"Black" Ranger
"Yellow" Ranger
Oh the 90's. Isnt this Racializing their super powers? I mean and then theres the fact that the only other girl ranger (Kimberly) is "Pink Ranger"
I think this is a prime example of how race and gender become visible only when you defy your expected roles. I mean Trini is just a person. It seems kind of redundant to name her after her race. I mean her super power isnt 'being asian'. its karate and wearing a robot suit and fighting hilarious characters. I just find it interesting that the most visible factor of these three characters is their race and gender, not, say, their eye colour, hair colour, special powers etc. I mean, shouldnt Kimberly be the white ranger? or the brown ranger?
But this was the 90's. I just found it a bit hilarious.
Another non-related example is the use of the term "White Slut" to describe a white woman in an interracial relationship. Because she has defied the boundaries of whiteness (pumping out a new generation of whiteies by breading with other whiteies, much in the style of purebred dogs) her sexuality and race become visible. Cant remember the name of the reading i found the idea of "stigma transferrence" but the term was defined by Adina Nack in 2000 in an article called "Damaged Goods" about STD stigma. You can google that. I wouldnt recomend googling "White Slut" though. Feminists are not the only ones who 'examine' that term.
porn!
yuck!
what do you think, oh invisible reader?
You should definitely read the play Harlem Duet, in relation to the whole "White Slut" issue. The basic context: the play is about a black woman who's husband (also black) has deserted her for a white woman. Our class had a very VERY long discussion that was fueled by the contents of the play.
ReplyDeleteI definitely don't agree with calling the white woman in the relationship a "White Slut" but I understand (and I say understand as in as much as I can understand) why black woman would be so angry and bitter. There's just so much history that the black community is carrying on their shoulders in terms of slavery and trying to make themselves equal to whites. But then, is their own cultural identity lost in the process?
... Okay. Girl you just HAVE to read this play!!! It's so good! lol
oh and R.I.P. trini aka the yellow power ranger!
ReplyDeletelol soky i love you.
ReplyDelete