The Media and Stereotyping

**This is actually the "classroom" discussion we had on the subject that is titled above. I found that I am pretty opinionated about this subject too. Shocked. If anyone sees my name in this could you let me know? I think I got it all out of there.

Stereotypes and the Media - (Nov 2, 2010 5:31 PM)

I believe the media is guilty of perpetuating stereotypes in many ways. In the entertainment world especially, these stereotypes are not only perpetuated but there seems to be no backlash involved. I have watched day after day as Lindsay Lohan and Charlie Sheen go in and out of court and rehabs after being arrested for breaking their probation. Then a few days later you have black rap artists sentenced to 11 months and even years for the same violations.

http://www.examiner.com/us-headlines-in-national/felony-dropped-from-charlie-sheen-charges-he-will-serve-no-jail-time-video/

http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.12823/title.ti-checks-into-prison-begins-serving-11-month-sentence/

I see this as racist and yet no apologies are made for this happening. Nobody is even upset over this, they just seem to accept it as true and normal. This just reinforces the notion that black people are criminals and deserved to be punished while the white race has special privileges.

I can see that these stereotypes could be beneficial to some political parties. It just reinforces the fact that the black race will never be completely free of racism even if they have the money, and the white people will go free and get away with certain crimes much more frequently. I believe the more they show these types of things as normal, the more people will accept it and it will never change.

Re: Stereotypes and the Media - (Nov 3, 2010 1:29 PM)

Thank you Brittney

I see this often and it infuriates me. It is upsetting how we are so accepting as a society to kinds of racial bias. I am not sure I can add much else to this comment as I am still reeling from yesterday's election. Thank you for your words. I do like to make a good point and have it be heard.

Re: Stereotyping -

I wrote my comments on the same issue. How is it that someone like Charlie Sheen can get away with breaking his probation, doing drugs, hiring prostitutes, committing violence against his wife and someone like a Rap Artist (who is black) goes away to prison for 11 months for violating his probation? I do believe it is racially influenced and the more we see these kinds of things as normal, the more we accept them as noirmal events.

Re: Media and Stereotypes - (Nov 3, 2010 1:38 PM)

You are so right about the media and television portraying these anorexic women as normal sized. I was watching an episode of "The Real Housewives" and it blew me away how skinny they are! I think the camera adds 10 pounds too! If that's the case they must look horrific in real life. I do believe it has contributed to women and eating disorders being so rampant. It's a very scary thing and a good example of stereotyping of women.

Re: Media an sterotyping - (Nov 5, 2010 12:14 PM)

I agree with you that the media gets away with tearing people's lives apart. I see it as a form of legalized stalking and it makes me grateful that I have the normal life I have. I can't imagine going through a messy divorce and having it splashed all over the TV and magazines for the world to gawk at and comment about. those things are hard enough to go through without everybody and their brother commenting.

Re: TV Stereotypes? - (Nov 5, 2010 12:18 PM)

My opinion is that so-called "reality" television is anything but real. I watched the "REAL Beverly Hills Housewives" last night with my friends and it was crazy! These women never eat and they always look perfect. One of them threw a birthday party for their 4 year old that cost $60,000. They look like they have make-up artists that live with them and they are always "on". Now I can gauge reality pretty well but I imagine there are women that compare themselves and find themselves lacking in many ways. It's not reality and I would much rather watch re-runs of "Roseanne" or "Everybody Loves Raymond" that portrays life a little more messy and real. TV is not a good role model for society in any way, at least in my opinion.