Stereotyping and Judging.

The original thing that is stereotyped for when you're baby is born, starts with the colors. Pink is for girls, and blue is for boys, says the media, says parents, says many people, continuing the tradition thats been happening for centuries. Who says that your baby girl cant wear blue? Whats wrong with a boy wearing pink? Does that make them gay? No. Colors are colors, and we have the rights to choose, but we just continue to advertise them in a certain way for our children. Blue for boys, pink for girls. I know when I was a child, I loved blue. I loved all colors, thank you very much, but my mom did dress me in pink often.

When your married, the typical thing for someone to think nowadays is; women work in the kitchen, and play housewife, and the men get the jobs, work all day, then say "Make me a sandwhich" to their wife. Where did that come from? I dont know, but its advertised everywhere. In television shows, the internet, and even my friends say it, and laugh. Go make youre own sandwhich you lazy bum.

Nowadays, stereotypes are everywhere, and its taking over. My own friends, my mother, everyone I know, give in to sterotypes, and it leads to judging people. For example, a girl who has a bellybutton piercing. My mother doesn't like that idea, my dad would say "If it was meant to be there, there would already be a hole.", and my best friend, who wants a tattoo, has a tongue piercing, and many other things, says "Oh she's a slut for having one, if you get one Meghan, I will rip it out of you." Does having a piercing make you a slut? No. Even if you were one, the piercing doesn't make it so. We all have free will and rights to get a piercing if we want. Maybe we think it looks pretty, have you ever thought of that? Well I hope so, thats why we get piercings in the first place. Media and gossip has spread the rumors, and we have started to believe them. If you wear a belly shirt, or a mini skirt, are you a slut? Are you having sex with every guy you see? No, maybe not, maybe you just want to feel beautiful.

Yesterday, a quite scary "gangster" looking guy came up to me, and said "Excuse me, you dropped your phone." I was speechless, picked up my phone, and said "Um, thank you!" Smiled, and continued on into a store. I was shocked, he looked like he could attack someone, but he was polite, and a good person. Most people would have picked up the phone and took it, but he told me I dropped mine. The way you look doesn't affect your personality all the time. Just because someone dresses like their ganster doesn't make them a creep, maybe they want to fit in. Or someone who dresses goth, they may just like black, and the style, and they may be the sweetest person you have ever met. Stereotyping makes you unaware of these things.

A popular person at school, may have the most friends, the best clothes, and the most stuff, and they may be very pretty, but they could be the nicest girl you have ever talked to, I know this by experience. You would think most of the popular crowd wouldnt be nice to you if your not popular. Some people who look nice and innocent, are the MEANEST people you've ever met. You will never know if you sterotype. Take a chance, and ignore the sterotypes nowadays.

Some stereotypes are there for a reason, and thats because of what you see, without looking deeper into the details. Though, some sterotyepes are kind of horrible, yet sometimes true. They say, and when I say they, I mean a lot of people, including the police, think black guys are always looking for trouble, and to steal things. Then they actually go and get arrested, and the stereotype becomes more true. Then you have some really nice black guy, who would never dream of doing any of that, and that stereotype will hurt them. :( Stereotypes are awful. The big one nowadays would be directed to all teenagers. We don't know anything, we dont understand money, or work, or anything about love, its all lust, and all we do is have sex, and get pregnant, and we dont know the dangers of the world, we just make a mess, steal things, and dont care, we make a fool of ourselves. Uhhuh. Suuuree, all teenagers are DEFINETLY like that. Totally, because I've TOTALLY had sex and gotten pregnant before, and got arrested for shoplifting. NOT. :( Adults nowadays stereotype teenagers the most. Its kind of saddening to those of us who actually stay away from trouble as a living. I don't like people like that, and I dont cause trouble, so the fact that my mom doesn't trust me because of that stereotype, hurts.

Some stereotypes are common, like this;

"Asians are super smart and get straight A's"

"Black people are violent and criminals"

"Indians want everything for a penny"

"Men are the workers"

"Women are the housewives"

"Goths are all scary and evil"

"All old white men are pedophiles."

These aren't always true. Especially the last one. HAHA, but yeah, sterotypes are everywhere, and I suggest you look a little deeper before you judge. :) Thank you.

"She has acne, not because she wanted it. She is overweight, she didn't choose that, maybe she has a medical condition that makes her that way, or something else. She wears too much makeup, maybe she wanted to feel beautiful because she has insecurities. Think before you judge."

GaGa`s Controversy

The new hit song "Judas" by lady gaga is really a song created to push the limits and boundaries. It is said that lady GaGa is the modern day Madonna and as we all know Madonna was also one to really push the limits in terms of her music. Lady GaGa tends to sexualize religion in many of her videos. For example in her music video for "Alejandro" GaGa swallows a rosary this first real kick at religion caught people off guard, but her latest song Judas in my personal opinion has taken it to far and thousands of people agree. her new music video features clips like GaGa riding a motorcycle with a man with a crown of thorns on his head (jesus) and falling in love with Judas (the disciple that betrayed Jesus), Gaga in a bathtub with Jesus and Judas etc. for somebody who is a religious person such as myself, this music is very offensive. I understand that GaGa is very different and that she wants to do different things in the industry. but when you place religion into the concept i believe that is taking it way to far. something that i also notice is that Christianity is the only religion that gets torn apart and made fun of in our society. Even "Jesus Christ" is a swear word. you never walk around and hear somebody say "Oh Buda !!" why is that? in conclusion i think LadyGaGa is taking her music to the level of unacceptable and offensive and if she continues along this path i think she will loose many fans including myself.

