"Portraying Difference:Race, Class, Gender and Sexuality in Language and Media." Clare Duffy

Clare Duffy
September 14, 2007
WGS 220 Section 05
Newman. Chapter 3. p69-103

Description:

• Ideas surrounding other races, genders, ethnicities, sexualities or
class based largely upon media representation (p102)

Analysis:
• Symbols can evoke different emotions (p72)
o Flags as symbol of patriotism or disrespect (p72)
• Misogyny embedded in language (p76)
o Words such as spokesperson indicate female because –man isn't used (p76)
o No need to add male to beginning of titles because is implied (p76)
o Members of organizations instructed to avoid gender-biased terms (p77)
 Need to be taught because bias is so prevalent
• racism embedded in language as well (p79)
o white vs. black defined as pure vs. wicked (p79)
o euphemisms thought to be racial-neutral but subtle symbols of racism (p78)
• panethnic labels (p80)
o assimilation vs. multiculturalism (p81)
• differences in language style transfer to one side's superiority (p82)
• Media presents stereotypes of gender (p87)
o Introduced during childhood (p88)
o Women portrayed either as sex object or housewife (p89)
 unsuccessful without good looks (p90)
o men as womanizers or rugged characters with a hint of sensitivity (p91)
• ethnoracial stereotypes in media (p92)
• homosexuality in mainstream culture (p96)
o images remain narrow (p97)
• working class and poor families depicted unfavorably and stereotypically
in media (p99)
o wealthy portrayed favorably (p100)

Vision:
• eradicate stereotypes from media allowing society to form own
conclusions of people of different races, classes, sexualities, genders,
ethnicities (implied)

Strategy:
• observe stereotypes in entertainment and media (p102)
o Recognize. Examine. Then avoid. (implied)