Sexism and Racism in The Office

That's what she said.

Gif courtesy of wifflegif.com

This iconic phrase from The Office, although humorous, is perhaps one of the most sexist phrases used in popular culture. The joking nature of the show, and the fact that it is in itself a joke, only perpetuates the degradation of women, because no one takes it as a serious issue. However, the "that's what she said" jokes are only the tip of the ice burg. The show has many sexist themes, usually used to promote laughter. For one example, there are very few women in the "corporate rungs" of Dunder Mifflin. In fact, the character Jan Levinson is the only one mentioned. To make it worse, she ends up abusing her power by having a secret affair with one of her employees. This only furthers the idea that women are incapable of successfully having jobs in the corporate world. Another sexist issue happens right inside the Dunder Mifflin Scranton branch. For starters, women rarely excel to the top at this branch. There was only one women manager and she used her connections to get the job, not her own skill. She was also unable to do her job correctly and even ended up leaving the company to raise a child. All of which only strengthen the sexist stereotypes of women in the workplace. In general, as this video shows, the women in the show are generally oversexualized and never treated with the same level of respect as men.

The video provides many examples of how the receptionist Pam, which plays on another sexist stereotype, for the first several seasons only ever does things to please her fiance, Roy. They lightly touch on the fact that Pam gives up her dreams of being an artist because Roy doesn't want her to. This is an issue many women face today; they often give up what they want in order to be the ideal girlfriend, fiance, wife, mother, etc. This is not just an issue in America, either. According to an article in New.com.au, researchers at AMP and Newspoll found that "Aussie women are more likely to shelve their dreams because of financial concerns" (News.com.au). Although an article by The Cut, part of New York Magazine, challenged this idea a little bit by showing a study where "more than 80% of men [said] they'd always wanted to be a father" whereas "just 70% of women felt the same way" (nymag.com), the fact remains that women are the ones who have to, like Pam, put their dreams and lives on hold for the significant others, and usually never the other way around. Another sexist issue that is raised with the character Pam, which I briefly mentioned above, is how she is the receptionist despite her ability to do so much more. By the end of the series, she has worked her way up to a sales job, however she spent most of her career answering phones and taking notes. Business Insider explored this inequality in the work place and discuss how women are expected to be "happy" about doing the "'office housework,' or low-value tasks like taking notes" (businessinsider.com). 

Sexism is not the only issue The Office uses to gain laughs. There are also many situations perpetuating racist stereotypes. Take the episode where they discuss diversity. The manager of the branch, Michael Scott, tries to teach the office about accepting other cultures but ends up furthering just about every racist stereotype in the book. 

In fact, after one particularly racist comment to an Indian woman, named Kelly, about the stereotypes of Indians owning convenience stores, Michael gets slapped.

Gif courtesy of uproxx.com

In general, there are just many instances of insensitivity and stereotypes are constantly being furthered. One episode after the Scranton branch merged with a branch in Connecticut, they found out one of the new employees was an ex-convict. Everyone's first assumption was the new African American man. Although he had spent some time in prison for fraud, it still perpetuates the stereotypes that African Americans are more likely to go to jail. 

The show also bolsters white privilege. 

Gif courtesy of Buzzfeed

Tim Wise's White Like Me: Race, Racism, and White Privilege in America, which we watched as part of a class assignment, helps explain the idea of what privilege and how some of these racist stereotype formed. To put it best, "And let's face it: there's no denying that white people in the U.S. have had privileges throughout history that people of color simply haven't...And whether we want to acknowledge it or not, this kind of systematic white privilege and race-based favoritism is built into the very foundation of the country" (Tim Wise). 

Again, you can see a lot of the sexism and racism they touched on in The Office is really only for comedic effect. However, sexism and racism are still very large issues that we face in today's culture. There are many prominent examples of sexism in the U.S. today. The wage gap is a very large one. Not only are women making less than men, but they are usually not able to excel as high as men in the workplace. According to College Times, women typically earn less than men in nearly 99% of all occupations(collegetimes.co). College Times also found that "four in ten businesses worldwide have no women in senior management" (collegetimes.co). Another example of how women are disadvantaged in the workplace, and one most of us are familiar with, is Jennifer Lawrence and her efforts to receive the same compensation as men. USA Today discussed her trials and though Lawrence said her "problem's aren't exactly relatable," they help show women everywhere how to take power into their own hands (usatoday.com). Racism is also still a big issue today. From the riots in Baltimore last year to all the uncalled for murders, racism is definitely not over. In fact, an article from The Washington Post said that "Americans say racism is a bigger problem today than at any point in the past 20 years" (washingtonpost.com). 

