Media Moment 2: New Obsession- The 'Thigh Gap'

 

The article " 'Thigh Gap' : Reflections On Teenage Girls Latest Obsession" , by Silvia Pagan Westphal is about a mother and her thoughts and concerns about this new fad for teen girls and young adults. She talks about the conflicting world of images, and how media and social networking sites contribute to these problems. She also touches on how family members influence the way a young girl sees themselves.

After reading the article I looked up thigh gap in the search engine and what I found was saddening. The Tumblr, @Carasthighgap twitter page, and the Sexy Thigh Gap photos at thechive.com were really a negative I thought. I saw that on the Tumblr page a lot of the photos were celebrities or models and the Twitter page is an ode to model Cara Delevingne.

Why do girls feel the need to post half naked pictures on social networking sites?
How do you think Photoshop affects girls? 
How can we educate girls more on genetics and being healthy?
and
If you had any questions to add?

Media Moment- Derewko Torres- Extra

Does anyone find this offensive?

This is actress Michelle Williams not an actual native american person. Many of us may know her as a very white and blonde actress yet here for the cover of this magazine she appears to have taken on a role of a redface. This came to my attention because the term blackface was used a lot in the documentary we saw last week and I wondered if this could be equally offensive? Can anyone else think of other examples like this one?

Hey There Malala

Taliban Says It Would Try to Kill Malala Yousafzai Again

Sixteen year old Malala Yousafzai has become Taliban's prime killing target. Her courageously advocating women's education in war-laden Pakistan has left Taliban members shaken. Yousafzai was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman on October 9, 2012 which helped further secure Taliban's infamy whilst ameliorating her heroism. Young Yousafzai continues her advocating legacy after surviving the attack. She has been globally recognized as a women's right's activist and heroine since the shooting. This incident exposes the world to the existing grotesque reality of inequity, bigotry, and extreme sexist violence. What strikes a chord in me about this incident and any that mirror it is that in oppressive cultures with intense Islamic influences as Pakistan, women are sheltered for the sake of preserving "purity." Just to clarify, I do not by any means support the forms of oppression fundamentalist cultures promote, I just want to introduce a different perspective on a never-ending conundrum. Western culture, specially modern day western culture, is the emblem of "haram" to Islamic fundamentalists. Hegemonic western influence lets under-privileged people conceive that westerners are educated peoples. Islamic fundamentalists don't need media literacy to conceptualize western decadence. They see the image of women being prostituted in the media so they take all measures necessary to keep their sisters and mothers blind to its influence. I think western decadence has strengthened Islamic fundamentalism in underdeveloped parts of the world. So, when these guys (the Islamist bread-winners) take in that western hegemony seemingly promotes a culture rich with education yet one that overtly dehumanizes women (i.e. publishes magazine issues with a scantily clad Miley on its cover) the association makes them fear the road that possibly lies ahead of muslim sisters if they are handed the torch of education. I fear that Taliban and Islamists at large apprehend hegemonic legacy of education to bring with it an inevitable decadence – a decadence they can do without in a war-torn culture. Once again, I do not condone oppression. I am terribly moved by Yousafzai's experience and repulsed by Taliban's depraved nature – however, I hugely believe that in order to fully grasp ferocious actions, a research of history should be called into play. I also believe that western culture thrives on stories such as Yousafzai's. It strengthens the negative image we've been made to believe of the Middle East and more specifically of Taliban. How can a tremendously patriarchal culture like America's point fingers at the sexist crimes of other nations? Our soldiers over seas are infamous for raping docile Afghani women. The sexism prevalent in fundamentalist cultures is very clear and evidently ferocious, not indoctrinated. This makes it much easier to point it out. But the indoctrinated sexism honed in the hegemonic west displays the illusion of "freedom" by soliciting decadent images of women and promotes a counterculture in which a nation affluent with resources such as America is breeding stupid, scantily clad girls. I don't think America has politically earned the right to shame sexism anywhere despite how ferocious.

Media Moment 2: "You don't need to let the music business make a prostitute of you."

Sinead O'Connor posted an open letter to Miley Cyrus in response to Cyrus stating in an interview with Rolling Stone that she was inspired by O'Connor when she created her music for "Wrecking Ball." O'Connor urges Cyrus to not let the music industry exploit her for her body.

The letter reads:

