My passion posts were able to combine something I love and something I strongly advocate for. Poetry has always been something I’ve enjoyed, and I love the stories the words can tell us in such a beautiful arrangement. As for the advocacy, similar to what my CI thread was about, I believe having the capability to listen and understand different perspectives is a necessary tool every human should have if they wish to go somewhere in life. With the combination of these 2 things, I was able to create a meaningful thread I hope you all have enjoyed. 

Most of the poetry I currently read has happier themes and talks about life overall. This made diving into the poems of the 60s quite an interesting adventure in which I discovered a lot on the journey. I learned about new poets I hadn’t heard of before, and new perspectives from that time. It was especially interesting to analyze the differences in not just the themes across the poems, but also the writing style, word usage, and overall layout of them. 

The point of my passion posts was to prove that perspective does matter, and we all go through the path of life in different ways. Depending on our race, gender, sexuality, age, etc., we view things in our own way, which is why exposure to different narratives is so important. Throughout my PAS posts, you were able to witness firsthand how this can happen, and I hope you were able to take something from it. 

I’ve said it time and time again, but most people only wish to advocate or pay attention to problems that directly affect their lives. It makes sense and we are all subject to advocating for causes that we feel personally connected to, but I think developing a sense of empathy for the things that you do not have a direct connection with helps you grow as a human. 

I believe we learn the most from people and their stories, so having the ability to not just listen but feel compassion and empathy for other people’s tales is what I believe makes a human being open-minded and kind- the best combination. I hope that you view the world with open eyes and the ability to hear or view multiple perspectives, and I think you will learn a lot. 

Throughout my civic issues blog posts, we have seen the danger of telling a single story. We saw this through the first post with a TED Talk, the second post with minority grouping, the third post with the stigmas surrounding people with disabilities, and the fourth post involving the stereotypes of mental health. 

Although many different topics were covered, they are all linked by the key theme that making yourself aware of different perspectives and listening to multiple narratives is essential if you want to get anywhere in this world. When we listen to one single story, we subject ourselves to whatever judgments that story holds, but when we expose ourselves to man different views it’s easy to find that those judgments do not hold the truth. 

I wanted to focus my CI blog posts on this theme because I think it would solve a lot of the issues we face in our world. Most of our disagreements come from our lack of understanding other perspectives. If we view the world with an open mind, it is interesting how quickly we find people to be more welcoming and inclined to share their opinions with us. 

Of course, there are exceptions and certain opinions should not be tolerated if they are hateful and degrading, but most of the time those opinions come from bias deeply engraved by ignorance and fear. Those people are most often closed-minded and that is why they struggle so much to be kind. 

I hope that if you take anything from these blog posts, it is the ability to listen to multiple stories, opinions, voices, and perspectives with only open ears. Form your judgments after they are finished, and make sure you are consuming media from multiple sources. Do not subject yourself to just one opinion, even if it aligns with your own, because even that will lead you down a path of bias and stigmas. Our world is filled with billions of people, and each have their own tale to tell, so take the time to listen to as many as possible, and you’ll be surprised how much you will learn and grow. 

The subject I have chosen for my Advocacy Project is to push individuals to learn more about the Deaf Community and their cultural norms so that they can understand why behaviors we exhibit can be hurtful to them. I have been taking ASL the past 2 semesters and have learned a multitude of new perspectives that I believe are crucial for others to also understand. My goal is to build awareness surrounding the Deaf Community and hopefully inspire other individuals to gain a new outlook on the way we do things. 

My target audience is mainly younger individuals still in school from Kindergarten to College. I think a lot of what I wish to talk about should be discussed from a young age so that children can grow up and be courteous of things like this. However, it is never too late to learn and that is why I also think college students can take this information and do a lot with it. 

I believe 3 motivations/values I can appeal to are people’s tendency to be curious, to want to be empathetic towards other people, and to want to grow as individuals. I think most people are willing to at last read about a new experience or perspective they hadn’t thought about before, so  I will be trying to target that side of human nature. 

Religion: what a compelling and interesting argument it brings. So many things can be justified through religion and the biggest flaw in their argument is that it is totally based on interpretation. Yes, technically all of the “rules” are written in the bible and should be obeyed by its followers, but how each follower takes and interprets what it’s saying. 

The organization that I chose is the American Family Association and its mission is “to inform, equip, and activate individuals and families to transform American culture and to give aid to the church, here and abroad, in its calling to fulfill the Great Commission” (AFA). While this seems like a semi-decent mission, as you start to delve into the values you realize very quickly that this organization is spewing hidden hateful messages. 