Article Sources: 

Covert, Bryce R. "When Men Want Kids - and Women Aren't So Sure." The Cut. N.p., 15 Mar. 2015. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.

"Diversity Day - The Office." YouTube. YouTube, 6 June 2014. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.

Elkins, Kathleen. "6 Examples of Subtle Sexism That Women Still Face at Work." Business Insider. N.p., 27 May 2015. Web. 9 Dec. 2015.

Ingraham, Christopher. "Americans Say Racism Is a Bigger Problem Today than at Any Point in the past 20 Years." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2015. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.

Lawler, Kelly. "Jennifer Lawrence on Sexism: I'm 'over' Being Likable." USA Today. Gannett, 14 Oct. 2015. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.

"Pressures of Gender Pressures- a Short Office Montage." YouTube. YouTube, 3 May 2010. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.

"The Office: Racist Bathrooms." YouTube. YouTube, 11 June 2011. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.

White Like Me: Race, Racism, and White Privilege in America. Dir. Time Wise. 2013. Transcript.

Wilson, Lauren. "Why Women Give up Their Dreams." NewsComAu. N.p., 08 July 2014. Web. 09 Dec. 2015.

"10 Surprising Statistics on Women in the Workplace." CollegeTimes. N.p., 15 Feb. 2010. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.

Empower

In my graphic narrative, a Penn State squirrel decides to leave his favorite tree and visit a park. While at the park, he finds a child with down syndrome standing alone and looking sad. The squirrel asks the boy why he is sad, and why he is not enjoying the lovely day at the park. The boy explains that he never gets included at the park because he is different from the other kids. The squirrel tells him that difference is NOT a bad thing. The squirrel asks some of the other children if it would be hard to be an "upstander" and include the boy. He also reminds them of a quote by Alison Lapper where she said "I've never met a normal person in my life," and that it's OK to be different. From then on, the kids included everyone they met--those with and without disabilities.

This brings up the issue of inclusion in our daily life. Although the government passed the American's with Disabilities Act, which helps those with disabilities in the job sphere and with transportation, this act doesn't really help with discrimination in social situations. As we learned at the beginning of the unit with the Cuban art exhibit, difference and diversity can come in a variety of ways and it is our job to help put an end to the stigma surrounding difference. After all, difference is a good thing and something we should all appreciate, not shun.

Photo's courtesy of:
en.wikipedia.org
www.coastalsoftwash.com
globaldownsydrome.org
gettyimages,com
dtraussece.com
anera.org

Difference

Difference is a very good thing; if we were all the same, life would be very boring. However, not everyone is appreciative of difference. This unit helps us to draw attention to difference and see how valuable it is. To see this difference first hand, I watched the 2001 What a Girl Wants film, the 1998 Edward Said On Orientalism film, and the 2010 Killing Us Softly 4: Advertising's Image of Women film.

The videos were helpful because they focused on many types of difference; for example, they covered  race, ethnicity, and gender. What a Girl Wants focused on the TV and media's presence in young girls lives and how it alters their perceptions of what is normal. They focused a lot on the role of channels like MTV and music videos and how these both sexualize women and provide unrealistic expectations of how a girl should look and sex in general. The second video, Edward Said On Orientalism, they explore the stereotypes assigned to people in the Middle East by Westerners. They ask that instead of trying to second hand represent those in the "Orient" we need to allow for self representation. This applies to races and ethnicity on a much broader scale than the just the Middle East and calls those in the West to be more accepting and less quick to judge and assign stereotypes. The final video, Killing Us Softly 4: Advertising's Image of Women, takes an at first humorous outlook on women's role in advertising then leads into the very serious issue of how women are overly sexualized in the media and print, which is very similar to the first film. Advertisers make women into helpless, vulnerable sex objects because they know that it will sell.

