Intersectionality

This Alienation post seems to rub me the wrong way... While I get the merit of the "put yourself in my shoes" argument, it seems as if this might not be the best way to persuade an audience to listen to an issue one might be passionate about. As Dominika posted earlier, this definitely reinforced the stereotypes associated with both white and black women, but made it's point by using positive language when speaking about black women and negative language when speaking about white women. Rather than actually confronting the stereotypes and problematizing them, it confronted the perception of and reaction to the stereotypes. In my opinion, this is treating the symptoms to cure the disease.

Although both articles seemed to be striving for similar ends, the bell hooks piece seemed much more level headed to me, actually looking at portrayals of black women in media and discussing what those representations mean. In discussing Tina Turner, hooks seems to realize what about Turner's representation of herself ("beating men at their own game," as if the male game is the only one to beat) is problematic. It seems like both women wish the view of black women as exotic hyper-sexual beings to end, I think it is through doing what hooks does, combing through media and finding what is problematic and addressing it, is more effective than taking wide swings stereotypes.

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