on political and social issues that challenge the traditional ways of doing and viewing things.
Reality television attracts big audiences because of their sensational nature. Reality television can be used for more than mindless entertainment, though. For instance, it can give women, youth and minorities a chance to air their views in an authentic unfiltered manner and so start a conversation on issues that are being swept under the carpet. Several TV productions are now addressing trending or controversial issues in their episodes. It is not yet clear what impact such moves have had. Also, the tongue-in-cheek methods in which such issues are addressed in… Continue Reading...
in mainstream media. According to Mocarski (et al. 2013), this is why the inclusion of Chaz Bono in the popular reality television show Dancing With the Stars was viewed as particularly radical, given that Bono is an openly transgender man. Bono participated in the competition as a male dancer, just like any other male involved in the show. But ballroom dance, the authors argue, is an inherently transgressive practice. On one hand, it reaffirms gender given that male and female roles are quite rigidly defined within the context of a dance. On the other hand, the costumes, sequins, and theatricality of dance, even for males, can be quite gender-disturbing. It… Continue Reading...
facts about reality television, other teens may use it to learn about new and evolving identity categories that they might not have thought possible, spanning from girls who do extreme sports to transgender teens.
Turtle also argues that the Internet allows teens to construct false personas, like avatars and Facebook profiles which stand in for the real, developing self. But this is not so different than personas constructed by clothing and membership in specific cliques, which have always been part of adolescence. At least the personas teens construct online can be changed… Continue Reading...
