Ohio University Students vs. ‘Racist’ Halloween

As it is Halloween, we thought it would be fitting to find a blog on Halloween costumes. Halloween is about dressing up and acting like something you aren't. People can be sexy, scary, and funny while they can also change their gender and ethnicities. However, some students form a group called STARS (Students Teaching About Racism in Society) at Ohio University think Halloween costumes are beginning to cross the line.

Link to the blog: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2011/10/ohio-university-students-hit-racist-halloween-costumes/.

The students made a series of posters that depict people from different ethnic backgrounds holding pictures of what appears to be examples of racist costumes. An example of one is of what appears to be "A Mexican boy [holding] a photo of someone in a sombrero, colorful poncho and exaggerated mustache riding a stuffed donkey." The tagline for the posters is "We're a culture, not a costume", there is also a sentence below that reads, "This is who I am, and this not okay." The blog got a lot of attention on the day that it was released and there were a lot of mixed reactions. Some said their campaign was ridiculous and others agreed 100%. Something to consider is that Ohio University is ranked as America's #1 Party School.

So some questions:

- Let’s be honest, for Halloween if you celebrated, did you or a close friend dress as something STARS would consider racist?

- If so, do you still feel that it was okay to wear a “racist” costume?  or would you now agree with the blog? Other?

- What about sexist costumes?

- What’s your reaction about how this was started by such a small group of people, and is now a nationwide conversation?

- What kind on line should be drawn when it comes to costumes?

- Do you find it ironic that OU posted this even though they are #1 Party School in America?

- If you were the Dean of Students for OU (Ryan Lombardi), do you think that #1 Party School is a good reputation to have?  Would agree or disagree on his immediate actions to these posters?

- How does this affect popular culture?

Got milk? Got sexism?

We see "Got Milk?" commercials in almost every magazine we pick up. The typical milk mustache on some prominent person in today's society or the latest athlete usually grazes the ad, but this time the ad takes a new approach with incorporating direct sexism. The link to the blog:

http://mommyish.com/stuff/got-milk-give-your-children-some-sexism-with-that-calcium/

The advertisement features a weary looking man carrying several milk cartons and reads, "I'm sorry I listened to what you said and not what you meant." According to nutritional findings by the California Milk Processor Board, calcium helps reduce the symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome, states the article. The ad takes advantage of women by showing young children that women are vicious monsters that men should try to steer clear of at all costs and no matter what you do to please them, you will still be wrong. They even went as far as to create a website that offered "sensors" and "data" on how to tell if a woman is "PMS-ing". Ironically, the website www.everythingidoiswrong.org no longer exists.

Here are some questions to respond to:
How do these types of ads affect children?
How do you think children's parents would respond to these ads?
Do you think that this ad is sexist?
If so, how could this message be conveyed that would not be in a sexist manor?
Do you think the ad imply's that women are monsters, like the article says?
What will a loyal customer of this milk think when he/she sees this ads?
Where else in advertisements can blatant sexism be seen?

In 1992 Sir Mix a Lot’s song “Baby Got Back” was introduced to the American public and had quite the reaction. It was played all over the country in clubs, on MTV, and the radio. Even though the song was so big, the message behind it was highly degrading to women. All through the song is about women’s backsides. This blog (http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2011/05/sir_mix-a-lot_fat_baby_got_back.php) is about an interview with Sir Mix a Lot who has some interesting comments on what he intended the song to be and how he actually feels. From the comments below there are a mixture of opinions on how the song is supposed to be. Some of the comments were harsh; the others were supporting the song and how it’s supposed to be “sexy and fun”, not taken too seriously. The intended audience for this song is mostly teenagers. Burger King tried to sell SpongeBob Squarepants kid meals with this song to try to win younger audiences. Also, movies like Shark Tale, Shrek, and Happy Feet feature this song to the younger demographic. This song shows how women are degraded to just a body part. In this case it’s a whole song about their backsides. It shows men sometimes like the curves, which goes against societies views of having rail thin women. This song is a product of American culture.

Here are some questions to consider:

-How do you feel about some women responding by trying to prove themselves with this song by conforming their own behind?

-How do you feel about this song being more popular with white people?

-How do you think different women react to this song?

-How do you think society reacted to the song when it first was released?

-If you were a parent when the song was released, how would you react to it?

-If this song was made 20 years before and after it was released do you think it would be as popular?

-How do you think other cultures would react to this song?

-On the blog, what do you think of Burger King using this song to sell kids’ meals?

-This song was in the movies Shrek, Happy Feet, and Shark Tale. Do you think this song is acceptable in Disney movies?

Gender Representation in Video Games

http://hcireflections.wordpress.com/2009/03/30/gender-representation-in-video-games/

The blog that our group chose focuses in on gender representation in video games and the blogger is analyzing an article that they read on the subject. People are always looking at ways that women are exploited sexually, and video games are no different. Women characters in video games are mostly shown in as little clothes as possible with an emphasis on their busts. This blog opens up the discussion about women being present in video games, but it also examines the ways that men are hyper-sexualized in video games. In video games, men are frequently displayed with unrealistically large muscles. The images of men and the few images of women that gamers are exposed to are an impossible reality and there is much controversy over both male and female representation through video game characters.

Why do you think that the majority of characters in video games are the stereotypical “buff” men?

When women do appear in video games, they are represented as extremely thin with abnormally large boobs and they are dressed in revealing clothing. Why do you think that is?

Do the attitudes of the male characters towards the female characters in games translate to the ways that men treat women in real life at all?

Do you think that there are more male gamers than female gamers because of the ratio of male to female characters and the ways that they are represented?

What other ways are video games made more appealing to boys than girls?

Are men supposed to be playing video games to fulfill a “perfect” role in society that they can’t achieve in reality?

Masculinity in Disney

The blog we chose is a visual presentation on Disney’s portrayal of masculinity. It is at: http://youtu.be/8CWMCt35oFY . This video takes something as innocent as a Disney movie and analyzes it, looking at male characters and how they are developed. Sanjay Newton takes us step by step through different Disney videos, describing how males are portrayed. He shows us how the male lead is developed through his relationship with women, his physical appearance, and his dominance. Outside of the video, there are many comments defending Disney movies and some who agree with the video. It seems to have sparked controversy and intrigue over something some people find very important to their childhood.

Conversation Starters:

· Have you ever thought about how Disney, or other childhood movies, portray men and women? Do you with agree with the video's opinion?

· Do you think this is avoidable to portray characters this way in youth movies/shows? If not, do you think this is acceptable to do?

· What affect, if any, does this pattern in characters have on children who watch them?

· Is there a specific movie you liked as a child? Do you think this movie has these same patterns? If so, do you think this had an effect on you?

· Looking back, what else as a child shaped your beliefs of how men and women should act/be?

· Is there a particular comment about the video that you agree or disagree with? Explain.

· The attitude of the comments range from mild to aggressive, why do you think some people have such strong reactions?