One gender specific signifier is a high heel shoe. These are almost exclusively associated with women. Some men, for example a drag queen, may wear them, but they are considered a women's shoe. By using the empty space, overlay, spotlighting, and repositioning techniques, we are able to view the high heel in a new way. First, there is empty space. In this photo, there is a woman with no shoes being given a pair of flip flops. We can often forget how not everyone has access to high heels or even shoes in general. According to an article by the Huffington Post, nearly 300 million people cannot afford shoes. Next, there is overlay. Many women say they wear high heels because they "look nice." I wore a pair for several hours last weekend for a formal and could not wait to take them off. The more honest reason women wear them is because they make us look good; they show off legs, make a woman taller, and add an overall nice touch to an outfit. We often try to ignore the association with high heels such as the pain the cause our feet, the oppression and heteronormativity they represent and how women who wear them are often sexualized. There is also spotlighting. With this, we can draw on the past concept of foot binding in ancient Chinese culture. Many compare this awful practice that deformed countless women's feet to the current practice of wearing high heels. In many ways, they are similar. We stick our feet in extremely uncomfortable footwear generally to impress men or show some type of social status, very much like foot binding. Finally, there is repositioning. Recently at Penn State, there was an event called "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes." This gathered men and women together to walk a mile in high heel shoes for domestic abuse awareness and prevention. We can use this event not only to put an end to domestic violence but also to see how men can wear high heels if they want to. It is different, but different is OK. The image of high heels relates to the What a Girl Wants film and how women wear and do things because of society and because of the norm not really because they want to.

Another gender signifier is makeup. Again, this product is targeted for women and men generally do not wear it. If they were to, they would most likely face opposition and harassment. These same strategies can be used to unpack the idea of makeup. First, we can use makeup and the idea of empty space as an opportunity to again discuss domestic abuse. Something we forget is how women feel ashamed to be abused and try and hid the bruises with makeup. With overlay, we can discuss some of the stereotypes associated with wearing makeup, especially wearing a lot of makeup. When guys and even other girls see someone with a lot of makeup they almost automatically assume they are a slut or a whore. Spotlighting can also address the issue of how people associate wearing a lot of makeup with being a whore or a prostitute. An article by The Gloss discusses some of the dumbest stereotypes associated with wearing red lipstick and one is the idea that if you wear it, you must "work" in the Red Light district. Finally, the idea of straight men wearing makeup can be used for repositioning. In this photo, a model for Chanel is putting on a lipstick. They use a beard and nice suit to help show masculinity while still highlighting the makeup and how this goes against the norm. This signifier also relates most heavily to the What a Girl Wants film. One of the young girls in that video discussed how she wore foundation to even out her skin tone and even shared a "makeup tip" with the camera crew. This shows again the influence of the media and how it sets expectations we feel we have to live up to by doing things like wearing heels and makeup.

For the final signifier, I used a pick. This is associated with the African American culture. To understand this, we can just use the overlay and repositioning tools. The pick symbolizes so much more than just a comb. It symbolizes culture, heritage, and difference. It draws a connection with the Edward Said Orientalism film and how "Westerners" make secondhand associations and stereotypes instead of letting the cultures represent themselves. For example, to many Americans, the pick could symbolize the ghetto. So overlay helps us to see that the pick represents more than we think. Repositioning also helps us defy our stereotypes. In this photo, a white man has a pick. This goes against who we would typically associate using a pick with which is good because it helps us see how being different and being an individual is good.

Images courtesy of: 
Red Stiletto: orderbeautyshoes.com
21st Century Foot Binding: weheartit.com
Walk a Mile in Her Shoes: mcall.com
Homeless Woman: cavemancircus.com 
Lipsticks: gemmagazines.net
Man with lipstick: thomaspluck.com
Red Light District: thatdamguide.com 
Women Covering Bruises: care2.com 
Pick: amazon.com 
Guy using Pick: bustedcoverage.com

Sources: 
Escobar, Samantha. "12 Of The Most WTF Stereotypes About Women Who Wear Bright Lipstick." TheGloss RSS. N.p., 25 July 2014. Web. 21 Oct. 2015.
Goldberg, Eleanor. "Man Going Barefoot For A Year For 300 Million People Who Can't Afford Shoes." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 21 Jan. 2014. Web. 21 Oct. 2015.

