Quotes
Quote #1: "You can gussy up Pocahontas's eagle feathers only so much. As for Mulan, when she does show up, it's in a kimono-like hanfu, the one that makes her miserable in the movie, rather than her warrior's gear" (Orenstein 14).
This quote is explaining how the more "ethnic" Disney characters don't show up as much as the main Princesses when it comes to little girl's outfits. Even in Mulan's case, the outfit with her attire is a feminine one that she didn't even like in the movie. I was shocked by this because I never even thought of them before. I guess because they are the "manlier" of the Disney characters, the creators just over-look them. It's kind of messed when you think about it because its like society is telling young girls who they are allowed to like and how they're suppose to dress.
Quote #2: "There is, however, ample evidence that the more mainstream media girls consume, the more importance they place on being pretty and sexy" (Orenstein 16).
This I did not find surprising at all. Of course the more girls are exposed to pop culture and mainstream media, the more they are going to want to look good. The problem is that the girls shown in mainstream media are suppose to look "perfect" but today's technology, all those "perfect girls" that are seen in ads, tv, and movies, don't even look like that because of the help from computers. That's why I get so upset when young girls wished they looked like models or actresses. The models and actresses don't even look like that themselves.
Quote #3: "Meanwhile, according to a 2006 survey of more than two-thousand school-aged children, girls repeatedly described a paralyzing pressure to be 'perfect': not only to get straight A's and be the student body president, editor of the newspaper, and even captain of the swim team but also to be 'kind and caring'" (Orenstein 17).
I was also not shocked when I read about these statistics. I to was the kind of girl who was worried if I was nice enough or caring enough to other people. Sometimes I would feel more self-conscious about that than I would about my looks. I think there's pressure out there for girls to be nicer than guys because it's the "feminine" thing to do. It all goes back to SCWAAMP. If a guy is really nice and friendly it makes him seem weak because society wants them to be tough, however if a girl is nice it seems normal.
Comments: I was always the kind of person who thought that Disney movies were great and always taught us life lessons. However, the more and more we discuss the real meanings behind them, the more I don't want my own kids to watch them.
Quotes:
Quote#1: "Then students started to notice patterns- like the absence of female characters in many of the older cartoons. When women do appear, they look like Jessica Rabbit or Playboy centerfolds- even in many of the new and "improved" children's movies" (Christensen 130).
Reading this quote really shocked me. Beforehand, I was a little confused on what the author meant by women being portrayed different in cartoons than men. After reading this, I totally understood and was kind of disgusted on what that really meant. This is part of the reason why so many young girls have problems with the way they look and sometimes drive themselves to eating disorders and depression at such a young age. These are just cartoons so it's pretty obvious that no one looks like that but it still gives young girls a false image of how they should look.
Quote# 2: "Both of these tales leave young women with two myths: Happiness means getting a man, and transformation from wretched conditions can be achieved through consumption- in their case, through new clothes and a new hairstyle" (Christensen 133).
This quote really caught my eye because I always found it gross when girls thought they needed to have a boyfriend. I have honestly never had a boyfriend and its not because I'm against it, I just feel that at this point and time in my life, I'm not mature enough to handle a relationship so I never did. I know many people feel that once you get to a certain age, it's like a law that you need to have a boyfriend or girlfriend and I don't think that way. I'm not the kind of person to have a boyfriend, just to have a boyfriend. I feel like the author of this article agrees with me in saying that it's disgusting that these cartoons for young girls are sending the message that you are only happy if you have a man.
Quote# 3: "Turning off the cartoons doesn't stop the racism and sexism. They can't escape, and now that they've started analyzing cartoons, they can't stop analyzing the rest of the world" (Christensen 134).
Here the author is saying that just because you don't let your kids watch cartoons, does not mean they won't be exposed to the racism and sexism that society teaches our kids. You will still find it the news, movies, other television shows, and even in commercials. It's not about keeping your kids away from it because racism and sexism will always be there, but it's about teaching your kids that racism and sexism is wrong and that we are all equal.
Going farther into the topic of sexism and racism in movies, here is link that explains some more interesting and surprising messages: http://racismandsexismstartyoung.blogspot.com/2011/12/racism-and-sexism-in-disney-movies.html
Reflection:
Bullying is one of my biggest pet peeves, so reading this article was really upsetting to me. To know that kids as young as kindergarden are showing signs of bullying and name calling just disgusts me. As teachers, we like to think that kids are all pure and they're like minds to mold. Clearly that is not the case and I have experienced this first hand.
I volunteered at my dance school to be a teacher's aid and I loved it. The kids were great to me and they were a lot of fun. However, they weren't always great to each other. There were these two girls who always picked on and made fun of this one girl. I don't know if her race had anything to do with the bullying, but she was in fact Middle Eastern. Watching this made me flashback to when there were two girls who did the exact thing to me in my dance class. However, I was the kind of kid who never let bullies bother me and I always gave it back to them. Unfortunately, this young girl was just so shy that she never really said anything to them because she didn't want to cause trouble. The instructor never said anything about it either and I don't know if it was because she didn't know it was happening or if she didn't want to get involved.