From the home page, the first article you see is titled “Christians should boycott Disney’s ‘Lightyear’…  Disney has gone ‘all in’ in supporting the LGBTQ lifestyle” (AFA). They begin the article by stating the Parental Rights in Education Bill, which prevents K-3 public schools from “spewing pro-gay pro-transgender propaganda” (AFA), was a win for all parents everywhere. They then start to use phrases like “rabid LGBTQ left” to further support their argument that parents now need to boycott the Disney movie because it involves a same-sex gendered kissing scene. 

I think the largest issue with the argument the AFA makes is that they have no concrete or valid evidence to support what they’re saying. The only basis they make is that it is wrong and should be opposed, but they never give the reasoning for why. They just assume their readers will know that LGBTQ should not be supported because their religion supports it, but that is just their interpretation of Christianity and the bible, which creates a lot of holes in their argument. There are plenty of Christian churches and priests and followers across the nation that support the bible and God while still believing that LGBTQ is okay and supporting those who identify as such. 

This website as a whole has so many fallacies weaved within its arguments and opinions. So many of the perspectives and views they are trying to push are completely based on their own interpretations of what their religion is and what everyone should follow. There was no concrete evidence given to support their arguments, and because of this, the AFA failed in its logical appeals. 

https://www.afa.net/the-stand/culture/2022/03/christians-should-boycott-disneys-lightyear

The inclusion of a forced arbitration clause is unjust in the workplace environment because of the power imbalance it grants to corporations over their employees. 

As a Labor and Human Resources major, I think identifying and shedding light on issues involving the unfair advantage management and corporations have over their employees is crucial if we ever wish to see a change in our workforce. With the topic of forced arbitration, I think identifying how it is used against individuals in sexual assault cases, discrimination cases, and concealed clauses most employees don’t even realize they sign in their contracts are all important points I will include within my essay. I am intrigued by this because it is something I have recently learned about within the last 2 semesters and I find the power shifts between management and laborers to be quite interesting. Many people don’t recognize how important it is to be aware of forced arbitration clauses and the harm they can have on their careers, so writing about the dangers of them will hopefully clear up some of the miseducation about them. 

The book source I found is the US Judiciary Committee hearing answering the question “Forced Arbitration: Is it fair?”. I believe this book will be proven useful because it gives concrete and lawful evidence that will back my claim. There are also some included opinions of attorneys which will prove useful to quote and gain some other perspectives. 

What is forced arbitration and what are its pros/cons?

How has forced arbitration been used throughout the history of labor? 

Does forced arbitration have any need in our work environment as we know it today?

We all know the stigmas around mental illness; psycho, crazy, murderous, dangerous, not-well, etc.. We’ve witnessed poor portrayals of individuals dealing with mental illness and whether we admit to it or not, many of us have internalized the stereotypes the media pushes. We’ve seen it in movies like “Split” and “Me, Myself, and Irene”. Our society has a history of stigmatizing mental health, especially with women. Because of this, it is crucial to understand the effect media influence has on stereotyping mental illness, and how deep the stigma runs. 

Correct representation of mental illness has been far and slim. Shows, movies, and even literature are known for their incorrect and dangerous representations. Margaret Atwood and Sylvia Plath, however, are well-known for their books inspired by mental health in women. For a very long period of time, women’s health was overlooked and they were viewed as “crazy” or simply told to “be quiet and sit pretty”. In her book “Alias Grace”, Margaret Atwood tells the story of a woman named Grace who has appeared to have committed a murder and is praised by society in a sick and twisted way for being the first “murderess”. We later learn in the novel that Grace has multiple personality disorders, and Atwood walks the fine line of themes dealing with mental health and how they can affect our personal relationships, our self-view, and most importantly how society perceives us. 

Another representation of mental health within women is Sylvia Plath’s beautifully crafted novel “The Bell Jar”. The story follows the main character Esther who seems to have a perfect life laid out in front of her, except for the fact that she struggles with psychotic depression. Plath sheds light on a lot of the stigmas surrounding mental illness including how arrogant doctors can belittle their patients, how society’s perspective and stigmas can only worsen the situation, and even on how life goals and relationships can become strained or even lost. 

Although these two wonderful pieces of literature give examples of responsible representation within the media, there are still far too many dangerous portrayals that only push the stigmas that already exist. The article I read speaks about the dangers media representation can bring to individuals with mental illness and it only endangers their quality of life. Many of us have a hard time understanding things that do not directly apply to us, so with correct media influence we can have an easier time witnessing and grasping what truly happens with mental illness and how can offer aid instead of judgment.

