Intersectionality is the identification of multiple factors of advantage and disadvantage in our society as a whole. Historically, media has been a very shortcoming in its ability to produce an “ideal” look that is applicable to more than one demographic. The classic physique of a “white, physically and psychologically able, perceived to be heterosexual and middle-upper class” persona that has been plastered across media for decades has ultimately fabricated an illusion this is what we are all striving for, and if it’s not, we should be. Intersectionality, however, diffuses this problematic mindset into one that can understand and decode the complexities within oppression and power in our society. One example I’ve seen of intersectionality in media is in the television series Grand Army. Although television series can never truly depict realistic life representations, the show does a good job incorporating topics such as sexuality, race, addiction, class, ability throughout the singular community of students. Incorporating and prioritizing representation in media not only increases the complexity and quality of the production itself, but also brings awareness to the truths of society: the numerous advantages and disadvantages of individuals that must simultaneously reside in our society.
Race is a construct produced to oppress people based on their physical appearances. From past experience, I wholeheartedly support the idea that racism is taught. Households can be a very influential place for children during their developmental years. Growing up, it was always interesting to hear different people’s opinions on race. Personally, I began to notice that children’s thoughts always seemed to almost entirely match up with the opinions of their parents. When we are young and impressionable, it’s difficult to ever question whether you truly agree with what an authority figure is telling you. I also believe that discussions regarding racism in present day need to increase throughout middle and high school. In history class, we were able to learn the extensive background of events surrounding race, but we rarely ever discussed the fact that there are still major racial issues existing today. Novels such as The Hate U Give are extremely eye-opening and informative. Media similar to this reminds the world that there is still so much change that needs to be done.
The idea that race is constructed is a very interesting topic to me. In the discussion in class we discussed it and moved on but I still could not get passed this idea. Although the idea that race is constructed is something that I agree with, I cannot help but wonder how is it constructed and pushed through society to still have current effects. There are biological aspects that was once believed to have a role in the way race is used in society. There also is the personal action of parents teaching their kids these racist teachings in their actions. There also was the way that racism was ingrained in the economies of many nations across the world leading to many laws made throughout the years. As to what was the first thought that constructed and led to the existence of race distinctions I cannot answer this. This is something that is very shocking to me though. The construction of race had been so long ago that it cannot be traced by the average person. This time is scary because it shows how many layers of development it had to go through in different civilizations and cultures. It also cannot be traced because it is not an agreed thought that race is constructed.
The concept of race is that it’s a construct made to oppress people with a darker complexion. For years and years, people who aren’t white have been seen as inferior. Racism has always seemed to be a problem in society & it’s mainly because it’s been passed down through generations. I’m a firm believer that no one is born racist, they’re taught it. For example, my parents taught me I could be friends with anyone I wanted, it didn’t matter what they looked like. Therefore, I didn’t see a problem with it when I became friends with a black girl in 2nd grade. I didn’t care because I honestly didn’t know the difference. All I knew was that she was a girl like me and that’s all that was important to me. As I grew older, I realized that there were different races and that they were getting treated differently than I was purely because of what they look like. I think it’s very important for people to be educated on these matters, especially white people. They’re so blinded by their own privilege that they don’t see what’s going on in the real world.
Race is a construct that was created with the intention to subjugate and oppress cultural groups based on perceived physical differences. The Poetry Society notes that the word ‘race’ appears in popular French physician François Bernier’s 1684 essay ‘A New Division of the Earth’. This is the first time the word is used to categorize all humans into races using phenotypic characteristics. This jumpstarts a long history of medical malpractice and experimentation on the basis of race in which African-American people are perceived to be stronger than the average person yet mentally inferior. Keyword author Herman Grey suggests that race knowledge in media has both “designated and denigrated” people globally. In the instance of African-Americans, this marveling over supposed athletic prowess has carried into the twenty-first century. One example being Simone Biles who has faced numerous attacks against her status as the greatest gymnast of all time due to her race. In the 2013 World Championship, Italian gymnast Carlotta Ferlito “told [teammate Vanessa Ferrari] that next time we should also paint our skin black so then we can win, too”. The highly publicized nature of these extremist views have widely contributed to its persistence. Significant racist medical ideologies and theories were largely accepted by reputable sources perpetuating stigmatization and violence. It’s a lose-lose situation for African-Americans because if they excel at something whites can feel both threatened and jealous.
Image taken from Houston Chronicle: Simone Biles (middle) and Carlotta Ferlito (Left)
Works Cited:
After the formalities – the poetry society: Poems. The Poetry Society Poems. (n.d.). Retrieved September 22, 2021, from https://poems.poetrysociety.org.uk/poems/after-the-formalities/.
Press, A. (2013, October 9). U.S. seeks explanation from Italy. ESPN. Retrieved September 22, 2021, from https://www.espn.com/olympics/gymnastics/story/_/id/9797277/italian-gymnast-carlotta-ferlito-apologizes-racist-comment.
Access the full text of Keywords for Media Studies to select an original Keyword to read and report on during class on Thursday, October 14
Read All You Need is Kill and watch Edge of Tomorrow by Sunday, October 24
Tuesday, September 21
I Am Not Your Negro
What’s the over-arching narrative approach?
