Reflection #3: I Lost my Talk

This is a poem written by Rita Joe of the Mi'kmaq nation explaining her feelings on having her language and culture taken away from her.
 
"I lost my talk
The talk you took away.
When I was a little girl
At Shubenacadie school.
You snatched it away:
I speak like you
I think like you
I create like you
The scrambled ballad, about my world.
Two ways I talk
Both ways I say,
Your way is more powerful.
So gently I offer my hand and ask,
Let me find my talk
So I can teach you about me."

This poem shows the injustice that Native Americans faced as they were forced to conform to Canadian norms. Native American history was repressed in the school system. In school, Native Americans were only taught Canadian history and reprimanded if they spoke their own language. Aboriginals were forced to lose their identity and adopt an entirely new culture. As we discussed in class, many students knew almost nothing about Native American History, myself included. This is due to the lack of recognition and the inequality Aboriginal culture has faced. We discussed that it is the responsibility of teachers to call out discriminatory comments in the classroom and include Aboriginal history in their teachings. Click here for a website created for teachers to guide them in accurately teaching Native American culture. In a society that claims to be multicultural, there needs to be more focus in the school system about Native American culture and history.

Rita Joe spent her adult life advocating on behalf of Aboriginal culture and fighting native stereotypes. Click here for a radio clip of Rita Joe reading her story “The Little People” during the ‘Our Native Land’ Special on CBC radio in 1981.

Emma Liz

Review #2: The Good Housewives Guide

While researching gender stereotypes, I came across ‘The Good Wives Guide’. This guide was published in May of 1955’s Housekeeping Monthly magazine. This article outlines all the duties a ‘good wife’ should accomplish for her husband. Some of the less shocking more recognized duties include, having dinner ready, completing all housework before his arrival home from work and greeting him with a smile as he walks through the door. The reading states that a woman should prepare for the man’s arrival by looking pretty and making a hot or cold drink for her husband to feel comfortable. It is worthy to mention that the man is labelled ‘the master of the house’ and because of this women have no right to question his actions or judgements. It is hard to imagine that a woman would simply disregard her own feelings because of the discourse surrounding that period of time which labelled men as greater than women. The article makes a point of noting that a man’s topics of conversation are more important than a woman’s. The article finishes with the statement, “A good wife always knows her place.” I can’t help but cringe while reading these words. The women’s role was overwhelming as they were expected to care for their children, be a diligent homemaker and an obedient and attentive wife. This reading suggests that a women’s ‘place’ was to repress her feelings and suffer through any personal issues in order to make the man as happy as possible. Women were supposed to look pretty while making sure the house and family ran smoothly. Not only did the husband expect this of their wife, but society demanded hard work and perfection. Women were told that their happiness revolved around how well they could please their husband. Men were given complete control. I cannot accept that women blindly followed these rules without questioning why they were not given the same rights as men. I am so thankful for the woman who stood up against this discrimination and fought for equality!

                While trying to find similar articles, I found a satirical look at the ‘The Good Housewives Guide’ called ‘The Good Husband’s Guide’. This article reverses the stereotypical roles of men and women and puts the pressure on the men to “look pretty and shut up”. I also found an article labelled ‘The Good Man’s Guide’ (scroll down to find this article). This article gives men (or anyone in a relationship) a realistic idea about their spousal responsibilities in today’s world. ‘The Good Housewives Guide’ is an eye- opening look at how far our society has come in giving equal rights to woman.

Emma Liz

Link to Article- Ottawa Police Investigated

Click here for a link to the most recent Ottawa Citizen article regarding the investigation by the OPP of Stacy Bonds and the Ottawa Police after allegations of mistreatment of people who have been arrested.

Review #1: 'Dont ask, don't tell"

I came across an article on CBC regarding gay soldiers marching in the recent Gay Pride Parade in Toronto. The article explains that for the first time ever, gay soldiers were permitted to march in the parade and hold an information kiosk for anyone with questions. For quite some time, the military’s policy regarding gender identity and sexual orientation was ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t tell’. This is in the process of changing because it sends the message that homosexuality is wrong and does not belong in the military. If people want homosexuals to fight for freedom, then should they not be afforded the same freedoms themselves? Is it unfair to ask someone to potentially give their life to the service of a country that doesn’t place as much value on their lives simply because of their sexual orientation? This is a big topic in the news right now and this article demonstrates how it is being supported by some. Pop culture icons, including Lady Gaga, have made headlines recently by promoting the elimination of the ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy.

