Sunday, September 27, 2015

How are Minorities Portrayed in Today's Society?

Racial injustice in the US has come along way, but it is still a reoccurring and relevant issue today. Just walking through the lunchroom of Troy High, I tend to notice that different ethnic groups and genders always sit together. There is scientific evidence that we tend to gravitate towards people that have the same physical features as us.




This social phenomenon is also portrayed in popular films and TV shows. For example, in Orange is the New Black, the separation is a reoccurring theme throughout every episode. The minorities in the jail tend to stick together, just like the scientific evidence concluded. In the TV show, every ethnic group has their own separate bathrooms and claimed territories of their jail. The show provides a lot of diversity in the jail, ranging from; african american, white, asian, and different sexualities. It is very interesting to see how all of these different personalities get along under the poor conditions they are in. These different races are forced to acknowledge each other when they are in such a confined space. Of course, this causes tensions to be high when they don’t see eye to eye. They have to learn to cope with their racial stereotypes while still trying to create a safe community with so much diversity.


Popular entertainment like Orange is the New Black, and The Lone Ranger have a huge impact on how society looks at race. Their influences force society to make a biased judgement on the treatment of minorities. In this particular series, the show pokes fun at the stereotypes society tends to joke about.





In these particular GIFs, white women are implying that other minorities are subordinate to their own race. Unfortunately, to some, these racist ideals apply to the “real world” today. It seems like almost every time I turn on the TV, the unnecessary violence of a white police officer against an african american is being debated or protested against. If you consciously notice it or not, the media has influenced us to create an unfair judgement about minorities in today’s society.

2 comments:

  1. Hi Megan!
    Props to you for completing this Sunday morning as opposed to Monday morning!

    I enjoyed reading about your post, as you brought a different perspective to the table. As a minority, I found it interesting to read about your take on these issues. It's interesting to note that I concurred much of what you mentioned!

    Your GIFs, though comedic, portrayed the sad reality. Even though it's disappointing to witness and experience, the stereotypical lunchroom scene you depicted actually reflects some truth, even at Troy High where we are proud of the diversity and the integration.
    Nice post!

    Regards,
    Shannon Lin

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  2. Well my comment definitely will not be as formal as Shannon's, but I really did like your incorporation of media into this post. It really shows how we laugh at comments and jokes on minorities, but they really do hurt people and do mean something if that makes sense

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