Welcome to the course blog! I am truly excited about teaching this course, and I hope that you find it to be an enlightening and enjoyable educational experience. This blog serves as a mechanism for everyone to process ideas and concepts related to our class and to learn through engagement with others. Since none of us is as smart as all of us, we can gain further insights by taking in the ideas of our community members. While we may disagree on here, it is essential that we always demonstrate respect and maintain an open mind.
In order to participate, click on the heading "Welcome to the Blog -- Topic 1" above. (For subsquent weeks, you just click on the new title.) If you scroll down, you can read my instructions and enter your comments in the box. Come back a little while later, click on the same link, and read the posts from your classmates. USE YOUR REAL NAME EITHER IN YOUR "SCREEN NAME" OR IN YOUR POSTS; OTHERWISE, I WILL NOT KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND CANNOT ASSIGN POINTS. It would also be great if everyone could at least publish their photo in the "Followers" section on the right-hand side of the page. That way, we can learn each other's names and connect faces with ideas.I will post a blog topic almost every week during the term.
For each topic, I would like for you to produce a 1-2 paragraph thoughtful comment that shows your honest reflections and includes some type of contribution to our understanding of the issues at hand. Then, after reading the posts of your classmates, I'd like for you to jump back into the conversation -- either by critically responding to someone else or by adding to your previous post with further insights. Feel free to continue the dialogue if you wish.
You will be graded on the value-added nature of your overall posts over the course of the term. In other words, just typing anything does not earn you credit -- your comments must offer something useful for us to consider. For each blog, you earn one point for a good post and one more point for a good response to others. I will add those points each week onto Blackboard (if it's a weak post, you will not earn credit.) Although I am certain that you will get the hang of this blog thing soon, please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.
TOPIC ONE: CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION FROM TODAY'S CLASS ABOUT THE VIDEOS ("A GIRL LIKE ME" AND "A SLIP OF THE TONGUE") THAT YOU WATCHED. The original posts are due by Sunday January 24th, with follow up posts expected by class time on Monday January 25th.
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After watching the videos and having listened during class, I think it's important for individuals to embrace who they are. It seems that, for a major part, people are embracing what society deems superior and acceptable. I agree with the young lady in the "A Girl Like Me" video when she was saying that people don't really know themselves and that they're just going off of what society feeds them. I guess I'm against the grain on that for the most part because I know who I am and I'm proud of it. I can listen and gather what society thinks, but I don't have to abide by all the "norms" set forth.
ReplyDeleteLolia Kienka
ReplyDeleteAfter watching those two videos, I now realize the importance of being familiar with one's heritage. It gives individuals a sense of belonging and re-ssurance becuase they are not just spoils of bad decisions and actions made in the past. Knowing and embracing one's heritage can help equip him or her for whatever life may throw at them. I for one know that it has helped me through life so far and I am sure it could help others too.
After watching the two videos and listening during class, i learned that every individual need to be their self amd not worry about what society have to say about them! Society can set standards for an individaul but it is their choice whether they decidde to live by that. I really can relate to the young ladies from the video "A Girl Like Me", because i am a young lady that have faced some of these issues for the majority of my life, but hey i choose to be me and not worry about what anybody say about me!!!! I am glad to say that i know who i am and i am Proud of who i am!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteBoth of the videos were interesting, they also showed some of the inner most thoughts of some women. whether is was about her ethnic make or the color of her skin. It was real and made me think outside the box. Skin color and ethnic is still a issue in America. We as a people drawn dividing lines that made a race better than the next race of people, but in reality we are all great. Don't judge me by the color of my skin but by the context of my character.
ReplyDeleteThe two blogs that I saw; which was A Girl like me and The slip of the tongue. They were both interesting but the one that really caught my mind was The slip of the tongue. I liked how she broke down what makeup was to her was instaed of what makeup was for society. I believe there is nothing wrong with wearing makeup or wearing nme brand clothes as "Guys makeup", but if you wear it to cover something up; then it becomes a problem. In life people are "Clowns." The reason why I say that is bcause we would paint that smile on our faces but on the inside is pain. But overall, I learned to look deeper into words withthis video. So the I may be able to understand.
