Male Stereotypes Between Racial Lines

We've all heard about George Floyd's murder. An officer put his knee to the man's neck, causing him to die. Although most are looking at the more obvious racial discrimination taking place, it is important to also see the male stereotypes that take place here. Men are often seen as strong, and so complaining is seen as weakness and disregarded. When Floyd said that he wasn't able to breathe, it was subsequently ignored as a result. In addition, the officer wanted to show that he was in power. he did this by putting Floyd in danger and then killing him.

This is seen as 'manly' as it shows that the officer is 'stronger' than Floyd. Similar to how people go to the gym so that they can appear more manly, this is exactly what the officer did. The death of Floyd is quite disgusting to watch and makes me disappointed that an officer would do that. Watching the video is difficult, but I feel essential in understanding the similar plights between racial and sexual lines in society.

Current Events

It's Memorial Day! Millions of Americans go on to celebrate the day that The United States as we now call it separated from the British. Although some disregard the holiday and simply call it a day off, it does seem to be a male-dominated holiday. Men tend to come together and barbecue during this time of year. We are able to usually see commercials dominating our TVs about Memorial Day sales, but this year is different than the rest.

Instead we have seen a shift from our barbecues and sales. People have begun to come together amidst this time of worry. Although it is horrible that such a tragic event is the one bringing us together, it is nice to see the cooperation amongst all people. We must make sure to continue this trend into the future: supporting our hard workers at risk, placing the needs of the minority as important, and keeping ourselves safe. Thank you to everyone who is doing their part to support others.

Privilege Further Explored

I have come to realize a few faults in the study conducted that I analyzed the previous week. While I initially saw it as incredibly thorough, I have come to realize how the study 'whitened resumes' to be bad. Resumes had been whitened by changing ones employment from 'Engineering Union' to 'African American Engineering Union'. Those who had just written 'Engineering Union' were hired at a significantly higher rate than their counterparts. While initially I took this as a factual demonstration of the de facto discrimination facd by minorities, I have new thoughts on the study itself.

I have come to believe that this choice was justified. I don't think there is anything wrong with choosing workers from a diverse organization over a racially exclusive one. In addition, being president of a larger union with people of all races should be seen as more valuable than being in charge of only one specific race. There is nothing wrong with wanting someone of diverse experience in alarger group. If there are any identifiable discriminatory acts against African Americans, then I believe action needs to be taken. However, in regards to this, it is not as apparent.

Privilege

We've all heard of White Privilege. It's the notion that a White man is in a more advantageous position as a result of his skin. Earlier this week, I read a study describing the discriminatory action in the hiring practices of businesses across the country. Resumes were sent to 1,600 employers, varying between some with Asian and Black groups in their prior experience. Those with 'whitewashed' resumes often got hired more than those showing their true identity. This truly appalled me to read, as the study was conducted extremely thoroughly.

However I have an issue with White Privilege. While I do admit that the notion does have merit in some forms, it leads others to place the blame on White people for their misfortune. This does nothing to help solve the issue. While it is acceptable to recognize this problem, placing blame on an abstract concept or group does nothing to help. The best solution is to tackle where the issue stems from and solve them on an individual basis. Similarities can also be drawn to Male Privilege.

Stereotypes in Japan

Japan similarly has strong stereotypes for men. Much of the society there is patriarchal. This of course affects both men and women. A prime example of this happened only a few days ago. Osaka's mayor in Japan suggested that men should go shopping during the pandemic because "are indecisive and take a long time" when buying products. Stereotypes like these affect all people in Japan negatively and lead to the perpetuation of poor stereotypes for all. Though this example isn't particularly dangerous for everyone, it serves as an example for how simple a stereotype can be.

These type of remarks should be avoided, especially by someone in a position of power. They need to maintain a good representation of the ideal citizen. I will always make an effort to not spread stereotypes. People around the world need to make an effort to contribute to society as well.

Sexual Assault

With Sanders no longer in the running, Biden is the Democratic candidate facing Trump. News of his sexual assault allegation so far are not being reported on by most news sources. This of course leads to the question: how should sexual assault cases be handled?


It seems rather obvious to me. The Constitution states that no person shall be “deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law”. Unless these allegations have merit in the form of concrete evidence, how can they result in any indictment? With the rise of the #metoo movement throughout the world, men have become the victims of millions of accusations. Those that have proof should obviously be recognized, but those without can be seen as slander. Publicizing Biden's accusations without any evidence would just be harming his reputation. We cannot allow the government to infringe on our Constitutional rights.

Men Today

Amidst this pandemic, men still face the same struggles that have been present the past centuries. Men are expected to work and make money for their families. Many of them now lack a job due to the current situation. Many men are so used to working constantly, that going through their day to day routines without working comes as bizarre. However, things seem to be looking up for all families.

While men are worried about less money for their families, laws are currently being enacted to support these working families. The hope is that apartment rent, mortgages, and all other debt will be frozen during this pandemic as myriad are placed in difficult situations. It would be unfair to freeze only one of these without the other, so the only viable solution seems to be to freeze the whole economy. This will allow men to stop worrying about supporting their family financially. In turn, fathers are able to support their family by simply being there for them.