Blog #7: Tulsa Race Massacre

The Tulsa Race Massacre occurred in the early summer of 1921, where mobs composed of white people from Tulsa, Oklahoma attacked black people and their homes and businesses. While historians refer to the event as one of the worst examples of racial violence in United States history, the event itself is not widely known by the masses. Many brutal events involving racism are often documented and discussed, but the Tulsa Race Massacre was not recognized by many non-historians. The massacre occurred before the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s and definitely influenced many of the protests and motivations for civil rights. With both its importance and lack of recognition, I think it is important to discuss the need to re-evaluate the Tulsa Race Massacre and the public's reaction to it.

The event came to my attention during my AP US History class, though I reconsidered it more when the pilot episode of the 2019 show Watchmen depicted the massacre. I noticed many people on social media talking about the event, with many documenting their surprise that they had never heard of the event until watching the show. Without Watchment, the Tulsa Race Massacre would have gone down in history are a forgotten event. The awareness of the event through its dramazation should also be analyzed in relation to the reasons for its evaluation.

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Blog #2: Fixing the Positive Stereotype of Natasha Romanoff

Iron Man 2 , the first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to include Natasha Romanoff, gave the Black Widow a weak introduction, as her character is written to fall under a positive stereotype of women being valued only for their sex appeal. Future films where she is featured have better established her personality and motivations. Despite the well-written exploration of her character in other films, it was not their responsibility to properly develop Romanoff. Iron Man 2 could have included a characterization of her that did not rely primarily on sex appeal. The backstory and occupation of Romanoff follow that of the original Marvel comics, so the movie was correct in keeping her career as a spy. Inclusion of her sarcastic humor and serious, calculating personality was necessary. As seen in the movie, without her signature traits, she is rather one-dimensional. Her lack of personality emphasizes the dependence the movie places on her beauty as a definition of herself and woul...

Blog #1: Positive Stereotypes

Movies and television shows have a history of attempting to make audiences like female characters that are portrayed as attractive but with a lack of personality. The character is typically noted and applauded by others for her beauty, which does not appear as a negative portrayal of women. The issue, however, is that some women in the media are primarily characterized by their good looks and are not given any other form of identity. They are treated like their beauty is their personality, which gives the impression that women can only be respected and liked if they are pretty. One of the most well-known women in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Natasha Romanoff, also known as “Black Widow”, was introduced under that positive stereotype. Her first movie was Iron Man 2 , where she first appears in a tight-fitting blouse, catching the attention of the male characters, most significantly Tony Stark, who looks up more information about her. She then defeats one of Stark’s friends in a ...

Blog #5: Transgender Women and Healthcare

Throughout my life I have had transgender friends complain about the discrimination they faced in relation to healthcare. I remember some coming out during high school, where some in the medical field thought that they were too young to make decisions regarding their gender. Most of my friends were lucky with the support of their parents, though some expressed initial fear that they would not be welcomed and therefore not get the transition materials (typically medical) they needed due to parental permission being required. Even if transgender people are adults, they can still have difficulty finding the needed medical treatments. Many transgender people face discrimination with finding employment and housing, which can effect their location to places with proper medical treatment. In addition, without effective insurance, the treatment can be rather costly. The most obvious concern when actually given the opportunity to get treatment is the possible transphobia, which does exist ...

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