ENWR-105-BX 18 November 2013 In the essay “Female Chauvinist Pigs” by Ariel Levy, the author argues that women participate in practices that are responsible for their oppression. Levy’s argument is that women participate in “raunch culture” as means of embracing sexism and exploitation toward the idea of gaining empowerment. While some woman like Sheila Nevins, feel empowered and liberated by aspects of raunch culture, other woman like Tyra Banks, co-producer of ANTM, is discussed in “Ghetto Bitches, China Dolls, and Cha Cha Divas” by Jennifer Pozner using racist stereotypes in order to gain power. The judges in the show say they try and promote inclusive beauty standards actually reinforce racial stereotypes. Women are willing to participate in practices that oppress them because they want power.
In the reading “Hip-Hop’s Betrayal of Black Women” by Jennifer Mclune, she exclaims in today it is wrong to categorically dismiss hip-hop without taking into serious consideration the socioeconomic conditions (and the many record labels that eagerly exploit and benefit from the ignorance of many young artists) that have led to the current state of affairs. This article contains three major divisions that support Mclune’s argument in this article, and she goes into dept explaining her argument. She wrote the article base off her feelings and how hip-hop down grade black women. In the first division, Mclune explains how hip-hop takes women and dehumanized, vilified, and make them invisible to stay relevant to their mainstream. In the second division, she talks about how women in hip-hop rather go with the mainstream too rather than stand up as a collective voice in their defense of
71). The “bad-black-girl” is depicted as alluring, sexually arousing and seductive. She fulfills the sex objectification requirement of White womanhood, although she is portrayed as a less naïve, more worldly seductress. The “bad-black girl” image reinforces cultural stereotypes regarding the hyper-sexuality of the African American female, who yearns for sexual encounters. This image has appeared on television as well as in movies.
Systemic racism is ubiquitous in the lives of African American women. The story structure consists a beginning, middle, and the resolution/ending. It followed Todorov’s theory perfectly. The stories are very believable because I have experienced workplace discrimination and have spoken with other women about their experiences. The best intent of the story is to educate people of the pervasiveness of racism and how the African American female, who has always been on the bottom of society, has been/is treated by society.
Growing up in the United States as a young Latina girl has its difficulties. I may not be Puerto Rican , but I am Colombian, and I for one understand the racial inequalities placed upon us. Caleñas , Paisas , even Gringas have to deal with the harsh comments of being looked on as cocaine mules. Even portrayed as having a humongous butt ,over sized breasts and long black hair ; the Latina in reality is your average independent , strong and beautiful woman. “The Myth of the Latin Woman,” Judith Ortiz Cofer talks about her life in America as a Puerto Rican.
Within both of the cultures, societal role was often determined by ethnicity as well as gender and Few points out that the perspective of historians has always been shaped by the assumption that this discrimination led to the utter oppression of those in marginalized groups. Women Who Live Evil Lives serves to denounce this general assumption by telling stories of women who despite having all the cards stacked against them, managed to assume places of “cultural authority” in both slave society and the society at large. In order to effectively analyze Few’s argument about cultural authority, we must first take a look at the gender and racial distinctions that existed in Santiago de Guatemala during the time of the Audiencias. Ethnic discrimination, was a major part of colonial
Young women these days are extremely concerned about how their looks are portrayed. ‘Forgotten Jelly’ by Megan Jacobson shows us this through the eye of a young woman who is fat. This story conveys the message that you have to be hot to get the guys and how girls try to look hot in their own unique way. The story is set in Australia where 3 young women go fishing. There was Cassie the pretty one, Amber the skinny one and Louise the red head.
The colors also paint a picture of a young girl untrue to herself and the honest proclamation of her betrayal towards her heritage. In order to fully grasp the meaning of the poem, it is important to understand Trethewey’s upbringing. Threthewey was born in Mississippi in 1966 to a black mother and a white father. At a time, interracial marriage was illegal in Mississippi and viewed with a great deal of shame by society. Based off of these facts, a reasonable assumption can be made that the speaker in the poem is indeed Trethewey.
Two moments in particular stand out in Janie’s interactions, in Chapter 16, with Mrs. Turner, a black woman with racist views against blacks, and the courtroom scene, in Chapter 19, after which Janie is comforted by white women but scorned by her black friends. We see that racism in the novel play as a cultural construct, a free-floating force that affects anyone, white or black. In other words, racism is a cultural force that individuals can either struggle against or yield to rather than a mindset rooted in demonstrable facts. Last, both self-love and racism play a very important role in Zora Neale Hurston's “Their Eyes Were Watching God.” The theme of love with her Granny and Janie brought out the time of the Harlem Renaissance. Janie spent her days looking for passionate love in three different marriages reveals the women in the Era where they did any to find the right one.
It discusses other ideas associated with racial prejudice such as the effects of a social hierarchy. Mississippi Burning, likewise to Wild Cat Falling, explores how the ‘coloured’ people were being racially discriminated and prejudiced against since the white Americans too, had an ethnocentric perspective on their coloured neighbours. A quote that supports the concept of ethnocentrism is, “he wasn’t doing anything except be a negro”. The diction of negro creates a tone of anger in the quote which helps illustrates the same concept of, if you’re black then you will be excluded, denied public facilities and racially prejudiced by the white society. Furthermore the tone creates an authentic voice which helps illustrate to the audience the African Americans anger and frustration towards the concept and from being racially prejudiced against in general.