"OPEN LETTER TO MILEY CYRUS
Dear Miley,
I wasn't going to write this letter, but today i've been dodging phone calls from various newspapers who wished me to remark upon your having said in Rolling Stone your Wrecking Ball video was designed to be similar to the one for Nothing Compares… So this is what I need to say… And it is said in the spirit of motherliness and with love.
I am extremely concerned for you that those around you have led you to believe, or encouraged you in your own belief, that it is in any way ‘cool' to be naked and licking sledgehammers in your videos. It is in fact the case that you will obscure your talent by allowing yourself to be pimped, whether its the music business or yourself doing the pimping.
Nothing but harm will come in the long run, from allowing yourself to be exploited, and it is absolutely NOT in ANY way an empowerment of yourself or any other young women, for you to send across the message that you are to be valued (even by you) more for your sexual appeal than your obvious talent.
I am happy to hear I am somewhat of a role model for you and I hope that because of that you will pay close attention to what I am telling you.
The music business doesn't give a shit about you, or any of us. They will prostitute you for all you are worth, and cleverly make you think its what YOU wanted.. and when you end up in rehab as a result of being prostituted, ‘they' will be sunning themselves on their yachts in Antigua, which they bought by selling your body and you will find yourself very alone.
None of the men oggling you give a shit about you either, do not be fooled. Many's the woman mistook lust for love. If they want you sexually that doesn't mean they give a fuck about you. All the more true when you unwittingly give the impression you don't give much of a fuck about yourself. And when you employ people who give the impression they don't give much of a fuck about you either. No one who cares about you could support your being pimped.. and that includes you yourself.
Yes, I'm suggesting you don't care for yourself. That has to change. You ought be protected as a precious young lady by anyone in your employ and anyone around you, including you. This is a dangerous world. We don't encourage our daughters to walk around naked in it because it makes them prey for animals and less than animals, a distressing majority of whom work in the music industry and it's associated media.
You are worth more than your body or your sexual appeal. The world of showbiz doesn't see things that way, they like things to be seen the other way, whether they are magazines who want you on their cover, or whatever.. Don't be under any illusions.. ALL of them want you because they're making money off your youth and your beauty.. which they could not do except for the fact your youth makes you blind to the evils of show business. If you have an innocent heart you can't recognise those who do not.
I repeat, you have enough talent that you don't need to let the music business make a prostitute of you. You shouldn't let them make a fool of you either. Don't think for a moment that any of them give a flying fuck about you. They're there for the money.. we're there for the music. It has always been that way and it will always be that way. The sooner a young lady gets to know that, the sooner she can be REALLY in control.
You also said in Rolling Stone that your look is based on mine. The look I chose, I chose on purpose at a time when my record company were encouraging me to do what you have done. I felt I would rather be judged on my talent and not my looks. I am happy that I made that choice, not least because I do not find myself on the proverbial rag heap now that I am almost 47 yrs of age.. which unfortunately many female artists who have based their image around their sexuality, end up on when they reach middle age.
Real empowerment of yourself as a woman would be to in future refuse to exploit your body or your sexuality in order for men to make money from you. I needn't even ask the question.. I've been in the business long enough to know that men are making more money than you are from you getting naked. Its really not at all cool. And its sending dangerous signals to other young women. Please in future say no when you are asked to prostitute yourself. Your body is for you and your boyfriend. It isn't for every spunk-spewing dirtbag on the net, or every greedy record company executive to buy his mistresses diamonds with.
As for the shedding of the Hannah Montana image.. whoever is telling you getting naked is the way to do that does absolutely NOT respect your talent, or you as a young lady. Your records are good enough for you not to need any shedding of Hannah Montana. She's waaaaaaay gone by now.. Not because you got naked but because you make great records.
Whether we like it or not, us females in the industry are role models and as such we have to be extremely careful what messages we send to other women. The message you keep sending is that its somehow cool to be prostituted.. its so not cool Miley.. its dangerous. Women are to be valued for so much more than their sexuality. we aren't merely objects of desire. I would be encouraging you to send healthier messages to your peers.. that they and you are worth more than what is currently going on in your career. Kindly fire any motherfucker who hasn't expressed alarm, because they don't care about you."

OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO:

DIRECTOR'S CUT:

What do you think about O'Connor's advice to Cyrus?
Do you think that Cyrus is exploiting or empowering herself?
Do you view Cyrus' use of her sex appeal as negative or positive?
What do you think it says that Cyrus released the version of the music video where she is naked instead of the second one which just features an close up shot of her face?
Any other comments about this letter are welcome!

For Cicely Tyson and Kerry Washington

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/29/fashion/for-cicely-tyson-and-kerry-washington-roles-of-a-lifetime.html?pagewanted=2&_r=0&smid=fb-nytimes

Hey,
I know we're not really supposed to post links BUT this is a rather long article from the NY Times. It's an interview with Cicely Tyson and Kerry Washington. I didn't know who Kerry Washington was before last class but her name popped up and so I read this and thought I'd share it with you. They touch upon race and gender and the portrayal of black women in films and television which I think fits nicely into last classes session.
Enjoy!

Media Moment 2- Derewko Torres

When did we become maids?

Moving into the Latina topic next week, I remembered this poster for a new show that I found very disturbing. Latino women are almost always depicted as maids even the very popular show Family Guy makes fun of it with a Mexican maid called Consuela.

I feel that Latino women are only depicted in two ways, either the very dumb but sexy chick or as a maid does anyone agree? Why do you think that is?

Issa Rae: Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl

Hey after our discussion I just wanted to direct you to the show I was talking about. Here's a little bit about the creator, Issa Rae

"Issa Rae, the multitalented CEO and Owner of Issa Rae Productions, is a pioneer in the fight against the narrow, mainstream portrayal of people of color in the media. With a dedicated and passionate team, and supportive fan base, Issa Rae Productions lends a voice to a demographic that largely goes unheard. The wide-spread success of Issa Rae’s webseries, “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl,” has unanimously placed Issa Rae at the forefront of the digital web revolution."  http://www.issarae.com/about-me/

This is the first episode, as I mentioned it's pretty low budget, but it gets better! Although we're not the same in looks, when I first watched this show it felt like the first time I was even close to physically and mentally relating to the person on my screen.

Also, had anyone previously heard of the series??? I've introduced a lot of my friends to it and I'm trying to gauge how widespread Issa Rae or the shows popularity are in reality.