Misrepresenation of Black Dolls still exist today

Does this look anything like President-elect

Obama? This doll is from a German toymaker who made the doll to commemorate Barack Obama. It's sad to see that we're still living in a time where this is the image of blacks in some minds of people. This is the exact same image of black dolls from the 1930's and 1940's. The shiny face, the dark skin, the big red lips. I just find amusing that someone has made up in their mind that this is the image they see when they think of black people.

Barack isn't nearly this dark. His lips are not painted with #037 cajun red lipstick and his hair is not....I don't even know what to call the hair that is on the doll-but its clearly a misrepresentation of Barack.

I'm just stunned that someone would make something like this in 2008. I feel like someone snatched a scene from the movie Bamboozled.

WAX DOLL!!! Yes-this is what this reminds me of. I was sitting trying to think of what this reminds me of and it looks like a wax doll. Yes I am a owner of a doll similar but my doll isn't a representation of an actual person. Yes she is a representation of a stereotype but I personally didn't find her offensive when I bought her. This image however is offensive because it isn't an image of Barack Obama that is even close to accurate. It's like someone took a little slave doll from the 1930's and threw a politician suit on him.

Things that make you go hmm...

Here are some interesting ads that I found on the web. The messages that come across in these ads are things we've been talking about all semester. Needless to say, there is nothing subliminal about these ads. The sexual images are right there in the open.

Here we have kind of the 1950's housewife image. I'm guessing her place was in the kitchen and dear old hubby here is mad about not having his dinner ready when he came home from work, or maybe she said something independent for a change. What gets me is her facial expression-it doesn't quite look like one of pain but almost one of pleasure.


I'm not really familiar with the drink Tab but I'm guessing it's like an energy drink. So let me try to figure this out...Tab gave her the energy last night to master faking it???? This is just my guess. What I'm confused about is the handbag relationship to Tab.

For some reason when I saw this ad I instantly thought of Sex and the City, particularly the Samantha Jones character. There was an episode where she wanted to buy a fake bag from the back of a truck but Carrie refused saying that it made her feel bad for the bags. She actually felt bad for the bags-funny. But anywho I had to add that thought even though it had nothing to do with the ad at all.






This image just speaks for itself. With Skyy being such a large alcohol distributor you would think the Skyy logo would be just a little bit larger. Instead its an advertisement for oral sex. The man overpowers the woman not allowing her the chance to even get up and turn him away. And who wears a suit to the beach??? I'm guessing he's supposed to be a representation of a high-powered corporate guy which we all know have the sort of Donald Trump ego.




















What would she do for a Klondike bar??? That's what I hear in my head when I see this.




















I get it that the espresso is the product here but I must say first looking at this it's hard to tell, just like all the other ads. I thought maybe the airline was the product. Nope-just an espresso brand to keep you energized on an airplane when you'd probably rather relax.

IDEAL Dolls of the 1950's

Here are some images of ideal dolls from the 1950's. This may explain why some black children considered white dolls more desireable. Both of the dolls are cute in their own way but you'd have to be blind to not notice how significantly unattrative the black doll is compared to the white doll. Below is the website where more ideal dolls can be found.

Ideal Dolls of the 1950's

http://www.dollreference.com/ideal_toy_dolls1950s.html

Rosewood

The end of Rosewood is supposed to be assertive considering the massacre that occurred in the film. Yet why is it that the movie makes it seem "okay" when Fanny Taylor gets beat by her husband for telling the lie which started the masscare. Yes she is responsible for initiating the attacks and killings of blacks in Rosewood, Florida in January of 1923. Because one of the men she cheated on her husband with beat her, she blames her attack on a black man to protect herself from explaining what happened to her husband and the members of the small town. One her husband realizes that Fanny has lied and a whole town has been killed because of it he comes home and beats her. Would the movie had of been as much powerful without this scene? Or was it needed to make the audience aware that she faced "punishment" because of her actions. I guess because it's a true story it is important to incorporate what actually happened to all of the main characters affected by the story. I just didn't like the image of the audience leaving with the image of her being beaten by her husband with a "that's what she gets" type of attitude. I know this movie was set back in the 1920's so its hard to imagine what the outcome would have been without using visuals.

