The Sapphire, the Granny, and Jezebel: Stereotypes of African-American Women in Modern Media attitude ; Grandma: the round one, nourisher and silent guardian of the house; The Jezebel: the bad black woman. Each of these terms is a stereotype used to describe African American women and dates back to the 1800s. African American women are still portrayed in modern media with the same negative connotations from almost two hundred years ago. These stereotypes not only encourage division between whites and blacks in the United States, but also cause institutional racism in modern pop culture and media; such as: hip hop music industry, TV shows and cartoons. Depictions of the Sapphire, Mammy, and Jezebel stereotypes in today's society lead young girls to believe these negative connotations about women and also have a direct effect on their attitudes about how they should treat each other. others and treat themselves. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayStereotypes of African-American Women in the MediaKerry Washington plays the lead role of Olivia Pope in the current television series Scandal, a television show watched by nearly eight million viewers today. However, the character of Olivia Pope fits almost every negative stereotype. Actress Kerry Washington plays a high-ranking Washington DC official and is Mammy-like as she protects and takes care of the careers of rich and powerful white politicians. Washington is also depicted as a Jezebel in the sense that she is the mistress of a relationship with a powerful white man (the President of the United States), which is similar to the derivative of Jezebel, the black slave who was commonly raped by her. owners or in the case of Olivia Pope, her boss. Finally, Pope can be linked to the stereotype of a Sapphire through her implacable authority over her firm Pope & Associates. Washington faces a difficult problem in today's society; she is an African American woman at the peak of media presence who is cast in a role that is unethical and unrepresentative of a real African American woman. Kerry Washington, a hugely successful actress with a strong fan base and a highly-watched show, still can't escape the negative portrayals of African American women in pop culture. Many may say that Kerry Washington plays the fierce Olivia Pope, a wealthy and successful black woman who takes Washington by storm. However, I dispute this and say that while Kerry Washington has great power to influence a large audience, she remains subservient to the racism that lies between the lines of a script for a black actress. Kerry Washington has a responsibility to her fans to understand the type of message she is sending about African American women and to know how to correct the misconception of these negative stereotypes. It is important to understand the different stereotypes in which pop culture presents women because they have a large effect on the mentality of women of color in the United States. The Preface Measuring Up: How Advertising Affects Self-Image introduces the idea that commercials and television shows common in today's society depict women's bodies as small, pale, and basic. These different stereotypes affect both men and women in their interactions with each other.with others, because they instill an unconscious expectation of what beauty is. However, these depictions of women resemble the appearance of a white woman and not an African American one. This thus leads to stereotypes of African American women that date back to the introduction of slavery in the United States. Sapphire, Granny, and Jezebel are common stereotypes that still persist in today's society. In fact, these stereotypes, as they further influence pop culture, are becoming a new form of racism in the United States. United. Derived from racism in the 1800s, stereotypes of a loudmouth, a guard, and a whore influence viewers' ideals and can perpetuate the stereotype in a cycle of misrepresentation of women of color.The SapphireThe Stereotypical Sapphire originated from Amos 'n' Andy Minstel's radio show. Characteristics of a Sapphire are rude, emasculating, loud, and bossy women. Sapphire Stevens was a character on the show who constantly berated her husband for his failure. Her husband, Kingfish, was the definition of racial prejudice; Kingfish stole because he was too lazy to work (Pilgrim 4, a sociology professor at Ferris State University, says the portrayal of anger). in Sapphire is “a social control mechanism used to punish black women who violate societal norms and encourage them to be passive, non-threatening, and invisible” (Pilgrim 4). White men sought to portray black women as sapphire because women often repressed their feelings of bitterness and rage. While Sapphire Stevens' character had justified anger over her husband's actions, Sapphires' portrayal now focuses African American women's anger on society. The antagonistic sapphire evolved to promote wildness, bitchiness, and attitude. This progression of a rebellious and loud housewife resonates today in pop culture and the celebrities we encounter daily. The Sapphire stereotype has developed into a new type of stereotype in which the angry black woman is no longer as focused on herself. male counterpart, but rather other women. There are several examples of this shift in the Sapphire stereotype, proven by reality TV shows. These examples that seek to display the Sapphire stereotype include The Real Housewives of Atlanta and Love and Hip Hop. Shows like these typically feature women in an argumentative, extremely vocal and artful manner, to reinforce acceptance of the angry black woman. The shows' producers aim to draw attention to a woman's hatred of her opponents. In order to generate viewers for these shows, producers perpetuate drama between the all-female African-American cast. In fact, when the various celebrities refused to participate in the staging of the attack, they were quickly excluded from the spectacle (Reid 68). In addition to the increased aggression of the show's women, comments from viewers of the show express praise for the portrayal of Sapphire's sassy and argumentative attitude. A specific example comes from comments found on TheYBF (The Young Black and Fabulous is a blog aimed at black television and film) regarding the TV show Love and Hip Hop. Comments regarding an episode “MIAMI THROWDOWN: Chrissy vs. Yandy” expressed violent and aggressive reactions from viewers of the TV show. One viewer commented: “Chrissy should have beat that ass; ” another declaring: “If a chic thinks outside the box, she'll check 'em out” (Reid 63). THEComments listed reflect the Sapphire stereotype in a way that perpetuates the action. Yes, the women discuss the argumentative nature of women on the TV show, but they also perpetuate a