Stereotypic Facade on the Example of Americas Next Top Model - Essay Example

Stereotypic Façade America’s Next Top Model has employed stereotypic language and features concerning Asian Americans and African Americans. Some literature materials rise in defense of reality TV arguing that women are not forced to appear in such shows. Jennifer Pozner’s article “Ghetto Bitches, China Dolls, and Cha Cha Divas” raise her concerns regarding millions of young women who pose as either actors or viewers. According to Pozner, women are depicted as gold diggers, bitches, and morons in these shows. She indicates how reality TV reveal race and gender stereotypes, for example, in ANTM Tyra Banks claims: “I do not want to cast another black bitch” (399). In todays culture, racial and gender stereotypes are emerging in popularity, which is evident in America’s Next Top Model. The participants whom associate in damaging behavior like acting in pornographic movies, use of foul language, binge drinking and violently attacking paparazzi become representatives of their race, which is strongly perceived in reality TV shows to enhance acceptance and the perturbing assumption behind the color of their skin. This consequently creates detrimental effects on both the participants as well as the audience by conveying women as victims and criticizing their race and culture. Most reality shows are racially and sexually stereotypical. For instance, American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, Flavor of Love, and Survivor reinforce stereotypes. As depicted in Flavor of Love, 12 voluptuous women are trying to win the heart of Flavor Flave. The description of each woman’s “assets” is done in detail. The show reaffirms negative stereotypes about African American women (Watson 88). Such shows relate to Pozner’s assertions that, the media plays a major role in the behavior of the audience. Viewers have waited for years and with bated breath to see “the evil black woman” or “the angry black man” win a reality TV competition. Their progression through reality TV contests is considered an opportunity, and they are expected to show gratitude for this once-in-a-lifetime prospect. The participants of these shows cannot benefit if they fail to adhere to dominant ideas about gender, race, and sexuality. The reality TV shows have fail to accommodate African American women and this is shown by the failure of African American woman to fit in the few sanctioned contemporary roles. These roles include the abusive single mother and the ubiquitous African American woman judge. These women are participants as well as victims of the terrors conveyed by the system of beauty. As well, they are partakers in the delights of reality TV shows. According to Pozner, Tiffany Richardson, a “ghetto black Barbie” is belittled and branded under certain categories by Tyra Banks (400). Pozner is critical of Bank’s stereotypic behavior. The producers of the ANTM reality show succeeds in portraying Tiffany as one who has a bad reputation and that all African American women are the same: “ghetto black bitches” (Pozner 399). According to Pozner, Bank’s show portrays Africans’ pride as wrong and misplaced through the appearance of Yaya DaCosta. The stereotypic, racial images and labels in ANTM, as well as countless other reality shows, succeed in convincing the viewers that these participants behave the same in real life. Such images and labels portray Tyra Banks as one who has been mentally colonized by the fashion industry. She believes that she is uplifting the lives of African American women. Banks hides under such a defense while she rips the confidence of these women from under them. Pozner concludes that Tyra is hilariously narcissistic, as well as compassionate; a woman who profits from a show that reinforces racial “stereotypes and unhealthy body standards” (Pozner 407) This argument is reinforced by the manner in which Banks handles or mishandles the participants. Such mental colonization is passed from the host to the viewers. As a result, audiences hold ‘radicalized women’ who misbehave on reality TV accountable for their behaviors. Pozner asserts, Asian American models are labeled as “China Dolls, too sexy, in every episode” (399). The models are made uncomfortable with their cultural origin yet also coerced to believe they represent their own culture and race: “April Wilkner, half-Japanese and half-white, said that before she decided to model, I never really thought about my ethnicity. ANTM made sure viewers could think of little else” (Pozner 398). This consent can be viewed as a way of manipulating the audiences and participants’ race, gender, class, and sexual orientation. It can be argued, reality television shows are a mockery of women. This is done while organizers of modeling event pocket huge amount of money in form of events sponsorship and attendance fees. The rationality of reality TV, a signed consent form assumes that participants are fully informed of their expectations and so called ‘rights’. Consequently, there are financial benefits that are derived from reality shows but the roles played by women of color in reality television makes Reality TV consent forms manipulative. It is presumed that women participants enter into these reality shows well aware of the image attached to them in the popular imagination. Thus, some women contestants choose to manipulate retrograde prejudices about their own womanhood. The result is detrimental to viewers – the audiences take the participants to be representatives of the entire race. Reality TV disseminates these depictions nationally and internationally. Reality TV copies from historical stereotypes which have since time immemorial depicted women of color negatively in the American media as well as politics. Historically, media has always portrayed women of color as animals. Pozner expresses this view by conveying it to the reader’s attention in the section titled “Black Models Gone Wild” (Pozner 404). The viewers are consuming stereotypic materials, and they do not make much meaning out of harmless entertainment. Popular media immerses viewers to the extent that it has become harmful to their values. There is too much sex, racism, as well as culture impropriety. Jennifer Pozner is critical of what people label as harmless entertainment. In reality shows, stereotyping and reality merge, thus reinforcing the argument that racial and gender stereotypes in a trendy culture has detrimental effects on both the participants as well as the audience. However, reality shows have several redeeming features, which include providing breakthrough opportunities for gifted entertainers. Works Cited Pozner, Jennifer. “Ghetto Bitches, China Dolls and Cha-Cha Divas”. Emerging Contemporary Readings for Writers, 2ndEdition. Ed Barlay Barrios. Boston: Bedford St. Martin’s, 2010. 397-407. Print Watson, Elwood. Pimps, Wimps, Studs, Thugs and Gentlemen: Essays on Media Images of Masculinity. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland & Co, 2009. Print. Read More