VIRGINITY FOR SALE AUCTION!!!

So I'm sitting here watching the Tyra Banks show and there is a guest 22-year-old Natalie who is actually auctioning her virginity off. Hmm??? Isn't this prostitution yet in a different form? Her reasoning is so she can pay for her education. Whatever happened to scholarships, grants, loans or financial aid? Here's the kicker-she's not looking to "give it up" to the highest bidder, it's all based on chemistry. So now it sounds like she is dating online? I'm confused. She calls it selling her virginity. I would have more respect for this woman if she just went on one of those Tila-Tequila reality-type TV shows. I guess she's taking "being original" to a whole other level. Dennis Hof of Carson City Nevada, who is owner of the famous Moonlight Bunny Ranch, is helping Natalie to reach her goal. In fact once the deal is complete the "event" will take place on the ranch. He will also receive 50% of whatever offer she receives. So not only is she a prostitute but she's being pimped and won't even reap the benefits of her decision. Like the audience I just sit here and shake my head. Hopefully some young virgin girl is not sitting at home watching this thinking I want to be like Natalie. Natalie feels her actions will empower women-but why ask for money? And what message is this sending to other women? Young women in particular since most virgins are young women are under eighteen. One of Natalie's bidders just came on-stage and he looks like weird creepy old guy. Seriously he is about as old as Colonel Sanders. Poor Natalie! If only someone would talk some sense into this woman. Once she auctions off her virginity for a large sum of money, what are the odds she won't become a prostitue for a living? Will she be satisfied with just the money made from her virginity? Is this just a plea for attention? What do we think?

Random

So today in my Interviewing and Performance class we had a guest speaker, media image consultant Gail Hayden. She was teaching about what clothing fabric and colors look good on camera and how to apply on camera makeup. She pulled a couple members from class to do a demo of how your everyday makeup looks completely different from how it appears on camera. First she picked a white guy from the class. Next a while female and just to show a variety she picked a black female last. We were all watching and listening closely as she explained that black people may look ashy under the lights so you must use makeup with yellow undertones to bring out the brightness in the skin. Ok so the funny part was when a guy yells out from the back of the studio-"so what color makeup do black people need to use?". LOL!!! Okay I know its not funny but it was funny at the moment. But then I felt bad because he was actually serious. He even got up and moved his chair up close to watch her apply the makeup. I just thought to myself-who asks something like that? Especially since there are 5 of us in the class and not two of us are the same complexion. It was just a bit shocking.

Limitations of Art

Has anyone else seen this? I for one watch the news religiously and didn't come across this until my mom sent it to me in an email. This is just crazy. Its sad to see in 2008 racism is still at its highest peak in the mind's of some people. Clearly Yazmany Arboleda, the artist who designed this exhibit, had way too much time on his hands. He declares it as "character assassination". He even had the audacity to think that his racist views were protected under the Constitution because was expressing himself through art. Luckily he was arrested by police for interrogation.

Race and Hair care

Why is it that there's such a huge difference in the cost of hair care depending upon your race? I work at a high-end retailer and this subject came up a few weeks ago in one of our "water cooler" discussion (in our case we were surrounded by $150 bottles of eau de parfum). A white gentleman I work with said he stopped dying his hair at salons and decided to just go gray because the cost was so expensive. He said he normally pays between $75 and $125 for hair coloring and a cut. I thought this was absurd considering he's a guy without much hair. Then another coworker who happens to be white and female said she pays up to $200 sometimes just for highlights. To me these numbers were piercing my ears especially since I've never paid more than $50 for hair coloring. So why is there such a big difference in cost? Then I got to thinking maybe its the type of salons. Yet still it doesn't make sense to me. My roommate for instance pays the exact same price as I do for a cut and style. She goes to the Tony and Guy salon and I go to Skillz Salon. Both salons are a part of a franchise and pretty trendy-based. About a year ago she stopped getting her hair colored at Tony and Guy and started having me do it. She said that when she gets her hair colored she always ends up spending about $100. So again where is this capitalization coming from? Speaking with several friends outside of my race (I'm black) it appears that they are paying a much higher cost for hair care across the board. The salon I go to is an all black salon and most of my friends go to white-owned salons. It just seems like where all getting the same thing done yet different cost.

