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Category Archives: quotes
recently in tvland
I have become totally slightly addicted to television since the start of the fall season. Of course I can’t help but notice every time biracial, mixed, or interracial coupling comes up, which isn’t very often. So far, I’ve only been satisfied by one show. And it should come as no surprise to anyone that Jennifer Beals was involved in that one.
What you need to know: Attorney Zoe (Jennifer Beals) enlists the help of her “human lie detector” ex-husband Cal (Tim Roth) in proving the innocence of a black college football star accused of statutory rape by a white high school girl.
Zoe to Cal: (The) ADA is a pompous a** who isn’t beyond charging just based on race. That is why Cabe McNeil is facing trumped up sex charges.”
Cal: “Do you really want to defend this guy, or are you just taking this personally because of the black and white leaves on the family tree?”
Zoe: “Both.”
several scenes later….
Zoe to afore mentioned Pompous ADA: “Because he’s black and slept with a white girl he belongs in jail?…Come on I know your track record and I know how you treat black defendants. And I know how you treated me in law school. I had one white parent and one black parent. I was the only brown student there, and you just looked down your nose at me all three years”
Toward the end of the episode he tells her the reason he had a problem with her in school was because she made law review and he didn’t. She apologizes.
It was perfect! Because it’s not always about race, but when you’re the brown person that could easily and justifiably (based on prior experience) be your first assumption. Way to go Lie to Me. And Jennifer Beals. My assumption here is that she contributed to the way that story was told.
Next up:
What you need to know: Main character Veronica walks into her parent’s home after work and is startled loudly by her brother. She notices that their parents are asleep in the living room, prompting her to “shush” him. He laughs it off and demonstrates how sound asleep they are by yelling shockingly dangerous things like, “Fire!” and even worse…
“Dad! Veronica’s got a new boyfriend and he’s black!”
On
What you need to know: In an attempt to save her failing marriage, the wife of Glee Club director Mr. Schuester fakes a pregnancy.
The couple take a private lamaze class during which Mr. Schuester is asked to leave the room for minute. Mrs. Schuster reveals to the lamaze teacher that she has a troubling secret. The lamaze teacher’s first guess seems to be the worst thing she could possibly imagine: “Is the baby black!?“
Lastly,
Here is an example of a missed opportunity. Wentworth Miller guest starred as a cop helping the SVU team with one of it’s victims. After discussing the results of a line-up, Wentworth Miller says something that prompts Ice T to tell him that “Not all black people look alike.” I really wish Miller had said “I know. I am black people.” Jennifer Beals would have. I think.
None of this is earth shattering or anything. But I think it’s important to note the ways in which “we” are discussed or alluded to. I am usually disappointed. It’s that “is the baby black!?” kind of mentality that that guy in Louisiana who will let black people use his bathroom but will not allow interracial couples to wed is plagued by. I believe that the majority of people think that way. I’m trying to change that.
re: vintage sexism
vintage sexism
It really is wonderful that Diane Sawyer will be inheriting the ABC evening news desk of Charlie Gibson. Especially in light of our sexist “past.”
This gem is from the July 1943 issue of Transportation Magazine, written for male supervisors of women during World War II. These were “helpful tips” on supervising women at work.
1. Pick young married women. They usually have more of a sense of responsibility than their unmarried sisters, they’re less likely to be flirtatious, they need the work or they wouldn’t be doing it, they still have the pep and interest to work hard and to deal with the public efficiently.
2. When you have to use older women, try to get ones who have worked outside the home at some time in their lives. Older women who have never contacted the public have a hard time adapting themselves and are inclined to be cantankerous and fussy.It’s always well to impress upon older women the importance of friendliness and courtesy.
3. General experience indicates that “husky” girls – those who are just a little on the heavy side – are more even tempered and efficient than their underweight sisters.
4. Retain a physician to give each woman you hire a special physical examination – one covering female conditions. This step not only protects the property against the possibilities of lawsuit, but reveals whether the employee-to-be has any female weaknesses which would make her mentally or physically unfit for the job.
5. Stress at the outset the importance of time the fact that a minute or two lost here and there makes serious inroads on schedules. Until this point is gotten across, service is likely to be slowed up.
6. Give the female employee a definite day-long schedule of duties so that they’ll keep busy without bothering the management for instructions every few minutes. Numerous properties say that women make excellent workers when they have their jobs cut out for them, but that they lack initiative in finding work themselves.
7. Whenever possible, let the inside employee change from one job to another at some time during the day. Women are inclined to be less nervous and happier with change.
8. Give every girl an adequate number of rest periods during the day. You have to make some allowances for feminine psychology. A girl has more confidence and is more efficient if she can keep her hair tidied, apply fresh lipstick and wash her hands several times a day.
9. Be tactful when issuing instructions or in making criticisms. Women are often sensitive; they can’t shrug off harsh words the way men do. Never ridicule a woman – it breaks her spirit and cuts off her efficiency.
10. Be reasonably considerate about using strong language around women. Even though a girl’s husband or father may swear vociferously, she’ll grow to dislike a place of business where she hears too much of this.
11. Get enough size variety in operator’s uniforms so that each girl can have a proper fit. This point can’t be stressed too much in keeping women happy.”
mulatto diaries 