Black Barbie?

Earlier this week in class we discussed Barbie and how Barbie has made a huge impact on the American culture. Basically, Barbie has set the beauty standard unrealistically high and as a result women are under an extreme amount of pressure trying to attain and keep the look of Barbie. Since the development of Barbie she has lead a life that a lot of women envy-that's right, women not children although the children that play with Barbie ultimately grow up.

Unfortunately, Lil Kim is a victim of this Barbie theory. She has changed her appearance by having multiply plastic surgery procedures in order to look more like Caucasian or "Barbie" like. She has had skin lightening, cheek and breast augmentation, rhinoplasty(nose job), and a brow and fore head lift all in the name of beauty. Barbie has crossed the culture line, at one time Black women embraced their natural beauty and was proud of it what happened? I believe that Lil Kim is a product of the White standard of beauty trend that African American women are now taking a part in. In my opinion Lil Kim is a prime example of how powerful it is, and to what measures people or "women" rather are willing to go to be accepted by mainstream. I don't but maybe her change in physical appearance is an attempt to bring a more positive image to her character Lil Kim. Maybe it is a desperate attempt to keep herself in the public eye? Whatever it is it is clear that celebrities are not exempt from the culture standards of society if anything they are the ones that exacerbate it.

(Check out the interview Lil Kim did with BET, I tried to put a link to it on the side bar but I was not successful at doing so but the second highlighted Lil Kim will link you to the article. It was pretty interesting when the reporter asked her about plastic surgery she immediatley hung up!)

Human Trafficking for the Sex Industry

I came across an article on line trying to find something to write about for this weeks blog. The article speaks about the very lucrative business of sex trafficking also called sex slavery. Young girls are bought and sold-often times bribed into the sex slave market. Trying to escape the meager financial situations that most if not all of these young girls come from. Human trafficking is a huge problem according to the World Health Organization, this ugly and degrading form of slavery is 30-40 billion dollar industry each year. Once they are sold into slavery they are then placed in the personal care of a "pimp" or a "mistress" at this point they young girls have to work off their debt to the them and it can take any where from 3-5 years . "An estimated 600,000 to 800,000 men, women, and children are trafficked across international borders, due to the “hidden” nature of trafficking activities, gathering statistics on the magnitude of the problem is a complex and difficult task. The statistics are accurate as possible, given complexities, but represent an underestimation of trafficking on a global and national scale." The real numbers will almost never be known because of this, in America alone an estimated 18,000 persons are brought over the borders and held against their will.

Activist against human trafficking argue that there is a huge market for prostitution globally and the US is not exempt even though the problem is greater in Southeast Asia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Russia. If there is no demand there would be no market, prostitution is not a new profession but in all fairness some prostitutes choose their profession unlike these individuals. There are looking for a better life in most cases trying to escape their poor and option less situations. Instead they are exploited, tortured, abused physically and emotionally and forced to live like commodities instead of a human being. Because of the rate of sexual exploitation all over the world the "UN finally reached a n accepted international definition of trafficking and an agreed upon set of prosecution, protection and prevention mechanisms which countries can base their national legislation."

Disabled on TV

When I wake up in the morning I like to listen to the morning television shows to hear what the world thinks is important today. This morning I over heard a host talking about a British TV show for children called"CBeebies" that has a host named Cerrie Burnell who was born without the lower part of her right arm. The picture to the left shows the 30 year old host and co-host Alex Winters. When I first saw the picture I honestly didn't notice her arm missing, but some parents in the UK are terribly upset about it.

I was actually pleased to see woman born with a physical handicap was the host of a television show, in my opinion this would be the ultimate in acceptance towards disabled individuals. But instead of this being considered a significant step forward for disabled individuals equality, there were parents that complained about her presence on television. The BBC reports that, "parents had complained that their children were asking difficult questions about her missing arm" and some were "scared" of her. I am the mother of a nine year old daughter and for another parent to make a bigoted comment like is in the name of your child is despicable. You should use this time to teach your child about differences and how to accept them. A parent should love and accept their children not matter what they LOOK like and instill the very same thing in them- that looks do not matter it is who you are inside. Very basic social skills at least I thought, I do not believe children are asking their parents about "the one armed woman" I think the parents are ignorant, intolerant people that should be ashamed of themselves. Maybe the parents should watch a few episodes of the children's show they may learn a thing or two.

Race and Media

Race and what it means to identify with a particular race is based on a number of characteristics, for example the color of your skin, the shape of your eyes, the texture of your hair or is it? In the DISCOVERY magazine there is an article called "Race Without Color" by Jared Diamond, the author relays that there are other valid ways to determine race. It seems to me that the "traditional" way of determining race is of no significance any longer. "Basing race on body chemistry makes no more sense than basing race on appearance". But what does that mean to the rest of us who are not scientist. Diamond makes an excellent point, that the "classification of humans is different only in that it shapes our views of other people, it fosters our subconscious differentiation between us and them to justify political and socioeconomic discrimination". It seems that this very ideology of different "races" has driven everything in the media, film and radio, as a society people look to the media for a sense of who they are and what it means to be a part of a specific race. So if this is where we get our identity from why isn't accurate and fair, it almost feels like an impossible task. The media conglomerates control everything from who is on TV to what they act like, perpetuating the very stereotypes that need to be destroyed.

The Price of Having Children

On just about every morning show lately you have heard something about the new octuplets. But instead of this being a joyous occasion like it normally is the new mother, 33 year old Nadya Suleman has been receiving a mountain of negative publicity. I am trying to understand why?? In the past when women have had multiple births it is celebrated at large. In this case what is the problem?? Is it because she is single or is it because she does not fit the typical image of the usual multiple birth mother. In other words, married homemaker with no education and relies on her husband completely financially. I believe Nadya is like no other mother of multiples before her. The big issue seems to be the fact that she gets "food stamps" to provide food for her family and I am sorry to say this-but she is not the only woman in America receiving "food stamps" . With the current economic crisis in the U.S. the face of "food stamp" recipients is not what is was in the past. Many Americans are feeling the pinch of this economic situation the fact that she receives food stamps does not make her less worthy of receiving positive media coverage. CNN reports on their website http://www.cnn.com/, not that the children are healthy and doing well, but "behind the kisses and the coos is a mountain of bills and you might be paying the bill" what a horrible take on the birth of human beings. The only thing that is of significance is the medical bills?? Get over yourselves people! What happened to Huggies donating pampers, Oprah building a house for her, or what about the lifetime free groceries? In the past companies have lined up in the name of multiple births to lend a hand why not now? There is no law against having children and being unemployed, single, poor, uninsured or under insured. When that day comes we all will have bigger issues to deal with other than medical bills. If there were laws against having children when you are not financially prepared many of us would not be here.