Women and Media FA2014: Final Project: Why Lupita Matters: An Analysis On The Importance of Images In the Media

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Final Project: Why Lupita Matters: An Analysis On The Importance of Images In the Media

Lupita Nyong'o

For my final project I focus on the image of Lupita Nyong’o. I must stress and emphasis that I am solely focusing on THE IMAGE of Lupita. I wrote an essay on how important Lupita’s image is in America as women with her aesthetics are not seen in the mainstream media on a consistent basis, especially not as an image of beauty.

My essay is broken down into three themes or topics which are the fetishization of Lupita’s image, colorism and why her image may be highly significant to young black girls.

Within the "black community", on one hand fetishization and suspicion regarding Lupita were being discussed while on the other hand representation and black women's beauty were being discussed. My essay explores why Lupita being upheld as an image of beauty by the media caused such a polarizing response amongst black people. In the essay I explore both sides of the argument.

Colorism is defined as skin color discrimination that targets persons with dark skin. This is a global phenomenon and there was no way that I could present this essay without talking about colorism. In the essay I touch upon how colorism works within the black community. I also do talk a bit about my personal experience with colorism as a child.

Dr. Radhika Parameswaran speaking on colorism

Lastly, I talk about young girls who “look” like Lupita and how her image of beauty in the mainstream media can have a positive effect on them. Throughout the essay I also stress the importance of images and why they are so powerful.

I created a blog and published my essay in two parts. The style in which I wrote this essay reads as if I am talking to a friend, it is not formal. I wanted it to be an easy read since it is long and made for a blog. I do give my opinions throughout the essay while thoroughly exploring other arguments that I may not personally agree with. I really hope that someone learns something from my piece about colorism and why Lupita’s image matters.

My final project can be found here:
Brown Beauty Daily Blog

Works Cited:

"Lupita is Beautiful, But Black Been Beautiful" by Yaba Blay retrieved from: http://prettyperiod.me/post/75149081609/lupita-is-beautiful-but-black-been-beautiful

"Lupita Nyong'o Delivers Moving 'Black Women in Hollywood' Acceptance Speech" retrieved from: http://www.essence.com/2014/02/27/lupita-nyongo-delivers-moving-black-women-hollywood-acceptance-speech/

"Postracial Achievements:The media's fetishization of Lupita Nyong'o and Kwasi Enin" by Aph Ko retrieved from:http://www.naturalhairmag.com/postracial-achievements-medias-fetishization-lupita-nyongo-kwasi-enin/

"Understanding Colorism: An Interview with Dr. Rahdika Paraweswaran" retrieved from: http://jyotigupta.org/understanding-colorism-an-interview-with-dr-radhika-parameswaran/

Additional Works:

An in depth discussion with Yaba Blay and Michalea Angela Davis about colorism
Color Without Complex:
http://www.nyu.edu/global/global-academic-centers/washington-dc/nyu-washington--dc-events/black-history-month-2014/color-without-complex.html

Marc Lamont Hill and panelist dissing fetishization and Lupita
Who Gets to Love Lupita Nyong'o:
http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/lupita-nyongo-fetish-hollywood-black-actress/531e212278c90a1a73000e52

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LINK TO SYLLABUS

NO CLASS 12/6 - WORK ON YOUR PROJECTS!!

FINAL PROJECTS due 12/13!!

Presentations 12/13 and 12/20

*attendance is mandatory

Please be prepared to present your projects to the class in approximately 5-7 minute presentations. Visuals are a must. Feel free to bring physical props and handouts if appropriate.

**You must create a POST for your final project - a link to your project, a summary, images and or videos. You will present using/from your post - this will be much easier.

Projects are due on the blog and resource lists and sumaries handed in to me. Print projects, papers, zines etc must be physically handed in to me 12/7.

Checklist:

-summary on the blog along with images and any videos

-link to your project (including pdf projects)

-presentations (5-7 minutes) will be from your blog post or linked directly from the post PLEASE TEST THIS BEFORE ARRIVING IN CLASS

-research must be handed in to me as resource list/bibliography or included in the blog post in addition to preparing the above for the presentations.

_______________

Due 11/22

READINGS:

Veiled Threat by Arwa Aburawa Bitch Magazine

http://bitchmagazine.org/article/veiled-threat

The Feminist Evolution ArtNews December 2009

http://www.artnews.com/2009/12/01/the-feminist-evolution/

Linda Nochlin, Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?

http://deyoung.famsf.org/files/whynogreatwomenartists_4.pdf

Where the Great Women Artists are Now

Interview with Linda Nochlin Art News February 2007

http://www.artnews.com/2007/02/01/where-the-great-women-artists-are-now/

Interview with Cat Mazza

We-Make-Money-Not-Art

http://www.we-make-money-not-art.com/archives/2008/01/how-and-when-did-you.php

Visit and read through/explore these websites:

The Guerrilla Girls

http://www.guerrillagirls.com

if possible, BUY THE GUERRILLA GIRLS BOOK!

