Reflection on 11.15 Class Discussion

The video Reel Bad Arabs (2006) opened my eyes to a lot of films that I've never seen. I wonder if any of the films were directed by women. As Sam had mentioned, Dr. Jack Shaheen repeatedly incorrectly uses the term Arabs throughout the film. I was wondering why no one in his field had mentioned this to him. It saddens me that no one he worked with noticed. The terms Middle Eastern, Arab, and Muslim are often used in place of one another and I'm glad it was brought up in this class. I wish younger students were taught about this because I think that the younger we are, the more certain ideas are repeated, and get cemented. 

I remembering watching the Disney movie Aladdin (1992) when I was younger. Of course, I had never thought of it in that way. I had never paid attention to the lyrics of the song and connected it to a culture. But listening to the opening song in class the other day, suddenly I was shocked and ashamed. How and why had I never thought about this before? Would you let children watch this? Is there more harm than good being done by a seemingly innocent animated children's movie? For some reason, this reminded me of McDonalds and how, in the past especially, younger children were targeted as consumers. Toys and other "fun" things were used to grab children's eyes.

It made me seriously think about all of the other Disney movies and the stereotypes that are being used. I remember reading "Holly and Melissa's Multicultural Curriculum" and wonder how children are influenced by watching these ideas. The sad truth is I don't think that the influence can be truly deciphered. I think it is a combination of one's environment, family, friends, and individual ideas that come together. 

One quote that Dr. Shaheen said was that people become "comfortable with their prejudices." There is truth in this and I think many television shows perpetuate (there's that word again!) stereotypes because it is easier than gaining an understanding of the complexities of an individual or a culture. 

In watching the clip from Sex and the City 2 (2010), I thought it was ironic that Sarah Jessica Parker's character was judging the women for being "voiceless" and suppressed when she was the one who had to flash a part of her body in order to get a ride. I mean, was that supposed to be an example of a "liberated" woman? How is this showing a woman who is embracing and is empowered by her sexuality? 

Bad Girls music video

I recently came across this music video by British pop star M.I.A called "Bad Girls".
When I first saw it, I laughed because some of the things that happen in the video do actually happen in real life (driving the car sideways, YouTube "changing tires while driving" or "Saudi street skating"), but more than anything, I was confused. I didn't understand why M.I.A shot her video in the Middle East and I didn't understand why the people in the video were Arabs. I looked up her biography and she has nothing to do with the Middle East, so why was she associating herself with it?
I'm still not sure why I'm annoyed, asside from the guns everything is pretty much true. Most women really do walk around decked in designer things (I heard some gasps when we watched the SATC 2 clip when the women revealed couture under their abayas, what did you think? they were naked under there?) and the men really can be daredevils.
Maybe I was annoyed that she was singing about people she had nothing to do with? (my brother connected this video to Russel Brand's song "African Child" in the movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQqs-Cno5Bc )
It just doesnt make sense to me. Asside from that, I'm also annoyed that there had to be guns in the video, couldn't we Arabs just be portrayed for once as peaceful people? Also, what the heck are the lyrics "live fast, die young, bad girls do it well" "don't go screaming if I blow you with a bang" "hands up, hands tied"supposed to be referencing? suicide bombing/ shootings/ suppression of women?
I'm just.....I don't know I guess I'm just very confused by the content.

Whatever her reasons, I'm EXTREMELY curious what other people think because so far I've  only heard
my siblings opinions and the'yre basically like mine. 
Asside from that, Why do you think there always have to be violent/ repressive 
symbols when referencing the Arab world? And why do you think it's
 titled "Bad Girls" when there are just as many men as there are women in the video?

Alya Fetyani

Media Moment, Arab Men: Exposed

It is crucial to view the representation of Arab women in the media within the context of the simultaneous representation of Arab men - their so-called oppressors. Some of our readings discussed this very issue. Last week, in what could only be a sign from the heavens, I came upon this art project being carried out by Tamara Abdul Hadi called "Picture an Arab Man."

In the project, Abdul Hadi attempts to portray a "new" side of Arab (whom she explicity men that is not aligned with the villainous portrayal they are given in popular media. Her photos, which present naked to semi-naked men from countries all over the Middle East, show vulnerability and softness, in direct contrast to the "oppressive" and harsh stereotypes people often have in mind.

On her website, Abdul Hadi states that the project is a "celebration of their sensual beauty, an unexplored aspect of the identity of the contemporary Arab man on the cusp of change in a society that reveres an out-dated form of hyper-masculinity." Her work simultaneously challenges the perception of this group in both Arab and Western societies.

Personally, I'm both amazed and annoyed by this. I love the concept, and definitely recognize its utility especially in the United States and European societies. On the other hand, I hate that something like this is even required. But I guess this frustration is common in social change/activism, and the things that seem most obvious to the people who are working to change them are not often that obvious to the general public.

