Gender Stereotypes In The Wire

Mean Girls is a comedy, yet accurate portrayal of the body image issues that high school girls face today. This movie is more than just high school clique and popularity; it is critical representation of the boundaries women in our society are not allowed to cross. Societal monstrous expectation of female bodies has led to a problematic matter of self-acceptance. Berreby extends this view in his essay “Rituals and Traditions: It Takes a Tribe” where he mentions the idea of “us” vs. “them” in which he states that society has created the idea that if one does not act in a certain way, they are automatically considered “them”. Furthermore, it is essential to acknowledge that stereotypes found in movies like Mean Girls, although a classic Hollywood movie, provokes a critical view of women and contributes to perpetuate traditional gender stereotypes as it reflects dominant social values.

It appears to be that the discussion of race and class in America has become amplified, especially in the last couple of years. For many, it is a touchy subject that hits close to home. With the presence of social media and news that feeds off of racial tension in America, the issues are polarizing and difficult to productively discuss. America’s handling of race and class relations is generally not something to be proud of, and there exists a long history of issues with race. It is clear that there is a lack of understanding and empathy of what others experience toward those who are oppressed. So often it is too easy to dismiss another human’s experiences as reality if one has had no prior encounter with the same challenges. Race is easy to sweep under the rug, but we must address the problem, and it is not a one size fits all solution. It is a problem that has been years in the making and continues to have an enormous impact on our human capital from an economic standpoint. And most of the time, there is a correlation between race and class.

In order to support his opinion, the author uses historical references to the enormous impact of racial inequality on African American lives. Additionally, Desmond names a set of historical data and rates of the poor African Americans in cities to enhance the reader’s understanding of this complex situation. African Americans were also more likely to get the apartment with broken furniture, windows, and other facilities that confirmed the existence of racial inequality (Desmond, 2016, p.249). To reassert his position, Desmond provides offensive statistics that millions of people are evicted from American homes, and most of them are African American (Desmond, 2016, p.293). As a matter of fact, the author proves that housing discrimination based on race is the primary cause of

Understanding that the poverty of black Americans did not just stay within the home is a big step in understanding urban poverty. Urban poverty reached outside the home, into the parks, schools and playgrounds. With poverties reach being that extensive, there was something other than adversity causing this. Louis Gates wrote an article about this called “Black America and The Class Divide.” (Jr.)

Intro: The American Dream attracts many people from all over the world, people have an image that living in America grants them the life of their dreams, but does living in america really grant people the perfect life? The Case For Reparations by Coates explains how African Americans have struggled in the past with racism and discrimination. He goes on to talk about their lives during slavery and post slavery, and how African Americans are unemployed and undereducated. Aja ET AL.’s essay From A Tangle Of Pathology To A Race Fair America also talks about the lives of African Americans, the discrimination, segregation, and unemployment. They both go on explaining how Blacks are always discriminated against and are not given equal

Many inner cities within the United States are comprised of people living in poverty and many of these people are people of color. One of the largest and poorest neighborhoods in the United States is the South Bronx. The South Bronx is extensively racially segregated and the plights that the residents face are horrendous (Kozol, 1995, p. 3). It is conservative belief that the people of color that inhabit the deteriorating inner cities of the US remain in such dire conditions is attributable to their own individual choices, lifestyle, and culture. This belief that the persistence of racial inequalities is attributable to individual lifestyle cannot explain the continuance of inequality once these individuals acquire the education and skills

The television show “The wire” is a show about brutal gangs in downtown Baltimore, and police who work all night, every night in order to catch the drug slingers, and murderers. Throughout “The wire” the show primarily focuses on the male characters and doesn't give much attention to the women in the series. Although the women seem to be like they are not a big part of the show but they actually serve a great deal of meaning to the plot of the show. The show displays many different types of women from cops to thugs and it is hard to find two women alike in this series. In a stereotyped filled world, people will judge you based on many things and determine how you will grow up and turn out in life off of those few pieces of your life.

Another premise in this review focuses on the significant divergences of opinions about the plight of the African American’s situation here in America. Some scholars are asking, how has this new pattern of inequality for the African American emerged? Many scholars point to the decline of middle level jobs (Harrison & Bluestone 1988), the redistribution of manufacturing jobs away from large cities like Chicago and Detroit, where many jobless blacks live (Sassen 1988), and the rise of earnings inequality among workers of all races (Danziger & Gottschalk 1993) as causes. One manifestation of these changes may be that gains in earnings have been offset by a growing racial disparity in unemployment between black and white men (Moss & Tilly 1991).

