Every tv family has their special qualities, but hardly any can say they have two dads, or two moms. Since the '50s (which is as far as I can think of in terms of tv families), mainstraem family sitcoms have had the same model. There is the standard hard-working father, loving stay-at -home mother, trouble-maker son, and know-it-all sister. It may not be deliberate, but these families perpetuate the belief that a family should consist of a mother and father, not two fathers or two mothers. Unfortunately, these stereotypical families wouldn't be perpetuated if us viewers didn't want this on television. It's a viscious cycle, as the creaters and producers of these shows want to please their audience, which often consists of the nuclear family. The exclusion of homosexual parented families in media is discrimination because a whole population isn't being represent on televsion. Furthermore, this brings up the exclusion of other characters such as transgendered or a bisexual characters on television. Why do you think these types of characters are excluded from television shows?
For the past 50 years, a gay married couple as lead character in a sitcom was almost unheard of. It wasn't until 2009, when Modern Family first appeared on television screens that North America was exposed to a gay couple as leading characters in a family sitcom. This, in my opinion, is changing the face of family sitcoms in North America. As gay rights have become more evident in our society, so has their place on our television screens. The popularity of this sitcom has displayed the potential to have a successful portrayal of a gay couple on North American television.
For those of you who've never seen the show I've included a clip of Mitchell and Cameron, the gay couple on the show http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSKMSwil4J4
After watching this clip, do you think it is appropriate for television to portray gay couples? If so is it a fair portrayal of gay couples? Do you think the future of families tv families will change as a result of the success of Modern Family?
Tuesday, 31 May 2011
Monday, 30 May 2011
Beauty gone too far?
Hi Classmates.
Just recently I was watching Asian variety shows online. I watch these shows because of the many idols that I like and am also influenced by. Some reasons are how well they dress, how great their skin is or how they jut seem to be very confident and beautiful. For some asian people, beauty is something that they would like to achieve. Many women buy tons of makeup or certain things to enhance or fix whatever flaw that they may have. I find some methods are very ridiculous and some are helpful but in the end of the day it doesn't change who you are as a person.
Things are not always what they seem.
Taiwanese Models (Eng Sub)
It's a bit lengthy but it's quite interesting. This is a taiwanese game show, and I believe it is to win money to see who is the most beautiful.
After watching this video, I am a bit appaled. I'm not really surprised at some of these things but it made me really think that the media's top goal is to portray things the way they want it to be. What I didn't like was the expressions and reactions that people made while viewing these women in the 2 different points of view. They made sounds to what is pleasing and what is not. While watching these shows, people tend to pick that up really easily. It seems like they make it clear to everyone that the women without the makeup was hideous and ugly but after putting on the makeup they seem to be the hottest beings there. It's really funny too because even the women joke about how ugly other women are when they too are wearing makeup. I believe that these women were lovely in their own way but many people over exaggerate what is not considered to be beautiful that some people don't even have the choice but to follow the norm of beauty. This really shows that beauty is a tough industry that people must always follow or they will be scrutinized for how they look.
As for my question, Beauty gone too far? Yes, I do believe so. The whole industry, beauty and media alike are all about money. People are losing true identity of the original self in which many don't want to be themselves. Instead they want to be the pretty petite doll that many will adore. In my opinion, I find that make up in moderation is okay, but to change ones' appearance completely isn't right. Putting caterpillars (fake eyelashes) on their eyes or caking layers upon layers of makeup certainly don't exactly make them beautiful. Being yourself is the best.
Food for thought.
Here are just a few current asian trends that i've heard about and what I commonly know:
-Pale white skin
-Big beautiful eyes
Many people consider being light or fair skinned to be beautiful. I've read somewhere before that it was probably because the colour of the skin was to show ones' status. If you were rich and high up there, you'd be fair and if you worked for instance a farmer, you would be tanned from the hard labour. But being asian myself, I know that many seek out different moisturizers, different soaps and lotions to help whiten their skin and become pale. A lot of money has been spent in aquiring these products, all in the price of beauty. I've noticed that in certain movies the most beautiful characters tend to be white or very pale. Hence, Snow White as well as Edward, in Twilight. This comes to show that people are taking note to what is beautiful when they watch movies such as these. In contrast to the "white" ideaology, it is quite also different in the Western society, in which tanned and bronzed women being seem to be very attractive.