Cultural Artifacts

A cell phone can be and can represent many different things. For most people, it is a way to communicate, whether through phone calls, text messages, email, or social media. For others, it is a way to escape everyday life or things that bore us. Again, this can be through phone calls, text messages, email, social media, games, music, movies or a plethora of other things from the over 1 million apps one can acquire on the app store (The Verge).

We can also associate cell phones with progress. John Berger's 2011 interview with BBC expresses the need for advancement with the specific example of the microscope. He also points out how important progress is and how much we need it to accomplish things in the future. 

Another association one can make to cell phones is with Amy Stone's article on Linda Stein. Phones today can act much like the armor Stein was creating to protect and empower people. Many people can use it like an armor to hid behind while others can use it to stand up and fight. For example, bullies like to "hid behind cellphones" and harass people via social media. A more positive example is someone who uses there phone to start a cause online to raise money for something like pediatric cancer research. Cell Phones are one area where the "4 B's" are quite prevalent. With a phone, we can be bullied, be a bully, be a bystander, or be a brave up-stander. Although it is not necessary the phone, usually it is social media, cell phones do provide an outlet for it. 

Most people learn their connections to cell phones through seeing other people's connections. These ideas come from a combination of our observations, associations, and what society puts forth. On magazines, TV shows, the internet, or even among our friends and families, we see people using their phones to communicate or to escape something. The Frontline article "The Coarsening of Culture," a subset of the Merchants of Cool Series, helps to show how ideas are spread among the young via TV which can be applied to how many people get their ideas and associations about cell phones. 

 When I asked several friends what there reactions and associations to the artifact were, I surprisingly got a variety of answers ranging in length and understanding. My friend Ryann, also a freshman here at Penn State, said that when she saw the image she saw "our generation's whole lives. I think because technology is so great, everyday things are all in one place. Unfortunately, it sometimes takes away normal social behaviors because they take up most of our time or we are always on them." Amanda, a freshman at Anne Arundel Community College, said "Well I know that as your phone so I kind of associate that with you, because I know you." Sean, who previously attended The University of Maryland, said that he associated cell phones with "Idolatry, pseudo-intelligence, addiction, laziness, isolation marked as interconnectedness, and cultural stagnation." He said he has these connections because "that's just how it is." He also drew a parallel between slavery and cell phone addiction; he said it was like "being shackled by the invisible chains of wireless connection," which was a very interesting way of viewing it.  Finally, Mary, a junior at Loyola University Maryland said that "I associate communication with a phone because I use it to communicate."

Since phones are not really gendered, except perhaps in what color you can get, it was hard to get any result with the regendered website. Phone makers, whether it be Apple, LG, Samsung, or any others, avoid using words that would persuade certain genders from buying their product. They are looking for the greatest total profit so they try to be universal and appeal to everyone. Cell phone companies try to bypass the issues brought up in the "Unpacking Privilege" article, such as gender construction and race privilege because that would lead to bad business. 

There is a slight issue in privilege as not everyone in all countries can afford a cell phone or have access to cell tower; although it is becoming a lot easier, even in third world countries. In some cases, cell phones can be banned altogether. Take the Bihar village in India. Unmarried women are not allowed to use cell phones and married women are only allowed to use cell phones indoors and in the company of relatives (Feminist Majority Foundation). For other countries, cell phone use is extremely restricted, like in North Korea. In places like Saudi Arabia, cell phones with cameras have been banned (NBC News). 

Another area where an issue with privilege may arise is in the production of cell phones. Apple uses Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., among others, to manufacture its Iphones. Hon Hai is a subsidiary of Foxconn, which was responsible for conditions so bad that a large number of the 300,000 people working there felt that they had no other option but to commit suicide (Fox News). Apple manufacturing employees face abuse of labor laws and in some cases, even lack of "common decency." Apple violates several labor rights in many of their factories including wages and the hiring process (Economic Policy Institute). This information really makes a consumer start to wonder what our phones are really worth. 

