Monday, June 9, 2014
Stereotypes in Pop Culture
When we discuss pop culture, we are discussing art that was created to be consumed by the masses. This means e are discussing music, film, television, comics, novels and other texts. It is a powerful tool, but it can also be used to demean and belittle people. Sometimes this happens unintentionally. For instance in the 1984 film Sixteen Candles, women, save for the protagonist, are almost all portrayed as self-involved, substance abusers. Many of the female characters are almost psychotically materialistic. This is an attitude that was echoed in many of the famous films and series of the 1980s seemed to popularize this image of women. Most significantly a number of male comedians based large pieces of their acts on misogynistic depictions of women. Eddie Murphy rather famously presented a rage filled screed against women in his hugely popular concert film RAW.
What hurtful stereotypes have been perpetuated by pop culture in your opinion? Give an example for each gender and explain it using a piece of pop culture. How does this image adversely affect people in real life?
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I think the stereotype that women cannot fend for themselves is the most common in media. Movies show the woman as dependent on others almost 100% of the time. I know of no example where a woman is not relying on others, male or not. Because of this, women are sometimes not given opportunities to be independent of others. They are forced into relying on people besides themselves and that is unfair. Media often depicts the villain as male and any female villain is considered strange and not a very big threat. This is hurtful to both genders, but since an overwhelming amount of men are depicted as villains people begin to assume that many men are not good people. This is an unfair assumption just as female villains are underrated.
ReplyDeleteI think that the stereotype of women always being dependent on some one else is true in most movies. But in the movie Frozen. Elsa is Independent and didn't depend on any other characters in the movie. Also in the movie they try to make Elsa look like the villain until the end of the movie.
ReplyDeleteOne stereotype perpetuated in pop culture today is that all men are cheaters. In movies such as When Husbands Cheat and Fatal Attraction, men are proven to be no good cheaters. This stereotype affects people in real life because when a couple breaks up it makes it easy to assume that the man cheated when it could have just as easily been the woman. Another stereotype in pop culture today is that women are perceived to be only housewives. In television shows such as Bewitched and I Dream Of Jeanie the female protagonist stays at home while her man earns a living. This stereotype adversely affects people in real life by creating the allusion that women are not capable of being anything more than a housewife.
ReplyDeleteOne stereotype that I see quiet often is that women are with an older men because they are after the man's money. My father is quiet a bit older than my mother and when they married my mother had more money to her name than my dad did. So that makes it kinda hard for my mom to be out for the money he didn't have.
ReplyDeleteMy father also has many friend who have wives that are younger than them, but they all work and make their own money. The relationships are driven by love, not by greedy or gluttony.
A stereotype that has been prominent in Rock' n Roll is the undermining of women. It's no myth that rock/heavy metal has been dominated by men. To be honest, when you think of women's role in the rock community, you thing of groupies, gold diggers, strippers, and super models. Now some of these assumptions may hold some kind of truth, but for the most part, women don't get enough credit. Some of the greatest bands were fronted by women. Case in point, The Runaways, which is a band made up of women. Then there's Heart, which was formed by two sisters.
ReplyDeleteAnother stereotype is apparent to me as well. Let me set the scenario. Last summer I was at the mall with my Mom and little brother. School was starting a week later and last minute school shopping was in full swing. The plan was for my mom and little brother to for shop for pants while I got a hair cut. My mom is a fast walker so she takes the lead. My little brother and I are about five feet behind when Paul Blart: The Mall Cop comes lurching in my direction. Now, it is important to note that I am wearing a black Metallica t-shirt, black shorts, and black converse. I also had the long hair. Apparently, the security guard thought I was about to rob the lady the I was following. Enough said.
One stereotype that I personally find hurtful or just plain wrong is that all white girls love Starbucks. No, not all white girls love Starbucks. I am one who does not. To be frank, I do not agree with several things the Starbucks company has stood up for within the past few years. I will not support something I do not agree with.
ReplyDeleteAnother stereotype that is completely twisted to me is that Christians are perfect or that we have it all figured out. That is a LIE. True Christians are not perfect and have only figured out that the way to Heaven is through accepting Jesus as your savior. We are clinging to God and our hope in Jesus Christ and just striving to live like and for Him.
Males are stereotyped as dominant in all sports. NOPE. Thee are women who can dominate over men in many sports.
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ReplyDeleteOne stereotype that I see a lot in pop culture is that obese people love food. I believe this is wrong! Yes I see a lot of over weight people eat a lot of food but a big majority of the over weight people have issues with their thyroid and/or stomach. For example, I know a very strong lady that had an hysterectomy and gained a lot of weight over the years. After recovery the doctor told her she had to watch what she ate. Like I said she was a very strong lady. She put herself on a very strict diet and still gained all of the weight she has on today.
