Roxanne's English Blog

 As a hispanic women it is typically expected for me to dress with bell bottom jeans, intricate detailed tops, chanclas, or simply just for "hispanic". Even so, I have my own personal preference of style and will continue to wear it. The style I find appealing is an alternative/gothic style. The history and morals behind the alternative style is a way that I view how the world functions. This style is very popular in Mexican culture but besides that it's not a normalized thing in other hispanic cultures. People assume that I may be really mean, dominant, or depressed based on my appearance but that's not the case at all. Society has depicted people with darker aesthetics as sad or broken. This reveals that stereotypes influence how society views people based on the external attributes instead of a person true personality.

 A film that represents my culture in a positive light would be "Under The Same Moon". The film is mainly based on the topic of immigration within he hispanic community. It stars a mother and her son having to speak miles apart due to his mother seeking a better life for them in America. Eventually the son decides to go on a long journey from Mexico to Los Angeles California. Throughout this journey it showcases beautiful depictions of hispanic culture in both Mexico and America. It brings me a sense of community to see how hispanics in the movie helped each other. A specific scene that is heartfelt to me is when ICE had pulled up to a job sight and this man helped the kid hide from them without a second thought. This movie represents the struggles of the hispanic community in this day and age and also the strength within our community.

 In the film Born With It  it is signifying the negative impact that stereotypes can have on an individual. The main character Keisuke is impacted by the comments made of his skin by closing himself off to his mother and friend. This resorts to Keisuke losing all confidence in who he is and what he believes of himself. Stereotypes cause people to formulate an opinion of a specific group which can be harmful depending on its intent.  Like in the short film, Keisukes classmates had already created an opinion on Keisuke when they had just met him due to the stereotype being normalized around them. This is why it is important to correctly influence the teachings a community or group to prevent the spread of harmful stereotypes.

The reason why filmmakers continue to use stereotypes in film is because it is simplifies the complexity of each culture to make the audience understand the concept of the plot. Instead of studying the history and deep roots of a specific topic race filmmaker choose the simplest route because these stereotypes have already been made. By reusing the same traits and jokes used in previous films it cuts the work filmmakers have to do. This is not justifiable because it only creates poorly made work. In order for a movie to truly resonate within people it requires the honest experience of the people being represented.

 A heavily stereotypical film I have watched would be Pochahontas. This movie is stereotypical for both gender and race. A very problematic stereotype noticeable in Pocahontas would be the "damsel in distress". In many Disney movies the women is always in need for saving which paints a portrayal that all women are weak and need a big strong burly man to save them. The fact that the movie is based off a person who ACTUALLY existed and the storyline is completely changed makes the way people view Native Americans history in a different light. The white man in the movie is depicted as some hero and caretaker for Pochahontas when in reality that was not historically accurate. Pocahontas was forced to leave her land and for the movie to make her fall in love with the man capable of that is just insensitive. The stereotypes in this movie is just disrespectful, inaccurate, and terrible.

My hair comes from my grandmother. It is very wavy although others may say it has loose curls. I've just recently began to wear my natural hair more often and let it form its own shape. I choose to wear it down and messy because it feels like that is when it's in its most natural state. I use to hate my hair due to me not being able to take care of it properly and it looking a mess. I'd see my grandmothers hair and be in awe of its effortlessly beautiful patterns. Now I am proud to wear my hair out because it connects me to my ancestors and culture.