Why We Need Responsible Representation in the Film Industry

Hello all and welcome back! As we discussed in the last passion post, I’m sure many of you are aware of society’s long history with degrading women. Dating back to as early as time, there have always been stereotypes and misogyny in place to keep women “in their place” and remind them they are the lesser beings to men. With today’s passion post, however, we are going to look into how race affects these perspectives and deepens the blow against women of color. 

Now before I introduce the poem, I think it’s important to have some of America’s history laid out. It is important to note that when the women’s suffrage movement began to create some uproar, there was a lot of adamancy about excluding women of color from this right. In addition to this, many men of color had voting rights before women ever did. With this in mind, let us begin our delve into our new poem: Homecoming.  

Sonia Sanchez was born in Alabama and lived there for a bit before moving to Harlem at the age of 9. She studied political science in college and began a writer’s workshop following her graduation. Throughout her career, Sonia produced sixteen volumes of poetry, a multitude of plays, and a variety of children’s books as well. She received a myriad of rewards and her work is recognized across the globe. Sanchez is most recognized for her illustration of life as a black woman and her outspoken thoughts on her surrounding society. Homecoming is a perfect example of both of those things and was her first published collection of poems. 

I think one of the first noticeable things about this poem is her use of language. Sanchez takes on a tone using black slang and vernacular which is a shot at her white counterparts. She was a part of the Black Arts Movement which focused on celebrating black culture and people while also defying white rules and societal norms. Her choice of words and blatant use of the n-word not once, but twice, really takes a shot at how white people viewed people of color back then. 

The biggest theme Sanchez conveys in her poem is the distinction between how women of color are perceived by society and how they truly are. Sanchez first talks about her tourism of what society sees the black community to be with people killing themselves and violence and hatred. However, she then states “now a woman” meaning she herself is directly talking to another woman we perceive to be as black as well. She makes the reference to Freudian dreams which show symbols of repressed wishes that we typically hide in our subconscious and never let out. The line that drives the poem home, however, is the last one which says “ain’t like they say in the newspapers”. 

Sanchez pushes her readers to consider their views on women of color and realize the stereotypes and discrimination intertwined with them. She wants her readers to question the perspective society is pushing them to see, and instead look at things from an intersectional view. This poem was specified to black women because not only did they face racism, but sexism as well. Sanchez’s poem Homecoming brings a new perspective to the table that creates a voice for black women and forces society to view them as more than what they are portrayed.

Correct and positive media representation is something I have already discussed a few times within my blog posts. I believe when it comes to representation of any marginalized groups, the most important component resides in what message the media is trying to convey, and making sure it is meaningful. Sure it is beneficial to cast more black actors/actresses in TV shows, movies, etc., but when you make their roles a side character or comedic relief or focus solely on reinforcing already established black stereotypes, what good are you really doing? 

An article I found from Racetoacure.org does a great job of informing and articulating what it means to see stereotypes like this be portrayed. They include the opinions of people from underrepresented groups who speak on what representation in the media means to them. One girl, Lola, who is a senior in high school speaks on how disheartening it is to see a lack of representation for people who look like her. What many don’t realize is the failure to include marginalized groups sets the precedent in members of those group’s heads that certain things are unattainable or just not “meant for you”. When you grow up and all you see are white characters being crime fighters and superheroes and spies and chefs and models and everything else under the sun, you feel as though you cannot achieve those things solely because your skin color is not the same. 

The Revolutionary Power of Black Panther

Another article from Time focused specifically on the importance of the movie Black Panther for Black Americans everywhere. Many times when black people do get representation, it’s in comedies pushing black stereotypes, gang/hood movies, or even slave movies. To have representation in a film where none of those things are associated and it is just black characters getting to participate in the fantasy world was groundbreaking for so many individuals. Now, black kids have the opportunity to look up to a superhero who looks like them, and to so many kids who didn’t get to experience that before it makes all the difference. 

Media representation is so important for marginalized groups because it helps normalize their existence and allows them to feel more included in society. It is something many of our white counterparts overlook because it doesn’t directly affect them, but if we all acknowledge how crucial it is to bettering society, I think we can all make a huge difference in this world. 

“When I want to watch TV, I want to laugh, get lost in a story, relax, and forget about my troubles. Not be thrust into a world of discrimination and hardship that, although quite relevant, does not represent all aspects of life.” -Lola 

https://www.racetoacure.org/post/the-importance-of-representation-in-media

Discussion Prompts: When you were growing up, what characters did you look up to? Did they look like you? Was there some characteristic they had that you either saw within yourself or wanted to eventually attain?