Question: While Abdul Hadi's work is great, is it taking away attention from the issues that Arab women face that are perpetuated by men- issues like sexual harassment and limited political access?  Could she have used her art in a better way? What is the balance?

In another vein, why is it important for feminists to understand and study masculinity?

Media Moment

I saw this 30 second commercial and the first thing that came to mind was sharing it with the class.

Dewar's - The Drinking Man's Scotch

From the title it is known its an alcohol commercial but in the back of my mind I was already expecting more.  It brought me back to the champagne commercial we saw in the first classes.  Women are hypersexualized in advertisements to draw in men's attention as if it's the only way it can be done.  Before this class, I would have watched this commercial and not thought much of it.  Now I see it and automatically see it in a different way than others.  In my opinion, from the beginning the women coming out of the apartment as the camera is on its way in, and how the woman or "narrator" says "you  might be wondering is this the one you want?" As soon as the camera enters the room it makes you think something totally different from liquor.  From this point on the camera focuses on different of the woman's body parts.

Why must women be used in this way to draw attention to an alcoholic drink?

A post about a scarf

A friend of mine recently posted this article on her blog. I thought it would be perfect to share with the class given the recent readings we did about Arab women. Though the circumstances are unfortunate, it made me really happy to see that there are still people out there who try to understand.

My questions from the article is, do you think these girls would have gotten a different reaction had they been Nuns with covered hair? Had they been Jewish with scarves/ wigs?
The girl in the photo is very American looking compared to other Arabs, so do you think the woman even noticed her face or just the scarf? Do you think she got that reaction because of the scarf or because of what it implies?

http://shahira-k.tumblr.com/post/34894688142/168cm-farahhhh-imperfectwriting-i-went-to

Alya Fetyani

Media Moment, “NYMed: Episode I”

http://abc.go.com/watch/ny-med/SH55214626/VD55217744/episode-1

I decided to attach this episode to the blog because as a nursing student I am truly offended with the portrayal of nurses, particularly female nurses in this episode.  As you watch the episode the one nurse who is repeatedly shown is Marina who although well educated and ranked top of her graduating class is portrayed as the “hot, yet dumb, nurse”.  Her inappropriateness to her client’s persisting erection and then her later inappropriate acceptance of dinner with a former patient of hers perpetuates the notion that female nurses are there just that—sexual, tender species who lack adequate education as compared to their male counterpart, the physicians.  This episode again reiterates an old belief that nursing is a female occupation and you only become a nurse when you are not smart enough to be accepted into medical school.  This message is portrayed in the way that the film crew has decided to distinguish the “knowledgeable” and respected physicians from the more immature nursing staff.  Although there were exceptions to the sexes of the physicians and nurses, a majority of them were divided based upon their sex—the males were physicians and the females were nurses.  This sexualization of occupations and the stereotypes that are perpetuated in this episode are profound, from the “hot, dumb blond” we know as Marina to the “Indian doctor” named Dr. Arundi Mahendran down to “chivalrous, handsome, brown haired gentleman” that is popularly known as Dr. Oz.  In a field that is already getting a lot of heat for the perception that there is little care and compassion in medicine, such a show turns a serious field into a soap opera with drama, suspense, and plenty of sexuality.  In a society that is greatly medically illiterate and unknowing to the inner workings of the medical system, what disadvantages does such a show put on medical professionals, particularly female professionals?

Class Discussion, Oct. 24, 2012

     This post addresses the question Abe had posed in class yesterday about why it's offensive to label all individuals from the Asian continent as "Asian" but why the same is not true when we label "Americans" as such, although "Americans" too stem from different origins.  Although I can understand his perspective, truth be told, I believe that the argument is like comparing apples to oranges--Asians, as a whole, are a group of people that have hardly been explored, learned, or taught through the media, so our frustrations stem from the fact that "Asians" are a continent of people who are not only of different origins, but of different practices, religions, traditions, histories, and ultimately languages that divide us and make us incomprehensible to other "Asians".  We are a people of a continent that is always viewed as the submisssive, the aggressors, and now--in current times--terrorists.  The reason why, personally speaking, it's irrelevant to distinguish our origins when we label ourselves as "American" is because of the sheer fact that we have chosen to take on that title, we have chosen to acclimate to those ideals, those cultures, those practices, and all that belongs and is associated with "American" ways (for lack of better words).  WE CHOOSE to let go of our origins to acclimate to the current association of being "American".  Simply put, familarity in being American is why it's irrelevant to distinguish our origins, because although we all come from a different ethnic past that defines how and when we arrived here in the States, we are familiar with the expecations and ideals of this country--the same is not true for the entirety of the Asian continent.  There are no similarities or familiarities amongst the Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Indians, Arabians, Iraqis, etcs.  because we are all of a totally different breed. 

--Christina Zachariah