In 2008, African Americans were hit the hardest by the recession in terms of economic status. They are more likely to have a lower household income than white families and are less likely to see little to none economic improvement. In terms of education it is seen that white children are most likely to move up the educational ladder while African American children are more likelydescend down the ladder, which leads to high number of high school dropouts among the African American population which also effects the incarceration rate within the community as well. The American dream that is known for hope, prosperity, and happiness and the land of opportunity where parents seek to better the social and economic status for the benefit of their children leaves a foul taste in most African American’s mouth. To them it is not a dream but a nightmare that they cannot seem to wake up from and is forever haunting them whenever they are made to face

Though not directly stated it is also apparent that the author is claiming that the new color-line is apparent within urbanized cities, division of labor, and housing markets (17). Moreover, another important claim made relates back to the migration of African Americans into urbanized areas. Harold highlights that such shift is “characterized by economic and housing inequalities that are complicated by high levels of racial segregation” (29). He depicts three theories which interpret such inequalities, those being: progressive integration, continuing significant race, and the changing of significant race. Consequently, he makes another argument, stating that the changing of significant race theory works best in interpreting “African American economic and social integration” (30).

Majority of the African Americans living in cities throughout North America suffered from economic and social inequality. In addition, due to poverty and degrading public service in these urban areas, where the residents were exposed to poor living conditions, unemployment, chronic health problems,

Lasch asserts, “Americans have always equated opportunity with upward mobility” (50). However, due to the gap between our economic lives, social mobility is unrealistic. Without economic equality, moving up the social ladder is essentially impossible. Lasch argues, “In our own time money has come to be regarded as the only reliable measure of equality…derived not merely from the distribution of wealth or economic opportunity but, above all, from the distribution of intelligence and competence” (59). Historically, opportunity is associated with social mobility, yet inequality has always been a problem that Americans have faced. Based on the double standard in American society, whites have the ability to succeed and thrive in our class system. To white individuals having a job and an education symbolize American citizenship. On the other hand, to blacks, “home ownership became an emblem of American citizenship” (Coates 27). However, I find that inequality is often tough to discuss, as many Americans are narrow-minded when it comes to what our political systems should achieve. As a result, African Americans at the bottom of our American hierarchical system are not given the opportunity to be freely, choosing individuals. This great gap between whites and blacks has caused two distinct ways of living in one, “united” country. Therefore, as Coates pointed out, blacks establish a sense of patriotism not to their country, but to their neighborhood or block (Coates

In the article ”Heroism, Institutions, and the Police Procedural," written by Alasdair McMillan, alludes towards social constructs and order relating towards institutions. These institutions are considered as having a solid effect on the people they include within them. The Wire, HBO's Crime drama covering the inner city environment (created by David Simons), suggests that institutions are involved in the notion of an individual's actions. The two separate sources are fully enveloped in the concept of institutions and their effect, though the creators of the two separate pieces hold two different ideals on the cause of the effects. The context of both the show and this article are given greater depth of an individual character and that of an institution within a social construct and order, through storytelling.

Introduction: I have learned a multitude of concepts during this quarter that will linger with me for years to come, the two that resonate the most, for me, are classism and racism. Classism and Racism are the two most prominent “ISM’S” due to their relationship and how they intermingle disparities and biases of being poor and a minority. Although I knew of the issues taking place in my own community, I would not allow myself to absorb the magnitude of this travesty. After watching the American winter, the disparities became clearer than I had dreamt.

I am one of these people that look at television for entertainment. Even the “reality shows” are entertaining to me. I must agree with you that if The Wire were featured in Class Dismissed, it will support the focus of the film. Although, I do believe the show is very entertaining, but it is a reality for how some ghettos really are. I believe some people just get used to a certain lifestyle and don’t know any other way out. Based on the statement, “because we see television as just entertainment, we readily disregard its impact on our thinking”, in my opinion it depends on the person. I said that because some people look at TV shows for guidance, for their way of life, or maybe even hope. I heard someone say before; I want to live like “The