ReplyDeleteA stereotype that I see over and over again in movies consist of young adults and teens that are dressed in dark clothing, have strange colored hair, and wear heavy makeup are often stalking out an older person in a public place with the plan to steal a purse or wallet. I have never understood this stereotype. I know many people that wear black shirts that represent bands that many people assume worship the devil, color their hair in bright pinks and oranges, and wear very dark eyeliner, but not a single one of these people would every dream of harming or stealing from anyone. If anything they would go out of their way to help someone that could be harmed. Underneath the clothes, hair, and makeup they are just people exactly like the ones judging them. The only difference is they have a much bigger and more open heart.
ReplyDeleteA stereotype for men is that all men who play sports are "jocks" and they are just dumb. While playing football for Alabama, Greg McElroy earned an undergraduate degree in business marketing and a Master's degree in sports management a year later, all while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Sounds pretty "dumb" to me. A stereotype that I commonly see for women is that they are inferior to males in sports. An 11 year old girl competed in the US women's open recently and played fairly well for her age. I don't see any young men doing so. Both of these stereotypes are unfair and simply not true.
ReplyDeleteA stereotype for male Athletes is that the color of your skin will determine which sport you are good or bad at. But if you look at every professional sport in the world you will see that there are a mix of colors in each. A example of this is in the movie "Hoosiers". A stereotype for women is that they don't get taken serious in the world of pro sports. But if you look at the WNBA it is a huge organization. They even have women's UFC now. Both of these stereotypes are inaccurate. A example of this would be in the movie "Love and Basketball".
ReplyDeleteOne Stereotype that I have found to be prevalent in pop culture is that all men are this masculine, imbecile image of a man who relies on his strength more than intelligence. Some examples of this are “300”, “Gladiator”, or the “Die Hard” series, in which the protagonist’s success is reliant on their brawn. There are a lot of men who primarily rely on their muscle, However, I believe we are moving toward an era where intelligence is worth more than brawn, and this stereotype hinders that motion. There are films in which the male protagonist uses intellect instead of muscle, such as “Sherlock Holmes”.
ReplyDeleteOne stereotype I keep noticing in film mainly is deadbeat dads. For example the television series "Family Guy". It portrays Peter as a dead beat dad with no sense. Yes in today's society that's common, but not all fathers are like this. Many step up when they're needed. It is possible for a "mom" to be a deadbeat yet you never see that in films.
ReplyDeleteOne sterotype that is seen a lot in pop culture is the "dumb blonde". For example the movie "Legally Blonde" first portrays Elle Woods as a rich, airheaded girl. That people just seen as dumb and not able to do anything right. When in the end Elle ended up winning a case and becoming a very good lawyer. Just because the color of a girl's hair is blonde does not mean that they are not the smartest. Many blondes become very sucessful women. Other girls with different hair color can be "dumb blondes" just depends on what they do and how they act.
ReplyDeleteA stereotype in pop culture is that a woman is not complete without a guy in her life. From an early age,particularly in Disney movies, girls are shown that all of the girls fates depend on the Princes. Cinderella married to escape her evil family, Sleeping Beauty couldn't wake up without a kiss, and Mia (Princess Diaries) couldn't even be Queen without marrying first. As they grow up, they continue to see the same plot play out in a majority of movies. Many women believe this and spend a lot of their time trying to make it happen, no matter how miserable they are in the process. Having that relationship is important, but happiness shouldn't depend on just that.
ReplyDeleteA stereotype in pop culture that I have come to realize is that if an older man or woman smiles at you or is nice then that means they're a pervert. This is not true. Most people do not realize when someone is just being polite because it isn't very common nowadays.
ReplyDeleteA very common pop culture stereotype for women (most common in romance movies, music videos, and commercials) are that all women are slim, big-breasted, and very pretty. While some women may hold that standard, it's certainly not realistic for all women. In real life, this makes many women hate their image. A common stereotype for men is that they're very tough(most common in older movies) but that's not reasonable. It seems like every time I see a boy above ten cry that they're taunted because of this image.
ReplyDeleteA stereotype that I see for woman is that all girls who have to blonde hair and have a fit body only use it to get the things they want in life. The movie "Legally Blonde" portays Elle as the ditsy blonde who gets everything she wants based on her looks. In the movie she got into harvard because she sent a video of herself in a bathing suit and because of that video and it alone she got in. That sterotype not only set a bad image for the young girls but also for the young woman who need to get jobs.
