2008 Woodie Awards
Stereotypes dismantled at SUSO
By: Laura Danielson
Issue date: 11/14/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Holly graduate assistant Mark Ferguson said the mass media is a double edged sword - it can perpetuate stereotypes or help to reduce them by educating people.
Ferguson and more than 250 students packed the Bovee University Center Auditorium for Monday night's Speak Up Speak Out forum, "Stereotypes in Popular Culture: Are We Who They Say We Are?"
Students and panelists discussed stereotypes in entertainment and news media as well as on campus, focusing on issues such as gender stereotypes in video games and gender discrimination in classrooms.
The forum highlighted different ways students can combat harmful stereotypes that permeate popular culture and affect everyone.
"I think it's important that you express your feelings about stereotypes when they surface because failure to make your expressions known can help to reinforce the stereotypes," said Rick Sykes, broadcasting and cinematic arts professor and a panelist for the forum.
Other panelists were Puerto Rico graduate assistant Rick Caceres-Rodriguez, Warren senior Myles Walsh and Minnesota graduate assistant Kate Unterborn. Political science professor Jayne Strachan moderated the event.
Sykes said when students recognize stereotypes in the media, they should get their friends together and write letters and e-mail the company or boycott the show to cause change.
A mass response will get the attention of the media, he said.
On campus, stereotypes can be combated by taking issues of discrimination to the Student Government Association or just by making a Facebook.com group, panelists said.
Detroit graduate assistant Gloria Owens said people can fight stereotypes by becoming more knowledgeable about people who are different from them so they won't buy into false stereotypes.
Owens said she has benefited from the diversity of people in the political science department.
"I thought it was great to hear all the different reactions because even though I live on a very diverse campus, I still hang out with my stereotypically white friends and I'm not exposed to different cultures very much," said Millersburg junior Brett Rose.
Sykes said people just need to be educated through relationships and personal experiences in order to reduce the power of stereotypes.
More information about stereotypes in the media can be found at mediaed.org.
news@cm-life.com
Ferguson and more than 250 students packed the Bovee University Center Auditorium for Monday night's Speak Up Speak Out forum, "Stereotypes in Popular Culture: Are We Who They Say We Are?"
Students and panelists discussed stereotypes in entertainment and news media as well as on campus, focusing on issues such as gender stereotypes in video games and gender discrimination in classrooms.
The forum highlighted different ways students can combat harmful stereotypes that permeate popular culture and affect everyone.
"I think it's important that you express your feelings about stereotypes when they surface because failure to make your expressions known can help to reinforce the stereotypes," said Rick Sykes, broadcasting and cinematic arts professor and a panelist for the forum.
Other panelists were Puerto Rico graduate assistant Rick Caceres-Rodriguez, Warren senior Myles Walsh and Minnesota graduate assistant Kate Unterborn. Political science professor Jayne Strachan moderated the event.
Sykes said when students recognize stereotypes in the media, they should get their friends together and write letters and e-mail the company or boycott the show to cause change.
A mass response will get the attention of the media, he said.
On campus, stereotypes can be combated by taking issues of discrimination to the Student Government Association or just by making a Facebook.com group, panelists said.
Detroit graduate assistant Gloria Owens said people can fight stereotypes by becoming more knowledgeable about people who are different from them so they won't buy into false stereotypes.
Owens said she has benefited from the diversity of people in the political science department.
"I thought it was great to hear all the different reactions because even though I live on a very diverse campus, I still hang out with my stereotypically white friends and I'm not exposed to different cultures very much," said Millersburg junior Brett Rose.
Sykes said people just need to be educated through relationships and personal experiences in order to reduce the power of stereotypes.
More information about stereotypes in the media can be found at mediaed.org.
news@cm-life.com
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