Brainstormers

http://www.brainstormersreport.net

POST 5 DUE

Choose and research a female artist or film director/screenwriter and a single work or several works. Describe their approach to art and/or film making and explain their role as author or auteur. Using references to the readings and references to your own research (be sure to cite) explain the work, especially as it relates to auteur theory (film) and author. How does the artist or filmmaker explain their work and their process? How are the works and artist or filmmaker received? How are they critiqued?

Every post must have a short bibliography/works cited. You must include at least 2 additional sources outside of resources from class in your post. If possible include links to the readings or sources, if not list them properly in your works cited. Last post! Make it awesome.

2 tweets #womenmedia

Due 11/15

No new readings due. Review readings from last week.

Work on your post and FINAL PROJECTS!!

POST 4

Alternative Media and Ownership

Using references to the readings due for class, convey an understanding of women in the (mainstream) media industry. Then by comparison, research and discuss an alternative media organization or media source that is outside the mainstream message we have critiqued. Concentrate on messages by or for women specifically. The example can be local, national or international. Look to independent media in developing nations (newspapers for example) for interesting and inspiring examples. Be sure to explain the publication, film, project or online source in depth, explain it's origins and WHY it is successful or necessary as an alternative (to mainstream) media source. What is the role of gender in this story?

You can choose to concentrate on news media, independent film or a number of new media examples. Be original, dig. Find something inspiring that we need to know about - if we don't already.

5+ paragraphs. Images and links. Please do extensive research beyond what we have read in class and cite your findings appropriately.

2 tweets #womenmedia

3 comments on 3 student project proposals (if you have not already done so)

Group 7 presents

_______________

DUE 11/8

READINGS on Blackboard:

Introduction "Making Movie Magic" from Reel to Real by bell hooks

"Author/Autor: Feminist Literary Theory and Feminist Film" by Maggie Humm

"Debra Zimmerman and Women Make Movies" by Judith Redding and Victoria A. Brownworth

"Crooked Room" by Melissa Harris Perry

Please look at the Women Make Movies website: http://www.wmm.com/

2 tweets #womenmedia

3 comments on 3 student project proposals (if you have not already done so)

Group 6 presents

_________________

DUE 11/1

NO READINGS DUE.

Update of semester project proposal - handed in to me and posted on the blog

Full (update) project proposal with bibliography and resource list printed and handed in to me. 2 pages. Be as specific and clear about your research so far, where you are in production, include a project timeline and as clear a description of your final project as possible. What are you making? What is it about? Why are you making this? Who are you making this for? How will you distribute/share this with your audience? Where will it be published? How does this fit into your portfolio of work? How can this grow and progress after the semester is over?

Share your project proposal on the class blog. ~3 paragraphs, images and links to resources. From this post the class can give you feedback in the comments.

3 comments on other student project proposal posts (this will be due 11/8)

Please leave feedback for 4 other student projects. Help with resources, links to inspirational examples, other projects, articles, books, scholars, and any other resources that might be helpful for various topics. Leave helpful criticism about narrowing of ideas, production direction or tips, distribution ideas and any other help you can provide. Spend time on these!

Group 5 presents

2 tweets #womenmedia

_________________

Due 10/25

READINGS all online:

The Rise of the Female Anchor

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/06/weekinreview/06stanley.html

Rachael Papers

http://issuu.com/bitchmagazine/docs/the_rachel_papers/3?mode=embed&documentId=090225195412-a61ca4d3a7b34c879210801d39c49c40&layout=white

Broadcast News: When Women Become Two out of Three

http://www.womensmediacenter.com/blog/entry/broadcast-news-when-women-become-two-out-of-three

Katie Curic leaves CBS

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/21/opinion/21collins.html

Women in Media fact sheet

http://www.now.org/issues/media/women_in_media_facts.html

NY Times - the Female Factor

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/world/series/the_female_factor/index.html

FreePress Media Ownership Policy

http://conference.freepress.net/ownership/chart

Media Ownership Fact Sheet - NOW

http://www.now.org/issues/media/women_in_media_facts.html

Diversity in Media Ownership & Employment

http://www.civilrights.org/media/ownership/

WATCH:

Reel Girls Media Consolidation

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=reelgrrls#play/uploads/27/VZ01mj0IdTQ

two tweets #womenmedia

Group 4 presents

________________

DUE 10/18

READINGS: Susan Bordo -- "Hunger as Ideology" from Unbearable Weight and Maggie Wykes/Barrie Gunter --"Conclusion" from The Media and Body Image

Post 3

Using all of your readings, class discussions and additional research develop a short essay addressing advertising images and the sexism, racism and power hierarchies found in so many of these. What is the purpose of these images? What unintended effects might these pervasive images have or reflect? Is popular culture found in these? Learned? Critiqued? In addition to this analysis find or construct an alternative to these mainstream images and explain why it is different. Carefully draw out advertising strategies and goals and provide alternative paths for the industry or alternative anti-advertising messages.

5-6 paragraphs. Include citations of the readings in your post, images and links to relevant resources.

Schedule a MIDTERM MEETING with me on Saturday 11/1 or 11/8 before or after class.