ReplyDeleteA stereotype for men would be that men are not able to take care of their children with out a woman. In present times, most woman get the children if a divorce happens almost always, but I believe that men are just a capabe as woman. In the movie "Mrs. Doubtfire", the dad (AKA Robin Williams) had to pretend to be an old lady just to be able to see his children for more than one day a week. Beause he was a man, the judge did not even give him a chance. My dad is a single dad and takes care of my little sister and I just fine. This image is not what I would want my son or little brother seeing because it tells them not to even fight for what they want. It tells them that just because they are a man they are not able to take care of their own chirldren. Most of the time that is not the case.
A stereotype for men could be that men are trashy or messy and unclean. This is shown on multiple occasions in the movie "What Happens In Vegas" where the main character Jack (Ashton Cutcher) is a very messy individual. This stereotype is also shown in the film "Big Daddy" where the main character Sonny (Adam Sandler) not only has a messy room but a messy life.
ReplyDeleteA stereotype for women could be that to be a "Princess" or be good enough you have to be skinny and good looking. In the movie "Little Mermaid" Ariel is in perfect shape and beautiful. The antagonist of that film is Ursula who is over weight, ugly, and has a raspy voice.
No stereotype is true. You cannot compare people just because their gender or race. Every individual is different in there own way. I do believe that the stereotype I used for women plays a role in real life because women do not feel good about their self if they are not beautiful in the eyes of everyone else. I do not believe the stereotype I used for men affects anyone it is just how people see men. As animals.
A stereotype for women that I often see throughout the media is that you have to be outrageously gorgeous for men to like you. In the movie "The House Bunny," all of the sorority girls that didn't get talked to were very casual and laid back. Most men wouldn't even look there way. However, once the main character, who was a peppy, beautiful blonde, gave them makeovers to where they looked more like her, they started getting noticed by guys. This stereotype is ridiculous. I personally do not believe that you have to look perfect in order to stand out.
ReplyDeleteA stereotype I often see for men in the media is that all men are pigs when it comes to women. In the movie "John Tucker Must Die," John is a heartless boy who goes from girl to girl without caring about their feelings. Throughout the movie you see more and more women that have been heartbroken by John. All the men praise him for his "accomplishments" while the women want to kill him. I don't think this is a fair portrayal of men Although many are like John Tucker, there are actually some decent guys in this world.
A stereotyype for men is that every man takes care of his problems by force and direct conflicts. A stereotype for women is that they cannot take care of themselves and they are too reliant on men. These stereotypes can be seen in almost every action movie made. This affects the way genders think about each other.
ReplyDeleteWomen are often stereotyped as domestic and men as providers. Our culture has changed to accept women into the work force, but this is mostly out of necessity. Today women work, but they are still expected to look after the kids, clean, and cook. Men are still seen as the main provider for the family. They are expected to work long hours and over-time so they can feed and clothe their family.
ReplyDeleteA stereotype for men would be that all men are the same as into being into partying, drinking, and chasing women. This concept of men is shown in the show "Gossip Girl.
ReplyDeleteA stereotype for women is that every woman relies upon a man to support her and protect her. Many women live on their own without any support from a man. A good example of this would be on the Twitter page "Female Things".
I believe the most harmful stereotype of women is that women have to be "perfect" in order to be found attractive. Everywhere you turn, from magazines to movies, you see beautiful, extremely thin, imperfection-free women. This leads to unrealistic expectations for women of all ages. "Perfect" women represent a very small percentage of females. Real women are pushed aside and thought to be second-rate. Men are often perceived as defining their self worth with sex and power. Society tells them they must be successful in their job and support their "perfect" woman to be accomplished in life.
ReplyDeleteStereotypes in family films occur so much but we never notice them. In many family films the woman are made out to be "eye candy" by the clothing these characters wear. This leads to the stereotype that all women dress very unmodestly and do things they shouldn't.
ReplyDeleteFor men in films they always make them out to be vulgar and rude in someway. This is not always true, but the view on a man is highly influenced by these stereotypes.
This effects people in many different ways. Everyone can take in a stereotype differently but for the most part nothing positive comes fro them. They are a very bad way of classifying people in society when we should all be equal.
A stereotype that most female artists give men through their music is that they are all heartbreakers and do not care about girls feelings. This can be found in almost every song in Taylor Swifts four albums. This is a hurtful stereotype because who would want to date a guy after listening about Taylor's dramatic love stories. This just makes girls think that all guys are the same, and that is really what most girls think.
ReplyDeleteA stereotype that male rappers give women is that they are only good for one thing. This is very hurtful because peoples thoughts are greatly influenced by pop culture, what they are listening to consistently can very well become what they believe.