ReplyDeleteWhy should it matter if a girl wear make up or if she has a big butt all these sterotyping questions is really sad it seem to me that people are only look on the outside for example the whole makeup i feel its made for a reason and if i want to wear makeup and i like it and i bought it i should be able to wear it because it me and again like (Teliah Tabon)said people need to be theirself and not worry what the next male of female say. A Girl like me really hit my heart beacuse as they were talking i was going back and it was one thing that touched me it was the skin color it so sad that the color of your skin determains if your pretty or not...smh but i see it in my own family but i do what make me happy and if you cant change other people why even try.
ReplyDeleteWith the "A Girl Like Me" video, I feel no skin complexion is better than than the other because every one has their flaws. Just because you light skin don't mean you're prettier and just because you're dark skin don't make you ugly. I love my skin complexion. When it comes to hair, wear it however you want to. Braids, bush, ponytail, etc. Any way thats makes you feel comfortable, society can accept it or hate it.
ReplyDeleteIn "The Slip of the Tongue" video, wearing make up, to me, was a cover up. But in class, some girls said they wear it because they're trying something new or wear it to bring out beauty she possess. I don't wear make up because even though my skin its perfect, I love my natural beauty. Again society will say otherwise but hey, if you don't like my skin, don't look at me. At the end of the day, your skin color and the beauty under the make up will be the same. I learned don't let society control your life. Control society and make a change.
After watching the video "A Girl like me" I began to think like we as black people need to be more educated on our hertage.It is important that we know about our roots and where we come from.Me personally I believe black is BEAUTIFUL.If a female decide she want to wear her hair natural as her ancestors did then so be it.In corelation with the video "slip of the tongue" itz not the makeup that make a female its the female that make the makeup.Me as a black male in society I pesonally love to see a woman bringing out her beauty to the fullest potential.
ReplyDeleteAfter seeing these two videos it got me thinking, why to this day and age is it still all about race? I understand that there are many racist people out there, but why is it African Americans allow what the media, goverenment and whoever else determine who they are and what they value? As a white female I may not understand what it's like for a black person but regardless of race, cultural make-up, or whatever you want to call it- a person should go for what they want && strive only for excellence in doing so and not be so stuck in upholding a specific image!!
ReplyDeleteA Girl Like Me: I found it sad that people can't just accept who they are- skin color hair and all! Younger generations even say "white" is good and pretty. WHO SAYS?!?! It's now 2010 and time for a major change. Attending Shaw U I have met some very intelligent and succesful black people. I have met very intelligent students that made it out of the "ghetto" or "hood". Though it may not have been easy for them I can respect that. Nobody said sucess was easy. If people stopped focusing on light skin is
prettier or she got a big butt people (not just black people) could focus on more important things.
Frankie Banks said " I began to think like we as black people need to be more educated on our heritage ". I totally agree with you Frankie, but I'd like to add that everybody not just black people should be more educated about their heritage. I'll admit, I could be!
Out of the two videos; A Girl Like Me & A Slip of The Tongue, the one that i was more interested in was A Girl Like Me. I felt like I could relate more to the video simpley because a lot of what is going on there I have experienced. One thing that I felt very strongly about was the doll survey. I never knew children that young could feel so negatively about themselves and that even they have been influenced to believe what true beauty is. However, I feel that until people start accepting themselves and understanding that being different is beautiful and is what makes an idvidual nothing will change. I also feel that recently the media has been changing. The idea of what is truly beautiful isn't the same as back in the day. You see commercials with heavier women in their bras and underwear, you see more black people on tv natural, and now we have a black president. So, I feel like since teh media is changing you can't really put all the blame on that. Black people also have a huge role in what has happened because even jokingly lighter blacks make fun of darker blacks skin color or hair even.
ReplyDeleteIn the video " A Girl Like Me" I was a little shocke that these young girls spoke these things. Personally I think that anyone should be happy about who they are and what ever shaed they may be. Just because you are dark skined soen't mean that your are not beautiful. Beauty comes from more than just the way you look, It comes from within. To the people that only see beauty from the appearence of a person has a sight problem. In the other video I think that it was great for the young lady to stand up for herself. Also knowing that accessories doesn't make you who you are, but where you came from or your background. Jeremy Best
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you are saying Miss Pickle, I think that if people need to focus on their goals. If a person knows who he/she is it would not matter what other people say about you or what they think. Knowing who you are you will not have any doubt about yourself. Hard work will get you somewhere but doing nothing you will never get anywhere.
ReplyDeleteLarry Johnson,
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the videos I was just liked wow. The videos made me realize that a lot of people have a struggle with beauty. I believe that what appears to be good on the outside is not always good on the inside. I also believe that true beauty comes from the inside. The second video also had me like wow. I was very excited to see the girl realize that material things do not make you beauty and she also realize where she came from. I really enjoyed them both.
