Stereotypical Portrayals of Racial Minorities in Film

1. Stereotypical Portrayals of Racial Minorities in Film Claudia Gibbs Emily MacNaughton Amanda Proffitt Lanita Withers October 23, 2001

2. Introduction • Sociologists and anthropologists recognize race as a socially constructed concept whose meaning has evolved overtime. • Racial distinctions have powerful social meaning with profound real-world consequences. • Historically U.S. have taken “Whites” to be the norm against which all other racial groups are measured. -Generally we don’t talk about “white culture”, “the white community” or the “white vote”. -References in the media are made to “the black culture”, “the Latino community”, etc.

3. Roots of Racial Stereotyping • Throughout media history, many have felt minorities comprised a relatively small part of the population. Therefore mainstream media did not see them as an important segment of the mass audience. • Early U.S. films routinely presented racist images of white supremacy. - Blacks were viciously attacked in films like The Wooing and Wedding of a Coon, The Birth of a Nation, and The Nigger. -Mexican government banned films like The Greaser’s Revenge, with Mexicans as bandits, rapist and murders. -Asians were shown as a threat to American values in The Yellow Menace. -Clichéd images of Native Americans as savages filled popular “western” films.

4. Roots. . . continued • After World War II the trend turned to more inclusiveness and sensitivity toward minorities. • The Civil Rights Movement influenced Hollywood and discrimination against blacks became the theme of a number of prominent movies in the 50’s and 60’s. • “Black exploitation” films with nearly all-black cast became popular in the late 60’s and 70’s during militant black power struggles. • In 1970, the film Little Big Man shows General Custer engaging in years of atrocities against Native Americans and getting what he deserved at the Little Big Horn massacre.

5. The 1990’s - Present • The 1990’s saw a rise in organizations that challenged the stereotypical imagery and monitored such content such as the Media Action Network for Asian Americans and the Independent African-American Filmmakers. • Blatantly racist images derived from “traditional racism”, the belief that minorities are biologically inferior, are now rare in the mainstream U.S. media. • “Modern racism”, a compound of hostility, rejection, and denial on the parts of whites toward activities and aspirations of minorities, is much more subtle and prominent.

6. Stereotypes of Latinos • Men must be macho, tough guys • Suave, smooth and cool • Gang members • Thick, heavy accents • Immigrants • Gaudy • Loud • Lazy • Women are very submissive and don’t like to work • Women are portrayed seductively

7. Stereotypes of African-Americans • Thugs • Poor and/or on welfare • Dumb • Gold diggers/Money Hungry • Subservient roles • Athletic • “Ghetto” • Materialistic • Black women are always loud • Black men are very aggressive and threatening • Black people are always the first people to die or get killed in a movie

8. Stereotypes of Arab-Americans • Terrorists • Sneaky • Violent • Thieves • Dirty • Unable to speak proper English • Very religious, usually Muslim

9. Stereotypes of Asian-Americans • Foreigners who cannot be assimilated • Grocers, martial artists, prostitutes • Asian cultural differences are portrayed in a comedic manner • Asian male sexuality is nonexistent • Asian women are seen as “china dolls” and “dragon ladies” • Over-achievers • Wealthy • Heavy accents

10. Controlling Media Images of Race • The absence or stereotyping of racial minorities in film and other media, highlights an often forgotten fact: Affluent, white men have historically controlled mainstream mass media. • In helping to diversify movies and media as a whole, racial minorities have had to confront a dilemma: They have had to chose between developing alternative media and struggling to change mainstream media from within.

11. Alternative Media Advantages • Feasible with more limited financial resources • Able to promise control for producers • Promotes work for minority actors and actresses, producers, writers, etc. • Can focus on issues that affect the minority community • More likely to “take chances” in production Disadvantages • However, the use of alternative media outlets means sacrificing the chance to reach a mass and broad audience, in favor of a smaller, narrower one because you do not have the means and money available to mainstream media

12. Changing Mainstream Media Advantages • Mainstream success results in financial resources that can reach millions of consumers • Can make way for others to follow and hopefully take part in the same successes • Promotes diversity in all walks of life because mainstream reaches a larger audience Disadvantages • Ownership and control still in the hands of primarily wealthy, white men • Lack of diversity in management may result in lack of diversity in programming

13. Discussion • “When a white writer and a white producer get together to do a script they think in terms of white– that’s the way they were raised, that’s who they are, that’s who they see in the mirror every day. It takes an extra effort for them to say ‘well maybe Sidney Poitier can play this part.’ That’s outside their circle. That is a natural thing. When we wake up, we think in terms of black. That is a residual thing across the country, because we are still growing, but we still think in terms of us and them… Hopefully with enough prayer, we will mix that up eventually… but that is not yet.” -- Louis Gossett Jr.