Final Wrap-Up

As the semester gets closer to an end, I realize how much I have learned from COMM 463. First of all, I learned how to blog. I hope my blogs were of value and met the requirements of the course while still offering originality. I use Facebook and Twitter daily, but have never actively blogged. I find it to be a great outlet to discuss and read topics of interest. I have enjoyed my experience blogging and plan to continue when I have the time. Secondly, I really enjoyed the documentaries we watched. Each offered a lot of information that helped me get a better understanding of the topics at hand. The discussions that followed helped us get a deeper understanding of how we personally interpreted the documentaries. I've also gained much more insight about two subjects in particular, pornography and video games. The mini research papers I wrote on these two subjects expanded my knowledge and allowed me to break away from my preconceived notions.




The topics we went over were sensitive, but are important to talk about. I really enjoyed the time we spent on sexual orientation. The members that spoke on behalf of LGBTQ from Parkside gave many insightful experiences. They discussed the "It Gets Better Project" that is designed to be a support system for those that are coming out. I find this project very inspiring and admire all of those who have overcome their struggles and hardships to be true to themselves; and for those who are struggling with their sexual orientation should be proud of who they are and not be afraid to stand up for themselves and others in the LGBTQ.

Here is the link for the "Parkside's It Gets Better Project" for those that would like to watch it:

http://youtu.be/_X0YXjsDdTw

Also, here is the link for the "It Gets Better Project" website:

http://www.itgetsbetter.org/

I haven't actively pursued being a public ally for those in the LGBTQ community, but I definitely have wide open arms to anyone that is in need to talk with someone. I looked around on the website and find myself more and more inspired by each video I watch. I'm sure it takes a lot of courage to publicly come out, especially on the World Wide Web. It just shows how strong and supportive the LGBTQ community is...very inspiring.

One of my favorite quotes comes to mind when discussing topics such as race, class, gender and sexual orientation....

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.”  - Dr. Seuss



Born This Way (Sexual Orientation)

Lady Gaga says it best in her song "Born This Way." Some people believe that one's sexual orientation is chosen, but I disagree with this on every level. It pisses me off to no end that gay individuals are not given the same rights as a heterosexual. Who is to say that they are less of a person just because they like the same sex?? Same sex marriage should be legal in every state and should be recognized by all. To say it should be accepted by all would be a dream and completely unrealistic. I am not so sure why relationships of the gay community offend and upset so many people... America is supposed to be "The Land of the Free," yet we are judging, criticizing and hindering those from living their life to the fullest.

I know many people that are gay, several being family members. My cousin lives in New Zealand, is married to her partner and has two beautiful children. They had a ceremony in the United States, but obviously were not technically married. It frustrates me that they cannot come to America and live the free and accepting life in which they have in New Zealand.

We watched the documentary Further off the Straight and Narrow in class which discussed the transformation of airing gay media, primarily on television. When individuals see television shows starring a gay character, it helps those that have trouble coming out, do so by realizing they are not alone. It is referred to as the "coming out saga" which is characterized as a common experience and process often filled with anxiety and despair. Some shows, such as ER and Dawson's Creek, had a serious storyline about the struggles the characters were having with their sexual orientation. It is expected for the gay community to conform to narrow and particular ways to be respected. Other shows, such as The OC, had lesbian hook ups among straight characters; these scenes came and went like fashion and were used as a sign of hipness. Lesbian kisses are profitable while gay kisses are largely seen as taboo. Kissing scenes are metaphors of sex on TV - sex in inferred.

There is currently more latitude on reality television. The transition came in a set of phases:

• Occasional talk shows/news debate
• 90's centered in tabloid with messed up relationships (Ricky Lake, Jerry Springer)
• Youth oriented programming - used as signature features (Real World, Survivor)
• Today - gaying of the straight guys (Queer Eye for the Straight Guy)
• Plot lines from 80s & 90s was centered around AIDS/HIV, was replaced with gay parenting

The problem some see with mainstream is how do you determine who is gay and who is straight? And if you can't decide that, what happens to the straight privileged?