*we will make up the schedule in class on 10/18. Check your calendars etc. to see what date works best for you.

two tweets #womenmedia

Group 3 presents

Important note on Post 2 The post should be a strong analysis of the readings. Be sure to convey an understanding of the readings and cite them extensively. Use media examples to illustrate your points from these readings and those of your own choosing. These should be titled (create a strong title), carefully written, well edited and properly cited with bibliographic information at the bottom of each post. All posts should include illustrative images with captions and links that are clear and introduced in your text.

*Please be sure that your published post is formattedcorrectly with spacing, alignment, paragraphs, images and captions of images lined up as best as possible. Fonts and images should be sized correctly. Please remember these are on the web. Format them to reflect your best published writing for the web with images and text appearing as polished as possible. This is a good part of the writing grade. EDIT!

GROUP PRESENTATIONS must also have a summary posted to the blog. One post per group. Best to complete this before your presentation in class. For those who have presented please do this immediately. This post is part of your presentation grade.

________________

Due 10/11

READINGS DUE (on Blackboard):

Advertising, Magazines and Women

from Gender Race and Class in Media

-Sex Lies and Advertising - Gloria Steinem Ms. Magazine

-Beauty and the Beast of Advertising - Jean Kilbourne

-Reading Images Critically - Douglas Kellner

-Commodity Lesbianism - Danae Clark

-Anthony Cortese, Constructed Bodies, Deconstructing Ads Sexism in Advertising

-Naomi Wolf , Culture from The Beauty Myth

Semester project topic due printed and handed-in

2 paragraphs explaining your semester project idea as well as any research and resources you have already discovered.

(**Full semester project proposal and resources/bibliography will be due 10/25)

Group 2 presents

Two tweets #womenmedia

__________________

Due 9/27

Edit Post 2: Edit your writing extensively, be sure to reference all 3 readings, list works cited at the end of the post, edit and caption images, check links. Posts will be graded on 9/29.

READINGS DUE:

On Blackboard:

bell hooks - The Will to Change - two chapters: Feminist Manhood and Popular Culture: Media Masculinity,

Michael Kimmel, Introduction to Misframing Men

Two tweets #womenmedia

GROUP 1 Presents

*Think about and research final project topic ideas (topics due 10/11)

_________________

Due 9/20

POST 2 - On ways of seeing/viewing

Please answer the following questions based on your readings and class discussion. Use your own experiences and realizations to help illustrate your understanding of the material - cite from the readings.

What is the male gaze and why is it a pervasive form of vision in popular culture? Give illustrative examples in a variety of media. What is the oppositional gaze and why (as described by bell hooks) has it developed? Give examples. How have you come to understand these structures and in what ways has this understanding changed your views about various media examples and of your own identity and role in these structures?

5-6 paragraphs. Include citations of the readings (Berger, hooks, Mulvey) in your post. Please include at least one image and one link.

videos (on the screenings page - scroll down to "ways of seeing")

READINGS: on Blackboard

-Introduction to Where the Girls Are - Susan Douglas

-Patriarchy - bell hooks

-"The More You Subtract The More You Add: Cutting Girls Down to Size" by Jean Kilbourne

Two tweets this week

Group 1 presents

*For those who missed the first day of class the assignments below are due 9/16 (they are LATE)

_________________

**Please remember there is NO CLASS on 9/06

Due 9/13

POST 1 on the class blog:
Who do you think you are?
What is your role in media consumption, critique and/or media making. How much of who you are is measured against media examples? How much of our common experience involves shared mass media events? How does the media fit into your life and your identity? Use several media examples to illustrate your description of your relationship to media. Your blog post must be at least 3 paragraphs and you must include at least one link and one image.

READINGS: available on the Blackboard Site in "Class Materials" in folder "Due 9/6" - let me know immediately (via email) if you have trouble accessing the readings.
John Berger - Ways of Seeing
Laura Mulvey - Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema
bell hooks - The Oppositional Gaze

Ms. Magazine: Beyonce at the VMAs

http://msmagazine.com/blog/2014/08/25/beyonce-at-the-vmas-feminist-and-flawless/

Daily Beast: Feminism's Resurgence in Pop Music

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/08/26/beyonc-is-our-indigo-girl-the-halcyon-90s-and-feminism-s-resurgence-in-pop-music.html

Chimanda Adiche Ted Talk

http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story?language=en#t-283627
___________________

Link to syllabus

Link to screenings online

Link to our twitter hashtag: #womenmedia

***Readings are on the class Blackboard site.***
Please be sure you have access to the Blackboard site and can see the "Class Materials" folder.

Discussion guidelines

The course material and discussions can often be provocative and challenging. We must therefore be careful to be respectful of each other and all of our viewpoints. No student shall ever be made to feel uncomfortable because of race, gender, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.

We must come to class prepared and ready to discuss the readings!! Please keep discussions focused on the readings and class materials and keep examples relevant and appropriate. If you have not done the readings you are not to participate in the discussion.

Please see this great list of classroom discussion guidelines for more guidance. It is also helpful that everyone in the course reviews several key terms that are crucial to the course material. Please review this important list of terms.