Guiness Beer runs a sex train

Sex in the media gets worse and worse. Seriously though-beer having sex with a young woman??? I often wonder if these ad developers have women in their lives. Obviously they have mothers and would these mothers be proud of the work that their darling children have done. The message behind this is just sad. I'm not understanding how a beer company or any company for that matter could be ok with the message their sending-have a girl (beer) and share her with as many friends as you'd like as if she's an object.

How can company's allow these types of forums to even go into production? Its a waste of money on their part. They have to know the controversy that comes along with it. Besides that, what network did they actually think would let this cross the airwaves?

Will there ever be a time when women aren't depicted as sexual objects? Sadly I think not. Sex sells. These ads are making tons of money. As a woman I'm insulted. But it starts with women turning down rolls like these. If they had no one to play the parts then case closed. Unfortunately there are so many women out there who find it appealing when men idolize them sexually.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mV5R_rErOs

Docle sexes Gabbana???

Check out this video. It's supposed to be an ad for the Dolce and Gabbana Spring 2007 collection, yet it appears to strictly advertise sex. There are gay and lesbian images throughout the entire video. I'm a huge fan of fashion and I think it is very insulting to the clothes to take the focus away and turn it towards a dry-porn episode. Dolce and Gabbana have taken the saying sex sells to another level with this advertisement. As a consumer this would not make we want to buy their product anymore than it would minus the sexual content. The media needs to learn how to make their product the eye of their vision without so many distractions. There were quite a few moments during this video where my mouth literally dropped. I was shocked to see such disturbing images. I doubt many people would have a problem with a nice looking model advertising the latest jeans with a sexy new shirt but when it comes to guys engaged with each other sexually to market a product then it becomes one of those awkward silent moments. I'm sure the scenes with the women fondling over one another was a big hit with the men. It would be interesting to know what type of audience this was geared to. If I didn't know Dolce & Gabbana the product I would think the product was geared toward gays and lesbian.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxsT0Rrrtws

Little Boys and Purses

Today at work a mother came in with her son. Nothing out of the ordinary. That is until he asks to hold her purse while she tried on a pair of shoes. My first thoughts were, aww how sweet what a little gentleman he is at such a young age. When she handed him the purse he went and sat on the sofa as she stood in front of the mirror admiring her selection. Then he proceeded to dig through the purse-typical naughty little boy behavior right. He digs and digs until aha-her cell phone. Ok-we're still in normal behavior mode. His next actions were a bit off to me. He picked up the purse and put it on his shoulder and walked towards his mother. She didn't say anything about him carrying her purse.

Now what puzzles me about this was his age. I place my guessemation around 8 years old. He was obviously old enough to understand that purses are for ladies. If he were around 3 or 4 then it would be a little more understandable-but 8?? Now maybe its because I grew up with the old saying drilled in my head "dolls are for girls, trucks are for boys" that made me find this behavior odd. A few questions ran through my mind as I watched this little boy. Is this the Should children be steered in direction to only engage in activities specifically related towards their gender?

I put so much thought into thinking back to stories of how many adult gay men stated that they played with their mothers/sisters makeup, hair, clothes, jewelry. I'm not saying in any way that the little boy was gay-he could have just been having fun with a bag and a phone in his eyes. Yet there is the question of if parents steer the behavior based on gender at a young age-will it determine the child's sexuality? Or are people just born with natural ways of their opposite sex?

I'm no expert but I would think that by not addressing such issues at a young age will cause a bit of confusion as they grow into adolescents. Then there's always the case of if you pressure a child too much they will be more reluctant to tell you their true feelings (ie, a father pushes sports on his son when he takes an interest in dance or cheer leading). This may cause intimidation or fear in a child,

There are so many different angles to look at something like this. There will never truly be a right or wrong answer just insight and opinions.

