September 21
Cortez article on stereotyping:
This article just scattered my brain about stereotyping. I am specifically interested in the female stereotype in every source of medium, so I will focus on that for now.
But first this confused me so maybe I can get clarity “A particular news report can contribute to a group stereotype (noun) even if that report itself does not stereotype (verb)” (p. 148).
This article basically discussed how we need stereotyping and generalizations or we would be lost. Which i have always kind of thought. The article talked about women being in the kitchen and yah thats normally what happens, women cook. BUT thats not ALWAYS, so we need to not think to ourselves (as women) wow I am stuck cooking forever, even though I hate it. Its my duty and responsibility to cook. NO ITS NOT. Men need to know women are not on earth to be their magical fairy that does everything for them (i.e cooking cause he doesn’t want to), but women need to know as well, men are not a magical fairy, that are sent around to do stuff for you (i.e opening the door!) So showing a women cooking in the kitchen is not a bad thing. The big deal is how viewers read into the message of this woman in the kitchen. Society’s problem is they are too stupid (for lack of a better word) to realize this isn’t a “hardened assumption that all individuals who belong to that group” (150).
Labels/ stereotyping/ generalizations are okay, but it is easy to read too much into it..
The article also talked about using stereotypes to make the audience feel comfortable. You see dad going to work and mom staying home and no one says anything. You see a gay couple dropping off the kids and both going to work and the audience freaks. We have to keep everyone feeling comfortable.. but your not accomplishing that because what about the gay couples that never get their debut. They feel uncomfortable so you have failed at trying to make everyone comfortable!
So basically, stereotyping and generalizations are inevitable. Thats okay as long as society doesn’t read into too much. Which is going to be impossible for me to live by.