Premium cable channels, such as HBO, found different ways to interest loyal membership, which demands much more risque shows - Sex and the City, Queer as Folk, and The L Word. These shows offer gay friend to straight women, sexual experimenters, sex obsessed, and romantic love affair plot lines. In 2005 MTV released Logo, gay programming channel. Originally was going to be for subscription only, but is now public instead so the channel has to "play it safe."

Class Matters (Social Class)

Social class has many different measures in America. We group ourselves with those that are most similar to us, those we have grown up with, those with the same background, and those we feel the most comfortable with. We can be defined by what we do, how much we make and our goals and aspirations. As we grow up we separate ourselves, often unconsciously, from people that don't fit in our group, who don't fit in our social class. America is a country divided by class, split by thousand different social distinctions: the kind of neighborhood you live in, how far you got in school, what you eat, the way you wear your hair - often times, hard to see. Many find  social class to be a hard topic to acknowledge, because then there is a sense of inequality.

The documentary People Like Us: How to Marry the Rich breaks it down on how to successfully blend in with the upper class. The upper middle class is characterized as faster paced with more opportunities, while the working class may stay in the same factory they've been working in for years. Some factors to blending in include which fork you use, your name, what you chose to drink and wearing bright,loud colors. When having a conversation with the upper class, one is to stand 16 - 19 inches apart. It is important not to be standoffish or show any sign of intimidation, that alone is a red flag to the upper class.

People Like Us: Tammy's Story follows the struggles of Tammy Crabtree's life. She lives in a run down trailer, has two boys, works at Burger King as a janitor, and walks 10.5 miles to and from work because she doesn't have a car or license. While walking to work, people will yell "Hey trashy bitch..what are you doing?" She said that it's not her fault she's poor, she grew up this way. Her dad worked hard for his 22 kids, and he would be proud of her today for trying. Her oldest son, Matt, is embarrassed of the trailer and his mother. Although he is in the same class as his mom and brother, he tries to act like he's not to impress his friends.

"All I want is a life I can be happy, but right now I cant because of the way people treat me, and the way my kids treat me." - Tammy Crabtree

Will the social class you were born and raised in forever be your class? Or can you move from working class to upper class? Lower class to middle class? Or even better lower class or upper class? We've seen movies about the poor becoming rich and completely transforming their life, but what is the likelihood of this?

I believe it is all about your motivation and the resources that you are given or seek out to find. For instance, unless Tammy actively sets out to find a better way of living, then she will forever be living in the lower class. If her son Matt continues with his dreams of going to college and becoming successful, he is already halfway there. It might take a lot more effort and struggles than one in working, middle or upper class, but it IS possible.

n00b status (Video Games)

The transformation of video games that I have seen is tremendous. When I was younger, I was playing Sonic and Mario, now days kids are playing violent games at such a young age. One of the most popular games currently is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. This game allows the player to shoot at enemies in very life like settings. The graphics of the game really make the game so realistic.

I went to the midnight release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 just about one month ago. I pre-ordered the game for my boyfriend about three weeks before the game was released. I arrived at GameStop about 11:15 pm and waited outside for roughly an hour before receiving the game. There were about 200 people waiting, which wasn't as much as I predicted. I'm not sure if it was just the location or what it was, but it was fine by me! I could definitely tell who was the serious gamers because they were much more pumped than others.

I am surprised at the age of many children playing violent games. In order to purchase games that are rated M for Mature the consumer must be 17 years or older. This means that it is more than likely the parents are purchasing the game for them. I understand that children in high school are should be mature enough to play the game, but at the same time it makes me wonder. When I hear about high school shootings, I wonder if playing violent video games influences this sort of behavior and rampage.

