sociology image

One of the entries that I found interesting was “Racial and Gender Themes in Sheikh Romances.” This article consists of novel series that dealt with both gender and racial differences in the Middle East and U.S. The plot of the stories usually involves a “sheikh,” “Sultan,” or some type of wealthy King that is modernized by his education in the U.S. or Europe. In the process they find a beautiful “white” woman that falls deeply in love with the so called “King” and decides to make a life together.
The gender culture differences we see right away is “masculinity.” Middle East men tend to “control” their wives and women are taught to just “obey.” However in the new series of Sheikh Novels, men will go against their customs to modernize their country such as obtaining only one wife. Although seen as “Barbarian princes” in the novels, Men showed their feminine side by falling in love, showing a sense of “feminine power.”
We learned recently about the “myth of catching-up development.” The Middle East has a dramatic difference between the wealthy and the poor, those who try to be modernized and those who stick to their traditions. With so many technologies taking over the world, more people are attentive to what the other countries are doing. For example Abu Dhabi has been marketed a lot lately from the first indoor ski lodge to the very popular “Sex and the City” movie. Trying to lure tourists in, Abu Dhabi has spent tons of money trying to make it the next “hot spot.”
The cover of the book features a man that is only slightly darker than the white female. Which is strange because Middle Eastern men are very dark skinned with dark features. This seems to be just a marketing scheme but it seems to be working since these novels are very successful and have a huge category base.
http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/tag/raceethnicity/
“Opposing Domestic Violence with Homophobia” is an article that writes about an anti-domestic violence ad in Chile. The ad goes on by saying whoever hits women are “faggots” and “barely a man.” It’s good to have an ad that educates people about domestic violence but it’s confusing to see the discrimination towards gays. They use gay slurs and even break it down to how gay men are not masculine.
We see this type of discrimination EVERYWHERE since gay men are seen as feminine more than anything even though not all of them are. Now days we are more opened to the gay society that we tend to accept certain gay slurs or interpretations of them. But in actuality gays are still very controversial and not everyone accepts their lifestyle. A huge and controversial topic for gays would have to be marriage. Many people are against the marriage of gays because it is unholy and apparently marriage is supposed to be between a man and a woman. But I believe marriage should be about love and if the government isn’t suppose to base laws on religion, then why is it so controversial?
This also relates to gender issues that a man is supposed to be masculine but if they hit women, then their masculinity goes towards being “faggots.” This ad seems to contradict its self left and right. Hitting a woman has nothing to do with homosexuals yet they use derogatory words to describe the men who do these acts.
http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/tag/prejudicediscrimination/
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/eminem/lovethewayyoulie.html
“Men Dressing Up As Fat Women: Hilarious and Disgusting” is an article about sexist prejudice women Halloween costumes that men wear. They especially aim towards U.S. culture and how femininity is seen as a joke since men wear it as costumes. If that wasn’t bad enough, fatness to the costumes are added so they can be ridiculed because they do not obtain the “proper” body.
We see this kind of discrimination in celebrities since as soon as a famous person gains weight or loses weight; it is all over the tabloids. Many talk show hosts, such as Tyra Banks dressed up in fat costumes to feel the discrimination they go through in their everyday life. They often realize that people tease, stare, and look at them in disgust as they walk around minding their own business.
There is this idea in people’s minds that women are supposed to be thin, that thin is beautiful. But many women are not able to achieve the standards that society gives them. This leads to not only depression but also diseases such as anorexia and bulimia. This is similar to the “Mass Media: For the Many, by the Few” chapter of the textbook. Although different in the political perspective, media still has a great deal of involvement when it comes to what society should look and behave like.
http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/tag/prejudicediscrimination/