off to slavery,
and when I cried out with my mother’s grief,
none but Jesus heard me!
And ar’n't I a woman?

Den dey talks ’bout dis ting in de head;
what dis dey call it?
“Intellect,”
(whispered someone near).
Dat’s it, honey.
What’s dat got to do wid womin’s rights
or nigger’s rights?
If my cup won’t hold but a pint,
and yourn holds a quart,
wouldn’t ye be mean
not to let me have my little half-measure full?

Den dat little man in black dar,
he say women can’t have as much rights as men,
’cause Christ wan’t a woman!
Whar did your Christ come from? 
Whar did your Christ come from?
From God and a woman!
Man had nothin’ to do wid Him.

If de fust woman God ever made
was strong enough to turn de world upside down
all alone,
dese women togedder ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again!
And now dey is asking to do it,
de men better let ‘em.

Bleeged to ye for hearin’ on me,
and now ole Sojourner
han’t got nothin’ more to say.”

Ain’t I a Woman? By Sojourner Truth at Old Poetry. (n.d.) Retrieved May 5, 2009 from http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/61734-Sojourner-Truth-Ain-t-I-A-Woman–

This poem is about an African American woman in the times of slavery. She is talking about the differences of being and African American woman in this time alone, as well as the similarities she has with other African Americans and the differences she has with Caucasian men.

This can be applied to the Standpoint Theory according to Gamble & Gamble. The standpoint theory informs us that our culture defines people by gender, class, and race and that a person’s location within the culture shapes his or her life.

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