Chapter Four: The Spread of Ideology: “Controlling Images” and

Racism in the Media By Tanya Maria Golash-Boza

Ethnoracial Group Portrayals • Portrayals are patterned to present particular

characterizations over and over. These can be considered “controlling images” in media, social media, and video games.

• These portrayals then represent members of that group either in flawed or super-human ways. These are both messages about what groups and individual members of these groups are like.

• Under-representation is also an issue. • Portrayals of a group of people also portray

masculine and feminine expectations of that group.

Figure 4-1a.Television Representations by Race/Ethnicity, 2010Source: Kopacz and Lawton (2011a); Monk- Turner et al. (2010).

Figure 4-1a: Kopacz and Lawton 2011, Monk-Turner et al. 2010

Figure 4-1b.Percentage of U.S. Population by Race/Ethnicity, 2010Source: U.S. census (2010).

Figure 4-1b: U.S. Census

Native American Stereotypes

Native American Women Native American Men

Princess Savage

Hypersexual savage Noble

Squaw Wise

Serves white interests Sidekicks

Matriarch Shamans

Johnny Depp plays Tontoin The Lone Ranger (2013).

p. 104: The KobalCollection at Art Resource, NY

What stereotype do you see in this

description of representations? A food product that you can purchase at various grocery outlets is Land O’Lakes Butter. The image features a slim Indian Maiden in a tribally unidentifiable dress serving butter on a platter to whoever is looking at the image. The serving princess image is part of this advertisement.

Arab American Stereotypes

Arab American Women Arab American Men

Exotic Terrorists

Victim of discrimination Victim of discrimination

Veiled Billionaires

Arab American Stereotypes

“Evelyn Asultany (2008) points out that in the aftermath of September 11, some television shows took up the question of whether it was fair to discriminate against Arab or Muslim Americans in the name of national security. Asultany contends that this representation leads to the conclusion that Americans have to choose between protecting the nation and discriminating against Arabs and Arab Americans (who are, according to the subtext, prone to being dangerous).” (p 103)

Example of Arab American Stereotype

This is a description of a billboard that was created in 2005. “The ad depicts an individual whose face is covered by a Kufiya (the traditional male headdress in some Arab countries,) [sic] carrying a hand-grenade with what appears to be a blood smear and a driver's license. The billboard also features nonsensical Arabic letters that were simply lined up without forming any words. Additionally, there are two figures in the background wearing military fatigues, black masks, and green bandanas on their heads with what appear to be Arabic words. Superimposed on the images is a caption that reads ‘Don't License Terrorists, North Carolina!’” (American Arab Anti-discrimination Committee, December 7, 2005)

Masculine and Feminine Black

StereotypesBlack Women Black Men

Mammy—image of a black female servant who is nurturing

Athletes—shown as prominent role for black men

Sapphire—angry woman—who shows anger both in words and with body language

Thugs—this is shown through gangster-type imagery, with particular dress and mannerisms

Jezebel—hypersexual black woman

Rapists—especially shown as rapists of white women

Tragic Mulatto—a woman who comes from white and black ancestry who experiences emotional agony over her identity and often sacrifices herself

Sidekicks—this is usually a companion of a white man who dominates the story line of a film or presentation.

What image type do you see in this

description of representations? A comic strip in February 2011 showed a representation of Michelle Obama eating dinner with President Barack Obama (Parkin, n.d.). Both of them were drawn as cartoonish, and Michelle Obama was depicted as angry, over-indulgent, and aggressive. Both terms of the Barack Obama presidency faced such imagery. This representation includes which stereotype: a) Sapphireb) Jezebel c) Mammy d) Sidekick

In the 1980s, The CosbyShow became one oftelevision’s most popularprograms.

p. 98: NBC via Getty Images

(a) Hattie McDaniel as “Mammy” in Gone withthe Wind (1939).

p. 99(a): Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

Latina/o StereotypesIncreasingly, Latinos’ portrayals in media consist of negative imagery.

Latinas Latinos

Sexually-alluring Latina:Cantina GirlSuffering SeñoritaVamp

Latin lover

Maids and Nannies Working class:Police officerJanitorGardener

Criminal: GangbangerBanditNarco-trafficker

Figure 4-2.Representations of Blacks, Latinos/as, and Whites on Television during March 2007Source: Monk-Turner et al. (2010).