Another trend that if not many then some people consider to be beautiful is having the big beautiful eyes looking straight back at you. To enhance the eye or the eyeball area, some tend to put on fake lashes, big circle lenses, eye tape, heavy white eyeliner and even surgery. These are just some of the ways that will make their eyes stand out. It's a bit creepy, since porcelain dolls do look like that too.
Just to clarify:
fake lashes- fake hair eye lashes that people can glue to their own lashes to show that they have thicker and longer lashes.
big circle lenses- these lenses are just like contact lenses except they can be in different sizes (mostly bigger), they can have different designs, also be in many different colours.
eye tape- many people (mostly women) who have the monolid "asian" eye are always opting to either have surgery on their eye to make their eyes bigger. Instead they have this eye tape that they can use, in which they put it on their eye crease to create a larger eyelid. There are also certain creams that can create a double eyelid.
(Some of these products were used in the video)
Questions: (You dont have to answer all of these questions)
-Do you believe having shows like this is beneficial to the audience in a way that shows the society what is beautiful or not? Do they have a right?
- Do you think this women have gone to far for the price of beauty?What are some examples?
-What do you think about certain things to "enhance beauty" for example, contact lenses?
-In other countries, what else is considered to be beautiful? Is this being propagated by the media?
-What do you think makes a woman beautiful? In your opinion are these women beautiful or ugly? What makes you think whether a person is beautiful or ugly? (who or what influenced you to make such judgements)?
Just recently I was watching Asian variety shows online. I watch these shows because of the many idols that I like and am also influenced by. Some reasons are how well they dress, how great their skin is or how they jut seem to be very confident and beautiful. For some asian people, beauty is something that they would like to achieve. Many women buy tons of makeup or certain things to enhance or fix whatever flaw that they may have. I find some methods are very ridiculous and some are helpful but in the end of the day it doesn't change who you are as a person.
Things are not always what they seem.
Taiwanese Models (Eng Sub)
It's a bit lengthy but it's quite interesting. This is a taiwanese game show, and I believe it is to win money to see who is the most beautiful.
After watching this video, I am a bit appaled. I'm not really surprised at some of these things but it made me really think that the media's top goal is to portray things the way they want it to be. What I didn't like was the expressions and reactions that people made while viewing these women in the 2 different points of view. They made sounds to what is pleasing and what is not. While watching these shows, people tend to pick that up really easily. It seems like they make it clear to everyone that the women without the makeup was hideous and ugly but after putting on the makeup they seem to be the hottest beings there. It's really funny too because even the women joke about how ugly other women are when they too are wearing makeup. I believe that these women were lovely in their own way but many people over exaggerate what is not considered to be beautiful that some people don't even have the choice but to follow the norm of beauty. This really shows that beauty is a tough industry that people must always follow or they will be scrutinized for how they look.
As for my question, Beauty gone too far? Yes, I do believe so. The whole industry, beauty and media alike are all about money. People are losing true identity of the original self in which many don't want to be themselves. Instead they want to be the pretty petite doll that many will adore. In my opinion, I find that make up in moderation is okay, but to change ones' appearance completely isn't right. Putting caterpillars (fake eyelashes) on their eyes or caking layers upon layers of makeup certainly don't exactly make them beautiful. Being yourself is the best.
Food for thought.
Here are just a few current asian trends that i've heard about and what I commonly know:
-Pale white skin
-Big beautiful eyes
Many people consider being light or fair skinned to be beautiful. I've read somewhere before that it was probably because the colour of the skin was to show ones' status. If you were rich and high up there, you'd be fair and if you worked for instance a farmer, you would be tanned from the hard labour. But being asian myself, I know that many seek out different moisturizers, different soaps and lotions to help whiten their skin and become pale. A lot of money has been spent in aquiring these products, all in the price of beauty. I've noticed that in certain movies the most beautiful characters tend to be white or very pale. Hence, Snow White as well as Edward, in Twilight. This comes to show that people are taking note to what is beautiful when they watch movies such as these. In contrast to the "white" ideaology, it is quite also different in the Western society, in which tanned and bronzed women being seem to be very attractive.