What role do you see Medgar Evers, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X playing in this film? Is this what you expected?
What did you notice?
What made your think?
What aspects of identity helped you make sense of this film
Is this a documentary? Is this an art film? Why do you think so?
How is identity revealed as constructed? How as performed? Why?
What do you think of weaving modern Black narratives, like BLM and Black murders by police, into an historical approach? What’s the impact of those design decisions?
Where does “mediation” begin and end in this film?
Race and Intersectionality
Race is constructed
From laws, culture, and society
With contributions from media, academic knowledge, and racial science
Toward the exercise of power
To produce, organize, and distribute racial and ethnic groupings of populations hierarchically, according to socially valued attributes
Race is a discursive project that’s distributed across social relations and organized into hierarchies.
A post-racial project is to “search for alternate imaginations with which to build different accounts of human variation and their role in social worlds” (p. 164).
As a discursive construction, race changes because it’s a product of subjection (inscribing media subjects as racial, for example), of cultural and social values, and of changing approaches in scholarship, laws, and politics.
Intersectionality critiques a race-focused approach (or any other single-lens approach) with the reality that humans are never only racial beings, but also always classed, gendered, regionalized, and nationalized.
Race as Constructed in I Am Not Your Negro: James Baldwin in his own voice
Intersectionality in “Ain’t I Woman,” an 1851 speech by Sojourner Truth
Queer media was heavily underrepresented in the past but has come to be more accepted in the recent years due to a cultural shift that has seen rise of inclusive media. Representation of the visual queer media in modern media and pop culture is still facing criticisms because it is believed that most artists in the 21st century actually produce content inclusive of queer media for financial gains and public approval. This causes us to question the representation of the true queer lifestyles in today’s media and the influence it has on the consumers. I think more credit should be given to the earliest representations of queer media for example the German classic “Anders als die Andern” which literally translates to different from others and was one of the first movies ever to address the matter of same sex love at a time it was considered to be illegal and immoral in Germany and various parts of the world. I think these representations of queer media in such difficult times are responsible for the huge cultural shift that has led to more production and consumption of queer media throughout the years. While comparing early and modern representations of queer media, more credit can be given to modern media which has a lot more inclusivity of all kinds of queer lifestyles. Top tier actors taking on the roles of queer characters for example Jared Leto acting a trans-woman with AIDS in Dallas Buyers Club challenging the norm of male actors taking on female roles and also representing the problems facing the queer community at the same time has an overall positive effect on the consumption of queer media
The word queer and media have a very close connection. For many years, media only portrayed heteronormative depictions of daily life and promoted traditional norms of gender roles and sexuality. Queer, in its most basic definition, is a sort of catch all term for any sexuality that is not considered to be heterosexual. Queer media is media that breaks down heteronormativity and shines light on norms for queer people. Viewing media with a “queer lens” allows us to look for how the LGBTQ+ community is or isn’t represented. It helps us to look critically at media and make sure people of different gender expressions and sexual orientations are being represented fairly and accurately. Modern Family is an example of a queer lens into family life. The inclusion of LGBTQ+ actors and portrayal of non-traditional family constructions help viewers break down biases they may’ve had about family structure. For LGBTQ+ viewers, the show offers representation and acknowledgment of realities that they may be experiencing each day. For someone that has never consumed media with a queer lens, this representation may be unusual at first, but over time, it no longer becomes a focal point. Breaking down these norms is important for more inclusive media and representation of the LGBTQ+ community.
In the past, the media did not represent people in the LGBTQ+ community and instead heavily promoted gender norms and stereotypes. However, in more recent years, people have come out and expressed their true selves. This new expression has driven the media to portray queer individuals in films, shows, videos, etc., challenging these gender norms. Today, some of the most popular shows amongst teens and young adults include members in the LGBTQ+ community. For example, the tv show “Euphoria” follows the story of a teen girl who forms a romantic relationship with another transgender teen girl. This is so important because the more people who view these types of shows, the more comfortable and accepted people in this community will feel. Many characters in this show go through similar experiences to individuals who are not cisgender or straight. Ultimately, shows such as this one will allow individuals to feel confident when expressing their genuine identity. Our generation is much more accepting because we have grown up surrounded by technology and media platforms with representations of people in this community. As time goes on, more depictions of queer people are portrayed, meaning that society’s view will hopefully continue to change for the better.
In recent years, queer media has been represented on a greater scale than ever before. Queer media mainly refers to LBGTQ+ content. Growing up I was never exposed to much queer content in movies and TV shows but recently, the media has been far more inclusive in this category. Through different programs on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon ect. there is often always LGBTQ representation. One example of a popular movie that represents queer content is Call Me By Your Name. The extremely popular Timothee Chalamet and Armie Hammer star in this movie that is about a gay couple and their love story in Italy. The movie made over $11 million after just two weeks in theaters and became very popular amongst the younger generation. Before these past five to ten years it would have been uncommon to see a romantic movie come out that stars a gay couple. With the rise of queer media comes a rise in LGBTQ acceptance as it becomes more regular and frequent in our culture.
