Essay about Racial Stereotypes Not Simply Black and White

Wow! You are really smart for a black girl! You dress very nice for African-American, or I didn’t expect you to be so quiet. I have endured all of these comments on countless occasions. Many of my attributes genuinely surprise people, and I often wonder if my ethnicity influenced their reactions. Would my intelligence, sense of style, or shyness perplex others if I was of a different race? My dark brown skin is inevitably the first impression that I express, which dominates the presumptions and biases that others have about me. Moreover, racial stereotypes affect people of all races, and this issue exists in many aspects of our lives, anywhere from a casual conversation to law enforcement to a trip through airport security. Many†¦show more content†¦Racial stereotypes are present in American media and detrimental to our society because the representation of minorities has resulted in disproportional arrests, predestined and poor overall academic performance, harassmen t, and violence against minorities. Although our society and media has progressed toward racial acceptance, profiling and stereotypes remain an extreme obstacle to overcome. The adverse depiction of minorities on television contributes to the excessive arrests of these groups. Mary Oliver, professor of communication studies, states, â€Å"content analysis of â€Å"reality†based† police shows was conducted to explore portrayals of crime †¦White characters were more likely to be portrayed as police officers†¦whereas black and Hispanic characters were more likely to be portrayed as criminal suspects than police officers† (Oliver). Crime dramas are prevalent among television shows, specifically Cold Case Files and Cops. The viewers of these shows observe real people and crimes; however many fail to detect the emphasis on a racial bias. This constant, widespread depiction of the ‘bad guys’ enforces the racial stereotype, in which minorities are prone to participate in illegal activities, in viewers’ minds. Statistics show, â€Å"Racial and ethnic minorities are arrested†¦ by the police out of proportion to their representation in the population. African Americans represent only 12 percent of the population but 28 percent of allShow MoreRelatedRacial Stereotypes : The Film, Crash, Director Paul Haggis1304 Words   |  6 Pagessociety are thwarted due to racial and ethnic prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination. In the film, Crash, Director Paul Haggis addresses racial inequality by conveying instances of racial stereotypes, social class disparity, and police brutality. The usage of racial stereotypes constructs an unreliable generalization of all members of a race. 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