It should be mentioned that there is a bias in this article. It conveys the message that the Canadian Forces is an employer of choice but, it also mentions that this is the first time ever that the soldiers have marched in this parade and its 2010! We might have hover cars before the marginalization of homosexuals becomes a shameful thing to look back on in Canadian history. This is a good start of course, but is it enough to make a difference? Are there really changes being implemented for the real gay and lesbian soldiers in their day to day military lives or are these policies just in place to avoid legal proceedings, scrutiny from the media and the resentment of the Canadian public? Is it really justified to congratulate the military on being inclusive just yet? These are questions that came to mind when reading this article. Please let me know your opinion on this article and the ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy in the comment box!

Click here for a link to the article.

Emma Liz

Critical Reflection #5: Aboriginal Stereotypes

Reflection Paper 5

            In our last class, we had a workshop about Aboriginal issues in the classroom, followed by a presentation about Aboriginal stereotypes. I found both lectures well- timed and they presented many problems with ignorance towards Native Americans. However, I felt they did not provide tools to overcome these issues. I understand it is impossible to completely overcome such obstacles, but I don’t feel any more comfortable when discussing the topic and it would have been helpful to hear facts about Native American culture. The presenters stated that this is an uncomfortable topic for some due to people being generally uneducated. I am not familiar with Aboriginal history or culture and in fact, this class is the first time I have ever really discussed Native Americans during school. For these reasons, I have decided to reflect on my peer’s presentation on Aboriginal stereotypes. Many clips were shown of Native American stereotypes in popular television shows and comedians using these stereotypes in their material. He also showed clips of Native Americans who are in the entertainment industry expressing their views on how their culture is misrepresented in the media. I found these clips presented contradictory ideas.

            “For over a hundred years, Westerns and documentaries have shaped the public's perception of Native people. The wise elder (Little Big Man); the drunk (Tom Sawyer); the Indian princess (Pocahontas); the loyal sidekick (Tonto)—these images have become engrained in the consciousness of every North American. “(Common Portrayals of Aboriginal People, 2010).

            This statement reflects the common discourse surrounding Native Americans as society has socially constructed their opinions through what is portrayed in the media. I myself have believed these stereotypes strictly because my only knowledge of Aboriginals was formed through what I have seen and heard. During the presentation, a part that was particularly eye- opening was when the ‘Seinfeld’ clip was played. I have seen this episode many times but I never put into perspective how strongly the clip reinforces negative stereotypes. Other clips shown had interviews with Native Americans who felt insulted by how the media portrays them. One woman mentioned that “Americans never cared to tell the real story of the Natives.” From what I gathered, the message of the presentation was to inform the class about existing Aboriginal stereotypes. Yet, one minute we are all laughing at these stereotypes, and the next we are supposed to feel sympathy for their culture? I felt that the true message of the presentation was distorted as the clips produced opposite ideas.

Although I did not find the presentation very informative, it was useful in that I am able to now recognize my lack of education on Aboriginal people. I think we need to look at educators to improve their own knowledge of ALL cultures in order to reduce and prevent racialization and intolerance in the classroom.  I’m glad that at least now, in my 3^rd year of post-secondary, I can be informed on the importance of learning and understanding Native American culture. This will prevent further reinforcement of stereotypes, ignorance and misunderstanding on my behalf.

References:

(2010). Common portrayals of aboriginal people. Retrieved on November 20^th, 2010 from www.media-awareness.ca.

Emma Liz

Gender Stereotypes in Children's Toys

Hello,

Here is a interesting CBC article noting how children's toys continue to reflect gender stereotypes. Carleton's own Women and Gender Studies professor, Patrizia Gentile, makes a comment on modernized children's dolls.  Click here for the link.

Emma Liz

Racist Stereotypes in the Media

Click here for a video clip that shows a series of racist ads in the media from before 1970 to present day.

Emma Liz