A stereotype for women is that it's their job to clean, cook & take care of the children at all times. It is their wifely duty. But the man of the house needs to pitch in sometimes. The woman doesn't need to do it alone. If the wife cooks dinner, the husband should help clean the dishes. If the wife cleans the house, the husband should help get the kids ready for bed.
ReplyDeleteA stereotype for men is that they cheat. Which is not true. Real men don't cheat on their wives or girlfriends. There are good men who actually love & care for their partner as they should. Not all guys are bad ones.
One of the biggest stereotypes about women in pop culture is that women can not get along with other women. When you turn on your television you see all of the reality shows where women fight with themselves over nothing. You have many examples to choose from. There is Toddlers in Tiaras, Gypsy Sisters, The Bachelor/Bachelorette, and many more. In all of these shows women start a cat fight over nothing and end up saying things that should have never been said to one another. When women and young children watch this kind of interaction between females, they begin to think that this behavior is acceptable and then behave in that manor themselves.
ReplyDeleteA major stereotype of men are more dominant in everything. They have better higher paying jobs, women will do anything for them, and they have more power than women. You can see this in almost everything you watch from television series like New Girl to Disney movies. Men have been the more powerful characters in the television market than women in more films than not. This makes men and young men alike feel like they have control over women in everything that they do.
Common stereotypes for women are being completley obsessed with their looks. Many women are portrayed as being obssesed with there beauty. Many reality shows and televison shows potray women this way such as Sex and the City.
ReplyDeleteMen are usually portrayed as the egotistical men that care nothing about women. That are either obsessed with playing as many women as possible or totally consumed by there job, as seen in Fireproof.
One major stereotype in society is that fat police officers always eat doughnuts. On television, be it movies or TV shows, always portray fat cops to love doughnuts.
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying that they don't like them, but I've never seen a fat cop eating a doughnut. Cops probably take offense to the fact that they are always being made fun for something they do not even do.
One popular stereotype about women is that blonde women are not particularly smart. I do not know of a film that really shows this but there are millions of blonde jokes floating around so it is obvious that this is a huge stereotype. This could make blonde women feel bad because they are being made fun of. A common stereotype against men is that they are obsessed with sports. They have no time for their girlfriend or wife if a football game is on, especially the Super Bowl. Not all men like sports but the ones that do are most likely not worried about these rumors about them.
ReplyDeleteA stereotype for men would be that they're all the same. They drink, they cheat on women, they party, they do drugs. etc. This concept of men is shown in "Blue Mountain State."
ReplyDeleteA stereotyped for women is that they love to spend money, they love to gossip, they lie, they backstab each other. This concept of women is shown in "Orange Is The New Black."
A stereotype for women is that they are vain and overly concerned with their looks. Yes, there are some women out there who really care about their appearance but there are also women out there who care about worthy things like their family and friends.
ReplyDeleteA stereotype about men is that they are more dominant in everything. They have higher paying jobs, and that they have more power than women. Some men are not like this. Some believe women can do anything that they can do.
A stereotype for male athletes is that they are all full of themselves. The movie Friday Night Lights, as well as the television show Friday Night Lights portrays this very well. The athletes all walk around as if they are entitled to something. This may be true in some cases; however, many athletes are humble.
ReplyDeleteThe song I'm Still a Guy by Brad Paisley puts off a stereotype that women are not as outdoorsy as men. This may be true in most circumstances; however, there are women out there that are just as outdoorsy as anyone.
A stereotype that is seen alot for a woman in pop culture is that she must always look perfect. All because she is a woman, and the women you see on movies or magazines always look like life size Barbie dolls. You can see this in anything you see that has a woman in it. I was watching Disney Channel with my little sister and noticed it.
ReplyDeleteThe stereotype for men that you see a lot is that they are just drunks who go through women like crazy or cheat on their wives. There are several shows where you can find an example of one of these things. American Horror Story, Entre nos, Supernatural, The Hangover (even though it's a funny movie). These stereotypes change the way people look at each other.
A stereotype that is common in pop culture is that woman need men to protect them and take care of them. You see this stereotype in almost every single super hero movie. There is always a damsel in distress that needs a strong hero to save her. Women let men rescue them in every day occasions just to save their ego, not to save her. There are a million ways to open a pickle jar, but we choose to let the man open it just so he feels like he has saved the day.
ReplyDeleteMen are stereotyped also. It is very common to hear that men have no emotion. On the movie "Terminator", the robot was made in a male figure with no emotion. By the end of the movie, he had bonded with the humans and grown an emotional attachment to them. In reality, you find the perfect woman for that man and you will see all of his emotions.