Blog Post #4: Relevance

 Post #4: Relevance 

        Hello readers, long time no communication! Luckily for you guys, I'm back with a fourth post regarding my book Pushout by Monique Morris. This time, I will be relating the criminalization of black girls in schools to the news stories regarding the increase in hate crimes against Asians. The reasoning for both of these actions is largely based on harmful stereotypes reinforced by society. So, let's educate ourselves and be aware of the similarities between these topics and work towards acknowledging and resolving them. 

       

        It would be hard not to hear about the horrendous actions targeting those of Asian descent, as they headline a majority of news sources. Recently, there has been an increase in hate crimes, or at least in the publicity of these crimes, against Asians. For example, Robert Aaron Long, a white man, fatally shot eight people, six of them being Asian women, at spas in downtown Atlanta (Hong and Bromwich). Many have been left to wonder "how much cultural stereotypes that cast them - especially women - as weak or submissive targets played a role" (Hong and Bromwich). 

(Ma)

        

        Not only this, but the stereotype surrounding Asians in relation to COVID-19 has also been very harmful in terms of public perception. Former President Donald Trump referred to the virus as "Kung Flu," suggesting China was to blame for this deadly disease (Hong and Bromwich). There is no doubt that this blame placed on Asians about COVID relates to the increase in hate crimes. In a CNN post by Christopher Johnson and Tara John, it was observed that "The past year has seen some Western politicians repeatedly stress China's connection to the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as raise the rhetoric against the Asian superpower" (Johnson and John). Here, we can see how these stereotypes presented by the media and consumed by society can be extremely harmful to groups of people, whether that be emotionally, mentally, or physically. 

        A similar occurrence happens to black girls in schools, especially juvenile detention facilities. The chapter "Learning on Lockdown," hones in on the disproportionate education that girls in detention facilities receive. As Morris stated, "Historically, this vulnerability is further increased when teachers, administrators, and institutional policies project low expectations onto Black girls who have been labeled as delinquent" (Morris 154). The keyword in this sentence is "labeled." It shows how black girls have stereotypes and biases projected onto them, much like Asians regarding the coronavirus. 

        However, with black girls, the stereotypes are much more deeply rooted. Black girls are often objectified and seen as valuable only for their bodies. This comes from the idealism of slaves being at the beck and call of their masters. But, this objectification continues to be prevalent in the classroom today. When talking with Shamika, a black teen, about how she perceives herself, she mentioned the representation of black women in music videos. Morris remarked, "Videos tell a story. They also reflect fantasy, which most often reduces Black feminity to the size of her backside - and how fast or forcefully she can make it gyrate" (Morris 129). This shows the stereotyping of black girls for solely their bodies, an unwanted, but sadly widely accepted bias. 

        Both the issues of hate crimes against Asians as well as the objectification and underestimation of black girls in schools are incredibly relevant. We as a society accept these "norms" too easily and consume the stereotypes that the media feeds us. Oftentimes, these stereotypes are incredibly detrimental to both physical and mental well-being. The ability to simply accept generalized information about a group of people is incredibly ignorant. We must not fall victim to these generalizations. No one deserves to be restrained by society's "expectations." 

        Oppression is ALWAYS a relevant topic. Both Asians and young black girls are being oppressed by the "norms" and generalizations that society imposes on them. It is so important to not fall trap to these broad claims made by the media and often widely-accepted by society. Everyone deserves the ability to build their own identity, independent of any outside, unwanted, input. 

Works Cited

Hong, Nicole, and Jonah E. Bromwich. "Asian-Americans Are Being Attacked. Why Are Hate Crime Charges So Rare?" The New York Times, The New York Times Company, 18 Mar. 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/03/18/nyregion/asian-hate-crimes.html. Accessed 25 Mar. 2021.

Johnson, Christopher, and Tara John. "Atlanta Spa Attacks Shine a Light on Anti-Asian Hate Crimes Around the World." CNN, Cable News Network, 22 Mar. 2021, www.cnn.com/2021/03/21/world/anti-asian-hate-crime-intl/index.html. Accessed 25 Mar. 2021.

Ma, Martine. "Art World Responds To Anti-Asian Hate Crimes." ArtAsiaPacific, 23 Mar. 2021, artasiapacific.com/News/ArtWorldRespondsToAntiAsianHateCrimes. Accessed 25 Mar. 2021.

Morris, Monique W., et al. Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools. Paperback edition. ed., New York, New Press, 2018.