Bill of Sale

Since we've been having a lot of discussions about old magazines and news articles, I thought this Bill of Sale was quite interesting to share. It was actually sent to me via email.

We've all seen things like this in history text books but whenever I see something like this is never fails to shock me each time. This was the sort of advertisement found in newspapers just 175 years ago. People for sale simply because of the color of their skin

It's like reading a car auction almost. And the terminology used is ever so degrading. Whench???Mullattoes? Human beings dipicted as farm animals. This just takes us back in time to see how far we've come as a human race.

This weekend I went and saw Tyler Perry's "A Family that Preys". If you've ever seen one of Tyler Perry's movies, he never seems to disappoint his audience. The movie was excellent and factored in a lot of elements such as friendship, family trust, and self-worth.

After talking about the movie with my friend whom I had seen it with, there was one part in particular that she didn't like that made me notice a pattern in most of Tyler's movies and a lot of other movies that has become a cultural norm; domestic violence. I thought back to his past films and certainly there is at least one incident where one spouse is physically assaulted by the other. Now here's the kicker- all except one film did the audience think it was acceptable.

In "Diary of a Mad Black Woman", Kimberly Elise's character is abandoned by her husband of 18 years for another woman. He strips her of everything that they share together; money, home, car etc. After her husband is left paralyzed from a car accident, she steps in to be his primary caregiver. During this time she takes advantage of his paralysis by mistreating him. She leaves him in soiled clothes, hungry, and at one point almost knowingly lets him drown, yet the audience found these actions to be okay.

Perry's "Why Did I Get Married?" examined the lives of four married couples and their trials and tribulations. Jill Scott's character faced infidelity of her husband with her best friend. When he admits to her of his infidelity at a dinner party she hits him in the head with a wine bottle causing him to pass out. Again this was acceptable by the audience.

Perry's latest film "The Family that Preys", also touches on violence when Rockmond Dunbar's character smacks his wife across a restaurant bar because of her admission to infidelity with her boss. To no surprise the audience accepts this behavior.

Lastly, "Madea's Family Reunion" was the only film that displayed violence as unacceptable. An unhappily engaged woman is constantly abused by her fiancee' for not being the perfect woman 24/7 he so desperately desires. Here we see the innocent preyed on by the weak-minded.

In each of these films, with the exception of "Madea's Family Reunion" the audience cheered and applauded during the point at which violence occur ed. I can remember being in the theater and hearing shouts of "hit him", "smack her", "knock him out". Although for entertainment purpose only, the message was still that violence was indeed okay given the criteria of the situation.

In no way am I biased, because we see these patterns in many other movies. I'm just depicting the characters in recent films written, produced and cast by a very remarkable playwright. We have all witnessed films where we cheer when the battered wife gains courage and strength to seek physical revenge on her husband. We think to ourselves it's okay because he deserves it due to the way he treated her. Yet its not okay. We have to find an alternative to violence.

Violence has become equivalent to sex in the media; it's used because it sells. The media does an excellent job in keeping us informed of shootings, kidnappings, robberies, etc. We see violence everywhere, movies, video games, the news, magazines and books. Yes indeed it is the job of the media to keep us informed but where do we draw the line?

The ladies after 5

Dear Blog.

After the discussion in class the other day I couldn't help but to ponder a little more. The clip we viewed from Project Runway showed a group of men, who happened to be drag queen performers that were having costumes designed by the shows contestants. While in drag the contestants referred to the drag queens using the pronoun she-natural right? Well is it also natural to use the same pronoun when their not in costume?

So I spoke with a good friend of mine who happens to be a drag performer himself, and his opinion was that if it walks like a duck its a duck. Meaning that if a man is dressed as a man he's to be referred to as Mr./Sir and vice versa. With transgender roles being so prevalent today society has to be culturally sensitive when referencing someone of this nature.

In my opinion if someone wishes to be accepted as one gender then they must practice the lifestyle of the gender on a 24/7 basis. Society is confused enough and the last thing we need is to have a set time schedule to differentiate a persons gender. In a nutshell-just call it how you see it.

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