Another trend that if not many then some people consider to be beautiful is having the big beautiful eyes looking straight back at you. To enhance the eye or the eyeball area, some tend to put on fake lashes, big circle lenses, eye tape, heavy white eyeliner and even surgery. These are just some of the ways that will make their eyes stand out. It's a bit creepy, since porcelain dolls do look like that too.
Just to clarify:
fake lashes- fake hair eye lashes that people can glue to their own lashes to show that they have thicker and longer lashes.
big circle lenses- these lenses are just like contact lenses except they can be in different sizes (mostly bigger), they can have different designs, also be in many different colours.
eye tape- many people (mostly women) who have the monolid "asian" eye are always opting to either have surgery on their eye to make their eyes bigger. Instead they have this eye tape that they can use, in which they put it on their eye crease to create a larger eyelid. There are also certain creams that can create a double eyelid.
(Some of these products were used in the video)
Questions: (You dont have to answer all of these questions)
-Do you believe having shows like this is beneficial to the audience in a way that shows the society what is beautiful or not? Do they have a right?
- Do you think this women have gone to far for the price of beauty?What are some examples?
-What do you think about certain things to "enhance beauty" for example, contact lenses?
-In other countries, what else is considered to be beautiful? Is this being propagated by the media?
-What do you think makes a woman beautiful? In your opinion are these women beautiful or ugly? What makes you think whether a person is beautiful or ugly? (who or what influenced you to make such judgements)?
Thursday, 26 May 2011
Homosexuality in Hip Hop
Hello all,
I thought I'd get the ball rolling by posting our first piece for discussion. Watch the following video and share your thoughts. I've also included some questions for you to consider and respond to.
Do you think that the term "no homo" is really necessary in regards to defending your sexual orientation? If not, why then is it used so often? When responding to this, I ask you to think about our own halls at KCI. I can honestly say that I hear this phrase repeated often. If you do not identify as homosexual, why must you repeat this phrase?
As well, do artists (particularly rappers) try to maintain and uphold a certain image? Would this image be shattered if a singer identified their sexual orientation as homosexual?
Additionally, homophobia is definitely prevelent in our society (as it is in other parts of the world). What do you think accounts for this irrational fear? Is related to ethnicity, culture, religion, personal ideologies and beliefs, values, our upbringing, the media, etc...?
Lastly, do you think that Bryan Safi has gone too far with this video? Will it be offensive to some viewers? Or, do you believe that he has brought humour and sarcasm to a topic that needs to be addressed?
Looking foward to your insights.
That's Gay: No Homo
I thought I'd get the ball rolling by posting our first piece for discussion. Watch the following video and share your thoughts. I've also included some questions for you to consider and respond to.
Do you think that the term "no homo" is really necessary in regards to defending your sexual orientation? If not, why then is it used so often? When responding to this, I ask you to think about our own halls at KCI. I can honestly say that I hear this phrase repeated often. If you do not identify as homosexual, why must you repeat this phrase?
As well, do artists (particularly rappers) try to maintain and uphold a certain image? Would this image be shattered if a singer identified their sexual orientation as homosexual?
Additionally, homophobia is definitely prevelent in our society (as it is in other parts of the world). What do you think accounts for this irrational fear? Is related to ethnicity, culture, religion, personal ideologies and beliefs, values, our upbringing, the media, etc...?
Lastly, do you think that Bryan Safi has gone too far with this video? Will it be offensive to some viewers? Or, do you believe that he has brought humour and sarcasm to a topic that needs to be addressed?
Looking foward to your insights.
That's Gay: No Homo
Wednesday, 25 May 2011
Welcome to your New Media Assignment
Hello grade 12s,
One of your media assignments is to maintain an academic and formal discussion on this blog page. Specific guidelines and instructions will be given to you (in the form of a handout) in class. Enjoy!
One of your media assignments is to maintain an academic and formal discussion on this blog page. Specific guidelines and instructions will be given to you (in the form of a handout) in class. Enjoy!
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