Figure 4-2: Monk and Turner (2010)

What image type do you see in this

description of representations? The Frito Bandito (bandit) character was part of advertising for Frito brand corn chips for four years in the early 1970s. Described as “pudgy, greasy, illiterate-sounding, jolly thief,” the image showed a gun-toting, short cartoonish man with a twirled mustache, a large sombrero, and wearing two bullet belts and two guns (Carrillo, 2003 Summer). The character prided himself on his ability to steal corn chips. Here is a You Tube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOUilxJWm24

Have you heard of this character? What other advertisements show stereotypical imagery?

Frito Bandito

Ay, ay, ay, ay! oh, I am dee Frito Bandito. I like Fritos Corn Chips I love them, I do. I want Fritos Corn Chips. I'll take them, from you.

Sang to the tune of Cielito Lindo

The Frito Bandito was the Fritos Corn Chips mascot from 1967-1971

Asian American Stereotypes

Asian American Women Asian American Men

Hypersexual Seductress: Dragon Lady-evil characterButterfly- submissive character

One-dimensionalCreepyEffeminate

Inscrutable Asian Inscrutable Asian

Constantly mistaken as non-American

Constantly mistaken as non-American

Swedish American actor Walter Oland (1879-1938) played the chief character in Earl Biggers novel. A total of fifteen movies were made with Oland in the starring role. Twenty-first century critics’ critiques range with Chan being depcited as a heroic, intelligent, honorable character. Others see Chan reinforcing condescending stereotypes such an incapacity to speak idiomatic English to a subservient nature.

1. Admitting failure like drinking bitter tea.  (Charlie Chan in Egypt)

2. After dinner is over, who cares about spoon?  (Docks of New Orleans)

3. Always happens – when conscience tries to speak, telephone out of order.  (The Black Camel)

4. Ancient ancestor once say, “Even wise man cannot fathom depth of woman’s smile.” (The Shanghai Cobra)

5. Ancient ancestor once say, “Words cannot cook rice.” (Charlie Chan in Reno)

6. Ancient proverb say. “Never bait trap with wolf to catch wolf.” (Shadows Over Chinatown)

7. Ancient proverb say, “One small wind can raise much dust.” (Dark Alibi)

8. Anxious man hurries too fast and stubs big toe. (Charlie Chan’s Courage)

http://blog.adw.org/2012/03/100-charlie-chan-sayings-and-proverbs-a-surprisingly-good-selection-of-truisms-and-insights-for-your-reading-pleasure/

Charlie Chan Sayings/Proverbs

Stereotype Example: Clothing Line

A series of T-shirts made by a popular clothing company created controversy as the clothing reproduced graphics that communicated the message that Asian Americans were “forever foreign.” The shirts featured the Wong brothers dressed in stereotypical hats and what could be interpreted as peasant outfits, and one shirt sported a laundry service depicted with “Two Wongs can make it White.” (The Critical Media Project, n.d.)

More Aspects of Stereotypes

• Media can also be used to counteract stereotypes such as through memes.

• “Pop culture representations of people of color have evolved over time yet continue to propagate old racial ideologies. While the seventeenth-century representation of black men as lazy served to justify slavery, the current representation of black men as thugs serves to justify the astonishingly high rates of incarceration of black men today.” (p. 112)

• Images can be particular to certain cross sections of race, class, and gender

• Members of racial groups can either challenge or reinforce stereotypes in their own media products.

Responses to Stereotypes

“Faced with these images, we can:1) internalize them and accept them as reality,2) resist them and develop our own ideas about black masculinity or femininity [or other groups by gender], or3) ignore them. Any of these reactions requires some action on our part and will affect how we think of ourselves and others.” (p. 114)

References for Images American Arab Anti-discrimination Committee. (2005, December 7). Stop Racist Billboard Campaign: ADC Action Alert. Retrieved from http://www.naba.org.uk/Content/articles/Diaspora/601_BillBoard_Campain.htm

Carrillo, K. J. (2003, Summer). Highly offensive: Karen Juanita Carrillo Examines the Ongoing Currency of Racist Curios. Retrieved from http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/links/newslist/offensive.htm

References for Images The Critical Media Project. (n.d.). Wong Brothers T-Shirt About. Retrieved fromhttp://www.criticalmediaproject.org/cml/media/abercrombie-fitch-wong-brothers-t-shirt/

Parkin, J. K. (n.d.) Hudnall, Lash under fire for Political Cartoon Retrieved March 22, 20014 from http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2011/02/hudnall-lash-under-fire-for-political-cartoon/