racial politics expressed in popular culture
In what ways are racial politics expressed in popular culture? How is whiteness presented as the norm in North American culture?
Racism is prevalent within popular culture, as was discussed in the week study. In many ways, racism is presented through popular cultures in most societies. Through an examination of the effect of idealized norms of women’s beauty within the context of race, it is clear that racial politics are dominant in popular culture. For example, let us look at the standard presentation of the beauty of women in the television, movies or any other advertisement, in most cases, the women presented are shown to be white and not coloured people. This is a valid and concrete reflection of racism in popular culture. Lichtenberg (1998) noted that when the television organizers present whiteness as the only norm with powers and ability to be beautiful as shown, a diverse perspective is developed that only the white women are beautiful. They are given the privileges and power to overrun the beauty seen in other women of colour. In this case, the women of colour are forced to conform and attempt to attain the qualities that make the white women beauty. Some women of colour would resist this white standard of beauty and remain in their natural being. As I read from the articles this week, I realized that there is a strong connection between gender, racism, discrimination and popular culture. At times what people often see makes them believe that it is the truth. In the same way, when people watch on televisions that every beautiful ad are associated with whites, it becomes a norm and a culture to associate beauty with only the white.