Boyz 'N' Girlz 'N' Tha Hood

There is no lack of derogatorily sexist language directed at, or relating to women throughout the film Boyz 'N' The Hood. In many instances of communication between a male and a female, the male comfortably and nonchalantly addresses the female as a "bitch", "ho" or "hootchie." On the rare occasion that the female then defends and stands up for herself, she is instantly bombarded with demeaning degradation. Scarcely throughout the film is there scene set in the context of a female perspective or ideology. It is odd to me that negative interaction between male and female were not scrutinized or examined anywhere near the depth that negative, violent interaction between males was inspected. Because there was no physical violence exchanged between sexes does that make it any less harmful or unhealthy than violence amongst males?

Though this film did not promote an inspiration of negative ideologies, it did make it easy for the audience to identify with the characters which in turn makes it easy for the audience to imitate the behaviors of the characters, and mistreat women. Many viewers would find scenes featuring discrimination on the basis of sex, portrayed in funny, less-serious ways than the scene was intended to be exhibited. This unbalanced examination of violence between sexes, and violence between the same sex might leave the audience believing that the film is trying to relay the idea that women are less important than men because violence between men and women was unacknowledged while violence between men was emphasized. Though the basis of all of this violence between men and women in this film, it is inferred by the audience, stems from African American experience. If this film featured a group of white friends it would be the exact opposite. The audience is supposed to have an ingrained predetermined idea that all African Americans have since childhood been exposed to violence, drugs, alcohol and discriminating treatments from whites and blacks of which will be represented and reflected through themselves in the future.

Disney Deconstructed: Toy Story

When assigned the task of watching a childhood disney film for class a couple weeks ago I did not really think much of it. Due to the limited selection of Disney movies in my possession I was forced to watch Toy Story. It had been quite some time since I had last watched this film or any Disney film for that matter and given the context of the film's examination i really did not know what to expect. Within the first ten minutes of the film the audience is informed that the story revolves around the belongings(toys) of a Caucasian boy named Andy. All of the toys Andy possesses that are made in the image of a humans are white, and not one person of ethnicity, neither toy nor human, is portrayed in the film. I found it very "typical" of Disney to make the both protagonists, Woody and Buzz, in this film personify dominant figures of American society and culture. A few of the obvious traits possessed by these characters overlap such as gender, sexual orientation and ethnicity. They are both heterosexual, white males but they individually epitomize two fundamentally ingrained ideologies of American culture. As a cowboy Woody embodies the traditional, conservative American ideology devoted to a strong work ethic and a sense of self and dignity stemming from maintained domesticity. In contrast, as an astronaut Buzz represents an ideology of advancement and interminable innovation stemming from a want to better oneself and others. As well the only two women that were portrayed in the film were white and single, Andy's single mother and a shepherdess doll named "Bo Peep." The film revolves around the increasing jealousy felt by Woody toward Buzz and is heightened in one scene through the sexual connotations of "Bo Peep" when she replaces Woody with Buzz as a moving partner. In a way I feel that this film reinforces an idea patriarchy through the characterization of its protagonists, as well as the lack of female involvement.