It's Not Just Black or White (Race)

After watching the documentary Color Adjustment, I realized more of the struggles African Americans had to go through. The first really famous television series that was geared toward African Americans was Amos & Andy. The show originally was aired with white men who performed as black men in a radio show. Once the show got television time, the actors were black. The racist content of the show created much controversy amongst the black community. The NAACP created a formal protest against the show almost immediately after its television debut, ultimately cancelling the show.

    

Radio version - Successful and Original Amos & Andy -white men with stained black faces. 

TV version - Controversial Amos & Andy - African American actors



The next show I would like to talk about is the The Cosby Show, which was one of the biggest hits in the 1980s. This American situation comedy was the most successful television shows depicting African American experience in America. The Cosby Show reaffirmed the American dream of hard core middle class values: if you work hard, you are rewarded with good looking children, good looking wife, nice cars, nice households. This is the one image that is perpetuated in television. Anything that strays away from that norm will most likely no be successful or allotted prime time spots.

I believe it is important to televise shows that are targeted to every group in America, including African Americans. There are specific channels that are directed toward blacks, such as BET (which stands for Black Entertainment Television). Race can be a very touchy subject, which makes it complicated and hard to have a productive and educational conversation because often times people become very offended. Many don't know what politically correct word to use when discussing race. I believe that in order to reach a universal socially acceptable terminology, we need to talk amongst each other and break through comfort zones.

I'll Make a Man Out of You (Masculinity)

The media portrays men to be strong, aggressive, financially independent and heterosexual. It links masculinity to dominance, control and power. Tough Guise argues media offers an important perspective on social attitudes. It also argues that while the media is not the cause of violent behavior in men and boys, it does portray violence as a normal expression of masculinity.

Boys are exposed to masculinity in the media at a very young age. Disney movies, such as Hercules, Beauty and the Beast, Mulan and Lion King define what the ideal male should look like and how he should behave. Chiseled abs, barreled chest and massive arms are glorified in Disney movies. Masculinity of violence and dominance is very clear. The refusal of fighing is seen as pitiful. The end of Disney movies generally ends with a battle scene of two males fighting to win the female's heart or to maintain his current status. The relationship between the males and females in Disney films tell boys how real men should interact with females, which is men should view women as objects of pleasure or servants to please them.

"I couldn't care less what she'll wear or what she looks like - It all depends on what she cooks like." lyrics from Mulan. 

Another excellent scene from Mulan that displays masculinity is when Mulan is training to be ready for war:

Media cannot be soley blamed for boys and mens bad behavior, but I believe it is a factor. The way children are brought up is a huge determinate of how they behave. Parents need to take responsibility for their children's actions, rather than blaming it all on media.

As Seen Everywhere (Everyday pornography)

There are different extents to pornography, some of which can be seen on mainstream television. Not all pornography is X-rated; some can be softporn, which is aired on HBO or late night cable, others can be subtle sexual innuedos on primetime television. Television shows on MTV air many shows that focus on sex, such as Jersey Shore and The Real World. Sex and the City originally aired on HBO, but the past seasons are now being aired on The CW. This show follows the life experiences of four women while heavily emphasizing on sex.

Tosh.0 is a famous comedy show aired on Comedy Central. The show is centered on videos and pictures that are uploaded to the Internet. Daniel Tosh, the host, is a comedian that isn't afraid to speak his mind on any topic. He makes light and fun of senstive issues, such as pornography. Below is a picture that shows a man protesting pornography claiming "Pornography Harms" while a bystander holds a sign that says "...My Wrist."

The link below is a video of G-rated porn reenactments using children. Many find this to be offensive and crossing the line. I am not sure how I feel about the video clip. The children don't know what they are immiatating. but the parents do and I think that's where I have the problem. Like Tosh said at the end of the clip, “The great thing about doing this show in Hollywood is there's no shortage of awful parents who will let their kids do anything for a SAG* card.”

http://tosh.comedycentral.com/video-clips/porn-reenactments

*SAG is short for Screen Actors Guild