The two videos made me really think is this how bad people really think of themselves? For one i don't think anyone should ever think of one another as being better than another just because they are light skin. I've been light skin all my life and i never felt because i was lighter than anyone that made me better. I look at us all as just being females. As i shared in class about the hair situation; my hair was once an issue but i grew out of it. I do not have a problem if an indivdual wanted to wear their hair natural or have a weave. I feel like its thats what you feel like you want done to your hair at that moment you should have fun with it. I didnt share this point about myself in class, but when we were talking about how black women want the curves and the nice shape; i always thought that i was too skinny....(that is before i gained a little weight) but before i use to be really subconscience about how i looked.....i wanted all the curves and shape just like everyone because i felt like thats what gets the attention from guys. I dont know why i use to think like that but as i get older i grow to love myself for who i really am and what god wants me to look like. As for the make-up ive never been the type to just play in make up but i do from time to time put on eye liner and maybe eye shadow....like Teliah said in class i only wear it to enhance my beauty not to define who i am...i love how i look without make up just certain days i might feel like waking up and putting some eyeliner on to jazz it up a bit.
ReplyDeleteBritney Dunston
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ReplyDeleteAfrican American’s Race/ and Natural Beauty
ReplyDeleteHello, we talk about African Americans wanting to bleach their skin just because they feel as though being light skin is the preferred race. Little do they know, black is beautiful in my opinion. I am an African American female and I love the color of my skin. I have dealt with a few issues in my life pertaining to my skin. Am I too light, too dark, or am I just not what people are looking for? I feel as though being black makes me who I am. To be honest, being black is hard. We are judged every day. People look at us as if we are nothing. People do not expect much from black females but to lie on our backs, make babies, utilize welfare, and/or work in “fields.” Fields called housekeeping, manufacturing, or minimum wage cashiers. I feel as though people are too quick to judge and give so much negative feed back before they actually get to know us as individuals. So love your self and stay positive because it will take you a lot further in life than giving in to the negativity.
I love your natural beauty, do you? Having a natural look is what I like to see in most people. Make-up, in my opinion, masks the real beauty. I feel as though you should be proud of what GOD made when he created you. Your beauty should not be covered with chemicals or any damaging products that can destroy your face or hair. People do, do these things, but it is only because of social constructions. They see others doing what “appears” to be socially acceptable...so they feel they have to do it as well.
After watching a girl like me,its sad to see that after all these years, our race still gives power to the man Willie lynch. I believe that we as black people to start teaching our kids when they are young that they are beautiful no doubt the tone of their skin. Especially the women of our race. It is alrady hard enough to be black so why do we make it harder than it is.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the "Gurl like Me" video I shocked about how young african american girls feel about their skin complexion and how they want to be a lighter tone or have the nice pretty long hair that society has put a "this is what you are suppose to look like" image.It is sad knowing that the younger generation feels that the "white doll" was better and prettier than the "black doll".I agree with Mr.Middlebrooks beauty should be all about what is inside of you not the outside. But my question is where are the adults/parents to teach their child that we are beautiful smart and better than what society see us to be.
ReplyDeleteThinking about the video "A girl like me," I feel the train of thought that most of those girls have is directly related to their age. I don't know their exact age but I do know from my own experience that once you get to certain age things as petty as the grain of your hair and the way people look at your complexion, don't really matter as much anymore. So I do feel that it's a social construction on our youth yet I raise the questions, why dosen't it matter when you get older and can we use whatever it is that makes it not matter to divert our youth from thinking that way???
ReplyDeleteI really hate technology sometimes....to follow up on what Jai Faith said...black is beautiful but it is very hard to be black. In high school, I had a couple of classes where I was the only black student. I constantly had to prove to everyone that I belonged in that class with them. Some students constantly focused on the things that I did wrong instead of focusing on themselves. It was very hard to be in a positive mood when I walked in those classes. One day this white girl(no offense) asked me "Why do black people look so angry all the time?" I said to her because we hate life although it was a smart remark she laughed about it and said " I thought so." That really made me upset. There was another incident where we were reading a short story where a black girl was telling a story about her life and it had something about hair in it. The teacher said that she has never seen any black women with "good" hair unless they were mixed with something. I was really offended by that statement because I did not want them to view black people as people with nappy hair. I told them that my mother has a good grain of hair and she is not mixed with anything. I did not know what else to say but i really wanted to act out that day.
