Sexual Disorders the Film Crash,

Sexual Disorders

The film Crash, written and directed by Paul Haggis, considers a number of varieties of prejudice and racism. What is interesting is that all the persons in the film regardless of ethnic background or race, are both victims and perpetrators of some form of prejudice. To consider these themes, four chapters will be applied to some of the themes and persons addressed in the film. Ultimately, the film shows some character development, although this appears incidental rather than pivotal. Indeed, many of the characters are so broken by their experiences that they seem to undergo little development for the better. This emphasizes the central themes of racism and prejudice as elements in society. These elements are often devoid of either meaning or character development, although their effects can be devastating and even fatal in some cases.

"There are Bitches and Hoes" by Tricia Rose

This chapter considers the stereotyping of black women according to the popular rap genre paradigm, where the pimp is an iconic symbol of power, and women iconic of submission to such power. According to the author, some of these women have rebelled against this type of submission by embracing the subversive terminology that is part and parcel of the rap genre. Other women within the rap culture claim that these terms do not refer to them, and that they are therefore not offended by them.

In the film Crash, a similar relationship of power and submission can be seen when Cameron and Christine Thayer are pulled over by two white police officers. While Cameron remains extremely respectful through the ordeal, his wife is somewhat drunk and taunts the officers. For this indiscretion, she earns a slow physical search. Her husband does nothing to defend her.

When analyzing this scene, one might put the slightly drunk Christine in the position of "bitch" or "ho" in the mind of the officer who searches her. Clearly, his conception of black women is in the same spirit as the bitches and hoes mentioned in the article. The fact that she was in compromising position with her husband when they were stopped reinforced this conception. Her husband, in turn, subordinated both himself and his wife to this treatment, in effect relinquishing his respect not only for her, but also for himself.

Although Hansen is clearly uncomfortable with his partner's behavior, he also does nothing to stop it. The submission by the three characters place Ryan in a position of sexual power over all of them. In effect, they validate his behavior, where the focus of sexual victimization is the woman. This correlates with the premise of the chapter, that the degradation of females by the pimp figure is a cultural norm that is not only acceptable but also perpetually accepted, even by those who are not in the pimp position, and even by the recipients of the denigration and those who witness but do not take part in it. As such, the white male character in the film establishes power not only over the black persons he victimizes, but also over his partner.

Hansen, in turn, continues to be victimized when he asks for a transfer away from Ryan. Ironically, he is forced to submit to a black boss and face the further humiliation of manufacturing a flatulence problem as a reason for the transfer. The Thayers, on the other hand, continue to be victimized in different ways. Cameron, the film director, is forced to accept a denigrating portrayal of his race in the film he is directing, while Christine is subject to her husband's misplaced anger when she arrives on the set to apologize for her initial anger towards him. She is further humiliated and hurt.

In this particular case, the black-white relationship is fraught with victimization and power, often interchangeably portrayed in the same persons. Later in the film, for example, Hansen shoots a black man on suspicion that he was reaching for a weapon, which was not the case. In this way, Hansen's own prejudice created a victim, this time in the fatal sense.

The Limitations of the Discourse of Norms: Gay Visibility and Degrees of Transgression by Jay Clarkson

This article considers gay visibility in certain situations, where such visibility of "pride" could result in increased prejudice. The author advises against "acting gay" in certain public situations, particularly where one might assume a number of very "masculine" men to be gathered. Even in a public place such as a restaurant, the author advises against being openly gay, particularly in one's style of clothing and other accessories.

Although the prejudice in the film focuses mainly on racial relations, the element of demonstrative actions does make an appearance, particularly with the white, upper-class woman, Jean. She walks with her white husband to their car. On their way, they encounter two young black men, Anthony and Peter, who just came from a restaurant where Anthony felt they were victims of racism and poor service. Clearly demonstrating her preconceived idea of the black men as potentially violent, Jean moves closer to her husband and clutches his arm. This angers the already irritated Anthony further and spurs him to attack. Jean and Rick are carjacked at gunpoint.

What is interesting in this case is that Jean created the situation in which she was victimized by visibly acting in a certain way. This is the point that the chapter also makes; by creating visible clues to one's true nature, the potential for victimization increases. What is interesting in Jean's case, is that she is one of the few persons in the film who in fact undergoes positive character development. Towards the end of the film, her maid, whom she treats badly throughout their relationship, helps her when none of her friends have time to do so. When she realizes this, her constant anger since the attack evaporates, and it is as if she understands for the first time how ungenerous and unrealistic her lifelong prejudice and racism was when she hugs the maid and calls her "my best friend."

As such, Jean has achieved a new type of visibility; where she openly acknowledges a person of a race other than hers, and a subordinate in terms of her employment relationship, as an equal in terms of friendship, kindness, and humanity. One has the feeling that this is not something that Jean has every acknowledged in another person or demonstrated herself. The scene could even imply that the constant anger she complains about might have been the subliminal result of her own lifelong, unreasonable hatred.

!This is the Way We Live & #8230; and Love!" Feeding on and Still Hungering for Lesbian Representation in The L Word. By Marnie Pratt

This chapter considers the adequacy, or lack thereof, of minority representation in the television series The L Word. The article argues that, while a clear minority group is represented in a pioneering way in the show, there is still an element of prejudice. The women represented are generally beautiful, thin, and mostly white upper-class females. This is hardly representative of the entire lesbian community. The creator of the show has argued that a visual medium such as television requires a measure of physical beauty to maintain audience interest.

In the film Crash, it is interesting that a film with prejudice and racism as a theme, there are no gay or lesbian characters. Most of the couples portrayed in the film are heterosexual and mostly upper-class. This is true for both the white, black, and interracial couples portrayed. This is true of Jean and Rick, Cameron and Christine, as well as the Latina Ria and her black boyfriend Graham. These couples are also shown to have typically upper-class problems. Christine, for example, is upset with her husband for not standing up for her during their ordeal with the police. Ria is upset with her boyfriend because he does not want to introduce her to his mother. While racism does provide a relative theme for these relationships, the feeling is that this is only considered as a peripheral concern to maintaining the luxury of their surroundings.

These persons appear to dominate the story line, whereas the poorer sector such as the Iranian family, headed by Farhad and the locksmith Daniel are portrayed in relation to these main stories. In effect, the film portrays them, along with the lower class thieves and stolen vehicle dealers, as subordinate to the high society people.

Despite its attempt to address the racism issue honestly, therefore, there are significant shortcomings in the film, one of which is the apparent subordination of minority groups to the high society types with their more "important" concerns. Furthermore, the film might have been more balanced had there been representation of a wider array of minority groups.

Three Faces of Eva: Perpetuation of the Hot-Latina Stereotype in Desperate Housewives by Debra Merskin.

The article focuses on Eva Longoria as the Latina stereotype in the television series Desperate Housewives. The article makes the point that Eva's lifestyle correlates with her role as Gabrielle Solis in terms of perpetuating the "hot" myth surrounding her ethnic background. Interestingly, this is a stereotype that she herself promotes, rather than having it imposed on her by others or by external prejudices.

In the film, most prejudice seems to be externally imposed rather than being perpetuated by the persons themselves. One exception to this might be the Iranian family, where Farhad and his daughter apparently deliberately speak their native language in the gun shop despite the irritation of the shop owner. When Daniel installs the lock, Farhad does not understand him sufficiently to have his door fixed, with disastrous consequences. One might wonder why his daughter or some other mediator was not there to help them communicate more clearly.