The beauty of the comments section. I don’t know about the rest of you, but for me, some of the BEST entertainment came from reading the comments section under controversial posts. It didn’t even have to be something political; the way people get so involved in celebrity drama is a little terrifying. For this post, I’m going to be looking at the “deliberation” in the comments section of a TSR Instagram post about Kanye West. This one is going to be fun. 

Now before we dive into the deliberating part, we’re gonna need some background on what the situation is about. For a quick rundown- Kanye and Kim divorced, Kanye started dating Julia Fox, Kim had a birthday party and Kanye accused her of keeping him from his children, Kanye has been throwing a fit on all social media platforms, Kanye has been accusing Kim of being a bad parent and not allowing him to participate in the parenting of their children even though he has 50/50 custody, this breakup is just very messy and public. Of course, the internet has been eating this up and posting about it everywhere. A large amount of the public has their opinion on the newest update on the situation. 

Long story short, Kim had a Vogue photoshoot with their kids, and Kanye posted the pictures on his Instagram with the caption “GOD PLEASE BRING OUR FAMILY BACK TOGETHER”. Kim Kardashian also made a comment saying co-parents should be each other’s “biggest cheerleader no matter what”. Now that you’re caught up to speed, let’s dive into the “deliberation” in the picture below.

For starters, I think it’s quite funny the way people comment on situations like this in the tone that they personally know the celebrities and their motives and the full story. All of the comments in this picture are subjected to this. I do not feel this is deliberation in any form. It is definitely more civil than a lot of the other comment sections I have seen, but I feel like this is best defined as an “argumentative conversation”. There is no goal to find common ground or discuss opinions in a respectable way, instead, people are just trying to get their opinions across and they come for anyone who doesn’t see it from their perspective. 

There are a few people who seem to be a bit more respectful, but no one is aiming to further their understanding of the situation or see it in a new light. You can see this with the bottom comment, which includes an insult and descriptive emojis. 

All in all, I find it quite funny to look at comment section arguments. I do not think the majority of comment sections on social media are good places for deliberation since most people are not willing to understand or respect the opinions of a random stranger through their phone screen. I think deliberations work best face-to-face, and there are not many examples of this online.

I want to start this blog off by saying when I started researching for articles about the story of someone with a disability, immediately a bunch popped up with titles like “Overcoming my Disability” and “Disabled People Overcoming the Odds”. Titles like this make me so beyond angry at the idea that many individuals as “abled bodies” paint the single story that being disabled means you live a “lesser life” or an unfulfilling one. This stigma is why our world is still so inaccessible to many people with disabilities and why many times when we hear people talk, it’s only offensive. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/21/opinion/stories-about-disability-dont-have-to-be-sad.html

The article I am going to talk about today was written by Melissa Shang and it’s titled “Stories about Disability Don’t Have to Be Sad”. Melissa is a middle school girl who was born with Charcot-Marie-Tooth, a degenerative nerve disease. She uses a wheelchair and wears leg braces, as well as has an aide, but Melissa’s story isn’t a sad one. She’s just like any other middle schooler, and she was tired of hearing the story of someone with a disability “overcome their challenges”. 

She first gained public popularity with her petition to American Girl asking them to make a doll with a disability, which got over 140,000 signatures. From there, Melissa decided she wanted to write a book with the main character a girl with a disability. The plot of the book would be something fun and adventurous, not the usual sad story most main characters with disabilities are involved in. Melissa and her sister worked hard to accomplish her dream and it was eventually set out to publishing houses. 

Melissa then shares the statement, “When the responses started to come in, they were almost all the same: for a girl who was in a wheelchair with a degenerative nerve disease, Mia Lee was just too happy”. This quote really illustrates the single story we tell about individuals with disabilities: they can’t be completely happy if they have one. 

Melissa then goes on to share the lack of media representation people with disabilities have, and how this furthers the convention about how a kid with disabilities is supposed to act. This lack makes it difficult for people to see past the stereotypes surrounding disabilities and view them as just a normal part of life. 

In many of our single stories, Melissa makes the comment, “Disability is always seen as a misfortune, and disabled characters are simply opportunities to demonstrate the kindness of the able-bodied protagonists”. If you take anything from this blog post, I hope it is to correct the stigma surrounding individuals with disabilities and learn how to tell the right one instead.