I know there are teachers who will completely ignore the fact that bullying is happening and this makes me so upset. I always promised myself that I would never be that teacher and I would always be the kind of teacher who kids can come and talk to with any problems they are having. If kids can't trust you, then how do you expect them to learn from and respect you?
The other problem with this is the fact that teachers are using the kind of language that we don't our students to use. We have to teach our students the problems with using these kinds of words because these words can really hurt people. They're the next generation and we want them to live in a society where everyone can respect each other andnot feel alone and isolated.
The whole bullying thing is just a sensitive subject for me. I was glad I was able to read this article and able to talk about my experiences with bullying. I can promise you I will never be that teacher who pretends that bullying doesn't really happen and it's not our main concern. It affects our students in so many ways that we don't even know and if we don't stop it now, things are never going to get better.
Quotes
Quote #1: "With great tact the visitors continued, 'Is it possible for you and your husband to encourage your children to practice their English when they are home?' Of course my parents complied" (Rodriguez 35).
In this quote the nuns from Richard's school come to tell his parents they would prefer them to speak English at home so Richard can speak better and more often in class. In my opinion, I find this to be ridiculous. I understand it would be helpful for Richard if he heard his parents in the national language. On the other hand, it's like having their family change their entire culture and who they really are.
Quote #2: "One day in school I raised my hand to volunteer an answer. I spoke out in a loud voice. And I did not think it remarkable when the entire class understood. That day, I moved very far from the disadvantaged child I had been only days earlier" (Rodriguez 36).
This quote is Richard talking about how much more confident he is in class now that he can understand the English spoken. Here, I can see why it is important for Richard to be hearing English as his main language at home. He will understand the lessons and be able to answer and contribute to the class.
Quote #3: "By contrast, my father seemed reconciled to the new quiet. Though his English improved somewhat, he retired into silence" (Rodriguez 37).
This quote is saying that now that Richard's family has resorted to speaking in English, his father can no longer follow what they are saying and now just sits in silence. This is obviously a con of changing the language at home. Now it's harder for Richard to communicate with his own father.
Comments: This whole article is a touchy subject because having a student's family change their native language has its pros and cons. Like I said before it gives the child the confidence to be able to speak in class, but on the other hand, it can cause friction at home like when Richard's father could no longer speak because he didn't know English very well. Reading this article, made me realize that things like this happen all the time in this country. Immigrants move from other countries and have to learn the native language to become "Americanized". In my opinion, it's all pretty ridiculous. We should be trying to help the students inside the classroom rather than trying to change their whole home life.
Quotes
Quote #1: "White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, code books, visas, clothes, tools and blank checks" (McIntosh 1).
In this text, Peggy McIntosh talks a lot about white privilege and the "white privilege knapsack." But what is the white privilege knapsack? To me it's an invisible bag that all white people are wearing at all times. Since they are white, they are lucky enough to have all the right tools to help them in any tough situation. On the other hand, black people also have a bag they carry around. However, they have about one-third of the tools that white people have. This has nothing to do with their skills or how much money that have. It has only to do with the color of their skin.
This bag that black people carry around is suppose to help them in any siuation wheather it be getting into college or getting a good job. The white people will be able to get the better jobs and get to college much easier than blacks because of all the tools they have in their bag to help them.
Quote #2: "Life is not what one makes of it; many doors open for certain people through no virtues of their own" (McIntosh 4).
I have always heard the quote "Life is what you make of it." Reading this part of the article made me re-think the meaning of the quote. The author is right about how life is not always your own take upon it. Privilege is what makes your life. You can be black, trying so hard to be successful and privilege just gets in the way. It's liked a locked door and you don't have the key to get in. You try so hard to get it open, but without the key, you'll never get through. For a white person, the privilege door isn't even locked. They still have to get it open but its much easier to open because of their privilege.
Quote #3: "I think whites are carfully taught not to recognize white privilege, as males are taught not to recognize male privilege" (McIntosh 1).
In this quote, the author is trying to say that people of a dominent or privileged group, are taught not to realize that privilege exists. They feel it does not affect them, so it's not really happening. Privilege and Racism usually are only noticed by the people it affects the most. I feel that if the privileged people don't take into consideration what is going on, then nothing will ever be solved.
Comments:
I never thought of bandages being part of white privilege. Now that I have read about it, I can see where the author is coming from. Bandages always come in "flesh colored." But who's to say that everyone's flesh color is the same? Many people are much darker than the color that bandages come in. It's just another way that white privilege is very powerful in this country.