ReplyDeleteBefore this class, I never thought about why we thought the way that we did or the social construction of reality. Those two movies opened my eyes to the issues that were going on outside of my world(self). We are really living a "puppet life". Do we have a mind of our own? All the things that we discussed in class is really making me wonder do people have influence on me?
I think that in the video "A girl like me" these children are demonstrating the reality of what children of color actually think of themselves which is a sad situation because eventually they become adults with the same mindset. I try everyday to enourage my son that he his "somebody" no matter what. I think that these children are growing up without hearing statements such as "you're beautiful", "you're smart", "i'm proud of you" therefore they seek validation elsewhere and evidently it has a negative effect. Latoya Turner
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Cj Middlebrooks, although we should all possess a high level of self-confidence, their are some that may not. We should be able to hear positive comments from our peers and family members that encourage us to think and feel good about dark skin, curly hair, and any other characteristics that have some reason been labeled as a "flaw" instead of BEAUTY. - Latoya Turner
ReplyDeleteA lot of people are saying a lot of things I agree with. I agree that people should judge beauty from the inside out and that people should be happy with themselves and not allow society to shape those stereotypical mindsets some of us embrace, even without knowing so.
ReplyDeleteAs Ms. Alexander stated, I started wondering about this "puppet life" as well. The two short films really made me kind of think that perhaps society has a greater hold on what I do and how I perceive things--much greater hold than what I saw before.
In class today, we talked about suicide and how men are 2x more likely to commit suicide then women. Why is that I wonder? I feel as if women consider the idea but they come to realization that this could have a huge effect on their children. Some men are taught to abandon their children or when the going gets tough quit. For many women they were raised with a single mother and they know they dont need a man to take care of them. They have seen their mother go through things alone and be strong. But they could also have a negative effect on the child because that child may have trust issues with men.
ReplyDeleteWhy are we not raised to stick together as a family? Why can't we be strong enough to realize that suicide is not the best decision to make?
I feel like there are so many stigmas put on blacks and it's mostly black people that put then on themselves and other black people. I grew up in an urban inner-city community where everyone cursed and used slang but in my house my father never allowed me or my siblings to use slang. my father has had a great influence on my life and I believe that people can choose their influences better, as a child and even sometimes now people, (black people) tease me about the way I talk and when I would read I was/am so animated because I felt that it gave people a better understanding of what was being read but despite my intent black people would always get mad because they thought I thought I was better than them. I have always told myself that the only way someone could feel I thought I was better than them is if they thought I was better than them. When a black person would say “you talk white” I would say “well you talk black” then they would look at me and say “so, cuz I em black” and I would say “well did you notice that is your race not your dialect.” I grew up in a pretty rough community I didn’t grow up with Marsha Brady and I didn’t have an apartment in the sky but just because of the way I talk people already construct my whole life. My mother has been on drugs my whole life my brothers have been in and out of jail my mother got so crazy that she kicked my father along with all of us kids out of our house when I was 4 and all the way till the age of 7 I was in a foster home that even then was set in the inner-city my sister had a baby when she was 16 and has a non-forgiving STD but me I graduated at the top of my class got accepted to Spelman got accepted to Howard but I chose Shaw because this is the school that my father always dreamed of when he was a kid. My father molded all of us kids but it has always been up to me how i lived my life! I love myself because despite what society has set up for me it is how I set myself up for society!
ReplyDeleteAfter hearing the statistics that men commit suicide 2x more the women it was a little shocking. I thought the women would be the ones with the higher suicide rate because they tend to be more emotional beings then men. Now that I know what the statistics say, I am thinking that maybe women are stronger then men in some ways. It seems like that women would be the first to break down if something goes wrong in their life. Statistical information is very important because I am beginning to see that what we always think may be not be true. Numbers tell the true story. Hearing this makes me wonder if we as society are thinking backwards or are we blind to the truth. Maybe we just don't want to hear it because the truth can sometimes hurt
ReplyDeleteWell as i was reading some of the comments that others have left ive seen some interesting things. In Shavonna Alexander's comment she said that her teacher made a comment that she have never seen a black woman with a "good" quality of hair. I think that whoever that teacher was really derserved to get whatever anyone had to say about that remark. Even if they were being disrespectful there's is just somethings you don't say to people. That was very uncalled for and i feel some kind of way about that and i wasnt even there when she said it. Ive been told alot throughout my life that i have "GOOD" hair...it doesnt make me act different from other young black females and i dont hink it makes me think im better than anyone...I think if anyone feel their hair is so called "good" then thats what its going to be. Now for the other topic about suicide. Jeremy Best had a great point when he asked the question of "are we thinking backwards or just blinded bythe truth?" I feel as though women are very much stronger than men when it comes to emotion and being stressed out. We all deal with emotion everyday since we were born and most of us just get use to it. Growing up ive always had a problem with emotion in certain ways. I never felt the need to share my emotions with anyone. I rarely cried and always felt the need to keep things bottled up. As of now i know that it doesnt help to keep things bottled up because its going to have to come out sometimes whether you like it or not. No matter how stressed out i feel like im getting i would never think of suicide because i feel as idf my life is to valuable and that god put me on this earth for a reason!!!!