To conclude, cell phones have become an important part in many people's lives. They can serve the functional role of helping us all stay connected or they can serve a more fun role in the form of entertainment. They also help us to escape the bores of everyday life by letting us become someone else for a little while. This can have some negative effects as addiction can become a serious problem and can cause severe psychological disorders and can even lead to the harm or death of others, such as in a case of texting and driving (News Medical). Due to how connected we are as a generation, the cell phone has become extremely culturally significant and is likely to remain significant for a long time. 

Sources: 

"Apple Reveals Who Makes Its IPhones, IPads, and More." Fox News. FOX News Network, 13 Jan. 2012. Web. 30 Sept. 2015.

"Bihar Village Bans Use of Cell Phones by Women." Feminist Majority Foundation Blog. Feminist Newswire, 5 Dec. 2012. Web. 30 Sept. 2015.

John Berger Interview. Perf. John Berger. Youtube. BBC, 27 May 2011. Web. 30 Sept. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7LZxCUApds>.

Dretzin, R. "The Coarsening of Culture." PBS. PBS, Nov. 2002. Web. 30 Sept. 2015.

Ingraham, Nathan. "Apple Announces 1 Million Apps in the App Store, More than 1 Billion Songs Played on ITunes Radio." The Verge. N.p., 22 Oct. 2013. Web. 30 Sept. 2015. 

Keifer-Boyd, K., Amburgy, P. M., & Knight, W. B. (2007). Unpacking privilege: Memory, culture, gender, race, and power in visual culture. Art Education, 60(3), 19–24.

"Mobile-phone Addiction in Teenagers May Cause Severe Psychological Disorders." News-Medical.net. N.p., 27 Feb. 2007. Web. 30 Sept. 2015.

"Saudi Arabia Bans Cell Phone Cameras." Msnbc.com. N.p., 29 Sept. 2004. Web. 30 Sept. 2015.

Shapiro, Issac. "New IPhones, Same Old Working Conditions." Economic Policy Institute. EPI, 18 Sept. 2013. Web. 30 Sept. 2015.

Stone, Amy. (2015). Linda Stein: The making of an artist-activist, feminist Jew. MA'AMT, 18-23.

Photo Courtesy of: Google Images 

Identity Map explanations

Since the identity map has so many components, it is a little hard to read my explanations for privilege, oppression, and how I perceive my role is between them.

The background is word art that covers the four given prompts about privilege and oppression.
1. I believe that historically, and even today sometimes, white people tend to benefit and use the privilege gained from oppressing other races, such as African Americans.
2. Usually those who are oppressed do not receive privilege; however, those who oppress or are privileged can reap the benefits of those they oppress.
3. Race, ethnicity, and gender that "go against the norm" are typically targets of oppression. For example, there was never an issue with marriage between a man and a women, but those seeking a same-sex marriage were oppressed.
4. Those being oppressed for things they can't help usually help face scrutiny, inability to do things they want, fear, violence, and a sense that they don't belong.

Within each of the pictures, I have an explanation for when I started to realize these things and when they became a part of my identity.

The shape of my body is something that I have most likely always noticed but did not start to particularly care about until middle school. Although sometimes my body shape may have been "different from the norm," I never felt oppressed about it. The arrow leading to the image of different body types is big to show that as I change, my body image and my awareness of my body type change as well.

The color of my skin has been something I have noticed since my childhood. I have not felt oppression over the color of my skin; although I have noticed oppression over skin color in the world around me. I do not feel that I am privileged simply because of my skin color, but I do feel that I may have certain things easier than someone of another race. The arrow leading to this identity is small because skin color is an unchanging part of me.

My gender is also something I have noticed since my childhood. I haven't felt oppression specifically because I am a woman however things like getting a job or getting into college can sometimes be harder for girls than for boys. Gender also has a small arrow because it is something that I can't and don't want to change.

