Perception #2 - African Americans

As many of us are aware, the media can have a major influence on how we view and think about individuals, cultures, lifestyles, races and gender. Each of us has preconceived notions about these various groups, with some of those notions being accurate and others not.

One major group who has been stereotypically portrayed in media for decades now is the African American population. Perhaps the biggest stereotype placed upon them is the idea that they are lower class individuals who are not socially responsible, are not cultured, and are not attractive. Some examples below show how the media has stereotyped African American individuals.

1: Don Imus calls Rutgers women basketball players "nappy headed hoes"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xI9T0bT9iOY

2: Lebron James appears "savage" and uncultured on Vogue magazine (in contrast to an attractive, responsible white woman)

3: Family Guy portrays "90s black guys" as gun-wielding gangsters

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNMcBAoOSHo

Interestingly, these stereotypes are seen in media because they are often viewed as accurate. The single story being portrayed by the media is that African Americans are inferior to white people, and their choices, actions, and/or demeanors illustrate why that is. This can be supported by the fact that in each of these examples, the message seems to be that African Americans are uncultured. The biggest clues of this are the guns, the teeth-baring, and the suggestion that appearance is lacking when it comes to beauty. These are important to note because they often make those who consume media believe that these stereotypes are true, or may even support a previously established belief.

Although many people would likely be able to give examples of individuals who fall outside these established stereotypes, part of the reason these stereotypes exist is because they continue to penetrate popular media. This is limiting because it makes us think that African Americans are not capable of being responsible citizens. We equate violence with blacks, and may even begin to think they are less attractive and less privileged than white people. This can be detrimental to society, because it can lead individuals to fall into the stereotype, and can also result in prejudice attitudes and actions towards the African American population.

Overall, stereotypes play a major role in how we view those around us. It is important that we analyze what the media portrays about various races, cultures, religions, and other groups so that we do not become victim to believing or supporting these biases. Just because some individuals in a population may fit a stereotype, it does not mean that every individual in that population does. There are many white people who could just as well fit the examples illustrated above. We need to be careful that we don't one-story groups, but rather that we let them tell their own individual stories so that we can come to know who they truly are.