Sapphire stereotype within themselves by responding in a bitchy, argumentative, and vocal manner. Reality TV shows have found a way to harness a viewer's aggression and apply it to the aggression of the show that perpetuates the action. This once again reaffirms the argument that the type of representation we see on screens instills and perpetuates the progression of a negative stereotype among African American women. The major problem with reality TV as it is is the fact that it has one of the largest sectors of airtime among other television genres. Andrew Webster of The Verge claims that reality TV shows take up 22 percent of national airtime in the United States (Webster 2). He also writes that: “Reality TV took first place, with 4,664 instances of product placement representing 58% of the prime time slot” (Webster 2). Reality television is gaining more and more hold and influence over the viewers of such television shows as The Real Housewives of Atlanta and Love and Hip Hop. In order to combat some of the negative stereotypes about African American women that are not only depicted on shows but also perpetuated in comments, viewers must first stop supporting advertisers. Without the money coming in from the ads, there is no one to support the production of the show. Instead of continuing to produce the negative stereotype of African American women, viewers need to realize that there is power in numbers. With less viewer support, advertisers will pull their money and producers will have nothing left to create fake dramas that perpetuate false ideas about how African American women act and behave. The Mammy The Mammy is the maternal, caring and caring mother. character who manages the household, including cooking, cleaning, and is sometimes called "Aunt Jemima" (Weids 3). This stereotype is commonly adopted by African Americans because it is a positive view of family orientation. However, this acceptance was not always the case. The Mammy dates back to the days of slavery, as women were the “silent guardians” of the plantation’s children. During this time, women were often described as the “obedient servants” of white people (Weides 3). Shauna Weides, the author of "Stereotypes of the African American Woman," notes that "she loves, cares for, and provides for her white family rather than her own and is delighted in her subordinate place in the social hierarchy” (Weids 3). White people often used this stereotype to combat some of the negative connotations of slavery and promote the use of slaves and servants throughout the household. Although this stereotype is not considered negative in today's society due to the progression toward equality for African American women, it is important to understand the progression of how this stereotype went from having a negative connotation with a positive connotation. Esther Rolle, played Florida Evans, the main character and mother in the 1970s-produced series Good Times, was at the forefront of black feminist organizing that also emerged in the early 1970s (Springer 128 ). Esther Rolle's role as a mother on the TV show was the center of attention during the height of the show's popularity between 1974 and 1979. At the time, this feminist movement aimed to break the current of the definition of femininity whichwas white-centric and unrealistic. Good Times sought to highlight the representation of black women by providing insight into the Evans family, a poor black family living in a residential neighborhood in Chicago (Springer 127). Good Times showed a family with a strong fatherly presence, a mother who had her own dreams and aspirations, and two children who had moved beyond the lives of drug dealing and prostitution that surrounded them in their community. This show was the first to depict a woman of color fighting for a feminist movement (Springer 128). Thanks to the popularity of the show, Good Times took a turn with the portrayal of Florida Evans. It showed Florida Evans, a loyal mother, explaining the importance of Black Women Organizing for Action and the National Black Feminist Organization. This actress marked a milestone in the fight for equality with the representation of African-American women on television. Many people expected Esther Rolle to deliver the right kind of message to black audiences, that of a woman who works at home but still believes in the black feminism movement.(Springer 129). Rolle's portrayal of Florida Evans led to the acceptance of African American women as independent, capable, working mothers in the home. However, this new independence bred a new type of courage and an increase in the sexualization of African American women. The Jezebel With the black feminist movement increasing in popularity across America, the sexualization of black women has also increased. This increase in femininity led to the sexualization of women in the 1970s and the introduction of a new stereotype for African American women. The Jezebel can be described as a hyper-sexualized sex siren who lacks morals (Weides 4). Similar to the Mammy, white men used this stereotype to justify the rape of their slaves during the era of slavery in the United States (Weids 3). The term “Jezebel” comes from the Bible as the wife of King Ahab of Israel whom Janet Howe Gaines describes as: “the bad girl of the Bible…denounced as a murderer, a prostitute, and an enemy of God” (Gaines 5). This depiction of African Americans was once again in stark contrast to white women of the time. White women were instead portrayed as modest and respected (Weids 3). This contrast between the loving, polite white woman and the angry, angry black woman has led to polarizing advertising campaigns, racially divided castings in films and television, and prejudices that continue to grow across America. The lingering effects of films like Coffy, a film that focuses on a black whore seeking revenge on the white men who betrayed her family, laid the groundwork for the continuation of the Jezebel stereotype. In the 1970s, female gangster rappers like Foxy Brown paved the way for pop culture leaders to exploit the female body for money (Pilgrim). Today, the Jezebel stereotype is continually found in hip hop and rap music lyrics and videos. Artists like Rihanna and Nicki Minaj are common examples of female artists who perpetuate this promiscuous Jezebel stereotype. Danice Brown, the author of “Breaking the Chains,” states that “these images can illuminate interpersonal interactions within groups… leading to the perpetuation and acceptance of sexual assault against African American women” (Brown 527 ). Dr. Brown cites the problem centered on the misrepresentation of women in pop culture. With the rise of sexualized images, more and more women are finding it socially acceptable to act in this way because a..