ReplyDeleteKudo's to you girl! I think we all have struggles but it not only makes you stronger,but it also makes others going through the same thing stronger...you never know what happens when you pull through... you just might pull someone else out of the muck too! We sholud all appreciate who we are and accept each other for who we all are...because we all contribute to each other good or bad.
ReplyDeleteWell on my first blog i posted on a girl like me but now i have some things to say about the other video. The girl makes some good points about ethnic make up. She says she doesnt have an ethnic make up and also she tells the reason that she says that. If more people in society would realize that you we wouldnt have all these people with image problems. Everybody wouldn't want to imitate someone else's background who is probally imitating another culture
ReplyDeleteI believe that if people just accept the fact that beauty is defined in many ways and that depending on your qualities and traits that can make a huge contribution to your inner beauty. I beleve that we as individuals can not let society rule our lives. I question that if society didnt have social constructions, how would individuals actions be?
ReplyDeleteAfter watching these videos, I noticed that a lot of what has been portrayed is ture and it is how black people see themselves. For example when people asks me "what is your race?" I tell them that I am full black, however the texture of my hair which distracts people, they beleive that I am mixed, with white, spanish or other races. My thought on that is that why do we associate, hair, skin, eye color, with race. Thats is the problem that a lot of people face today. After watching these videos I see as A.A. we have a low self esteem in our heritage and background. It seems like we are ashamed of a lot of our heritage, like our kinky hair.. We are always on the move to change something about us, whether its our eye color, hair color, and as far as skin complexion. However, this issue did not come up by itself.. it started from Willie lynch, and his goal was to separate the african americans and putting us agaisnt each other. He separated us by sex, skin variation, hair type.. and put us agaisnt each other... and now its about 300 years later and its still in effect today. what we believe is better is what willie lynch put in our ancestors head thats better.. and they taught us what they only knew and learned... and now it affects us till this day.... think about it.
ReplyDeleteMY BADDDD!!!!! I DIDNT READ THE BLOG TOPIC BUT I RESPONDED TO BRITNEY DUNSTON AS ANONYMOUS............................. BUTTTTT...........
ReplyDeleteI liked the videos personally because they were just good image reflectors on how most girls view themselves versus how they should see themselves; The first video's significance to me was at the bottom of the video where the comments were.... a caucasion female stated that she remmebered going to school and how gradually she would see black girls wear less and less of thier natural hair she said "I always wondered why they didn't .....wear their natural hair......I thought it was...pretty." Doesn't it shock some of you [Af-Am females]to hear a caucasion [who we try to press our hair so straight to resemble]say that....exuse me if that was too controversal.... but it don't matter everrbody's on blog 2 by now I guess LOL!.... jus keep'n it real! p.s. We all grab ideas from each other's culture it's NATURAL right? LOL -I crack myself up!........
I related to both of the videos because it shows just how much society downs females and fill us up with insecurties. But out of both of them slip of the tounge was my favorite...
ReplyDeleteAfter looking at the video I actually googled the poem and saved it to my computer. I think the poem would be very inspiring to any female. It will give them thought to look deep within themselves... as a female and where they came from. The lesson as a whole of accepting who you are would mean a lot to the young women of todays society.
Maybe that one video will change the whole social constructed view of women if enough people saw it.
In response to Jan'el
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. I never knew how much society has taken over my life. As much as I want to say "I don't care", at times, I actually do. Some people don't want to see beauty inside out. It's all about the outside and that's it, in most cases. The ones that do want to see the inside out are those who doesn't meet that person's standards of what they are looking for.