My sexual identity has always been something I've known since my first playground crush. However, sexual orientation and identity didn't start to really matter until middle school and high school when hormones and dating were added into the mix. Since I fit "the norm" for my gender, I have never really faced oppression or privilege for my sexual identity. That being said, I am aware of the oppression those who do not fit "the norm" face. I am very secure in my sexual identity and orientation so this has a small arrow to indicate it will not change.

Socioeconomic class is something that never really seemed important growing up but has become apparent as I have gotten older. I do feel privileged and blessed in this area; however, I know that both of my parents have worked very hard to give my family everything we have and have never had anything "handed to them." I gave this category a big arrow because socioeconomic class is something that is always changing depending on the economy, opportunities, and how hard a person works.

I was baptized into the Catholic Church right after I was born and have been going to church every Sunday I can remember. This has a small arrow because it is something I would consider a concrete part of my personality.

I would technically identify with the republican party because their views on policies are most similar to my own. This I gave a big arrow because my political affiliation may change depending on how the stance on certain policies change as well as who is running for each party.

My age is something that I have always been aware of because I have had a birthday every year. The only oppression I have felt over my age have been not being able to apply for certain jobs or vote because I am not yet 18. I gave this a small arrow because while age is constantly changing, age as part of my identity is not likely to change.

Identity Map

This is my identity map and how I perceive privilege, oppression, and my role with these topics. Key: if an arrow is big, such as with politics, it shows an identity that is still changing as I learn more about myself and become more informed with the world around me; small arrows represent concrete parts of my identity, such as religion that are unchanging.

Although they aren't physically part of the map, the biggest part of my identity that I notice is family. My religion, political association, socioeconomic class, and many other areas have been influenced by my family. I am not really surprised that my identity came a lot from my family because I have a pretty large, tight-knit, family. Again, any area I may have been privileged, such as race or socioeconomic class, is because of my family. I didn't have any "new revelations" or awareness with this project because a lot of my identity, or at least the core parts, are unchanging. 

My favorite type of power that we have learned through our class explorations and the reading is transformative power. The way the Chilean women came together to change their circumstances and create power has really stuck with me. An instance where I have felt, or hope to feel this, is with Thon. Although I have yet to participate, I have already gotten involved with a special organization and I have seen my cousins participate. I see myself as making a change and doing something to help people who need it, like the families effected by pediatric cancer. This would most likely be my desired self because I would be doing something selfless. Hopefully others see me as doing something good for those around me and being supportive. Cyberspace and the media can sometimes be a bad thing; however in this case it gets the word out about Thon and helps people support it and become informed. I do have a race, but in this power situation, race does not really play a factor as everyone has an equal opportunity to help out. The conditions for Thon and for everyone involved are really great. Its a very fun and supportive environment and although it does take a lot of physical energy, it is worth it. Although religion, race, and gender may be an issue with domination power, when people come together for transformative power like the Chilean's or like people do for Thon, we are able to overcome all of these social boundaries. 

The Issue of Power and Privilege

Power is the "ability or right to control things; a person or organization that has a lot of control and influence over other people and organizations" (Merriam-Webster). Power can be seen everywhere. In my life specifically, power can be seen at home, at school, and at the workplace. Anyone who is in a position of authority has power; for example, a parent, teacher, or employer. Power is a very interesting concept that I like to pay attention to. How people come to power, such as in a household, school, job, and on a broader scale, in a state or country, is also interesting.

 Power is not something I obsess over or try to achieve in my daily life; however, like most people, power can be a driving force in making certain decisions, For example, I work and go to college in order to make money and hold financial power, I find powerful influences mostly in people rather than things. For example, the people I look up to such as my parents, certain world leaders, celebrities, and famous athletes are powerful influences.

After reading the chapter, I realized there were some forms of power I neglected. For example, the emotional power a work of art of literature can have over you. It holds influence and can make you see things differently. The reading also provided names for the different types of power and made it easier to distinguish between them and see their effectiveness. For example, I didn't know that power over a country or state was called domination power. The type of power I found most remarkable, and had overlooked in my preliminary evaluation of power, is transformative power. This power is extraordinary and shows the power of coming together to make change. I found the Chilean example in the reading quite moving. Although people tend to inflict domination power, more would be accomplished in the world, and there would be more respect for one another, if we used transformative power instead.