Law Today

Directions: After reading through the section in chapter 2 of your textbook on stereotypes, watch your favorite movie or TV show (or several) and come up with a list of all the stereotypes and potentially offensive scenes that you observe that depict minority group(s) in a negative way. Keep in mind the minority group categories listed in chapter 1: Race, Ethnicity, Gender, Sexual Orientation ect. Be sure to explain specifically what you were watching, what the stereotypes are, and what groups may be offended to a particular scene. Write as if you are explaining to someone that doesn't know about these concepts. Use complete sentences when writing your answers.

1. Name of Show: Maid in Manhattan.

2. Stereotypes: Race and ethnicity.

3. Potentially offensive scenes:

There was a scene that Marissa (Jennifer Lopez) delivered some towels to the suite of a wealthy and attractive Caucasian woman. Marissa walked into the room where this woman was conversing with a friend and they dismissed her like she was nothing more than a fly. They also said few words to her in Spanish and then assumed her name was Maria because of her race. It was subtle but enough for people to see the stereotype.

I feel that this movie does represent/portray the Latina woman is a stereotypical light in a lot of ways. Lopez's character is a working class single mother who is trying to make ends meet. It is interesting that they picked her to be a maid. It is as though they are almost saying if she is going to be Latina she has to be portrayed in a working class lower end job. It makes me a little upset that it was so type casted. I also noticed that the WHOLE maid staff was all minorities as well.