Body Image in todays Society

In todays society body image is very different than what is was 100 years ago. back in the 1800s being skinny was seen as being unhealthy. men chased after women with large voluptuous figures, pale skin was seen as a thing of beauty. but in todays society it is the complete opposite. to have a large figure and pale skin is something that will easily draw people away from you. the media teaches us that it is okay to starve yourself as long as you look hot doing it, and that being unhealthy is the price you have to pay to fit in. we are given this image of a perfect body that we are all supposed to uphold. a size zero, tanned as can be, double D boobs and a large butt is something that is supposed to be socially acceptable. but truthfully it is impossible for all girls to uphold this image. with everybody having a different type of body is is actually impossible for some girls to get below a size 4. girls as young as the age of 6 have resulted to starving themselves in order to look more beautiful. the media in todays society is literally taking away the youth of little girls, but who can blame those girls??? they see it everywhere they go. with adds in the malls of women who seem to be perfect covered with men adoring them. more and more shows involving sexual images and stereotypical signs. little girls shouldnt have to be exposed to such thing but that fact is, its almost impossible to avoid these things now a days. i dont understand how we can let all of this continue. people are literally harming themselves just because some magazine says they have to. but the truth is we dont have to listen. everybody should be seen as beautiful in their own way.... and then and only then our world will that much of a happier place.

“The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business 18”

Welcome to Sam’s Reality TV Check


A Fun Reality TV Show for all Ages!

The Amazing Race 2011 Reality TV show is bringing back teams from previous seasons, giving returning teams a second chance to win the Amazing Race One Million dollar grand prize. Contestants are specially selected favorite teams returning from Seasons 12 to 17. The Amazing Race 18 will be a 23-city race that will cover 5 continents and 40,000 mile. The new season of the amazing race is one to watch! This season the show is bringing back those teams who have competed before, but not won.

The competition is fierce!

The first “leg” of the race started in California but quickly moved to Australia where teams were this past week. Each episode includes 2-3 tasks per “leg”, where the teams compete against each other to get to the “rest stop” first. Each team, while competing against each other, complete tasks including; solving puzzles, locating local monuments and partaking in local rituals and customs. Those who get to the rest stop first, are given the privilege of leaving first for the next leg of the race. The team arriving first is rewarded with a vacation or a cash prize. Most of the time, those who complete the “leg” of the race last will be eliminated. Once in awhile there will be a non elimination round where no one gets sent home. However, if you are the last team to arrive in this particular week, and you have been spared elimination, you will have to complete an additional task during the next “leg” of the race.

Each “leg” of the race brings its challenges – “roadblocks”, “fast forwards”, “yields” and “u-turns” making the game more exciting and stressful for all those involved and those of us watching at home!

Watch your favorite team and find out who is getting closer to winning the million dollar cash prize from other competitors on “The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business Season 18” on CTV Sunday night at 8 sharp.

Your Reality TV Blogger – Keeping it Real!
Samantha Stewart

Monday Night TV date

On a Monday night, with little homework and nothing to do what is your first instinct? Most teenage girls will turn on the tube for eight o'clock, switch to Much Music and sit down for a two hour date with Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl. Both shows are filled with a world most of us could only dream of, but why? Why would we dream of a world filled of lies, betrayals, secrets, cheating and stealing?

Pretty Little Liars is built off of the concept of a small town, rich families and dark secrets. Secrets centered around the death of a girl who appeared to be as innocent as the average 7th grader, but as the story progresses all the personal information she knew about her so called best friends begins to unravel. Everything from student and teacher affairs, stealing your sister's boyfriends to questioning your gender identity. These scenarios on their own sound unbearably delicate to handle and would most likely make the lives of teens today unpleasant and stressful. PLL has become so captivating because of the way these deceptions are presented. Remember the small town and rich families mentioned above, families willing to keep secrets private to avoid humiliation and foreclosure, family members committing similar acts and parents that are unwilling to accept their children's true identity. The young ladies with these secrets are constantly decked out in the latest fashions,surrounded by expensive shops and cars. Not only this, but they also seem to luck out when you feel that the last few threads of the web of lies will come undone. Someone or multiple people that the girls only know as A seem to have control over their lives because some how they know the details to all of their secrets. The main thrill to watching the show is the race to see if you can guess who A is before they tell you. The show being wisely thought out, leads you in different directions to keep your interest.

A parallel to this is Gossip Girl which has the same general scheme, connected through family and friends, relationships and lies. GG has had more deceptive turns than you can count and many more in store for the future. GG also has a secret identity, an internet blogger unidentified to all, who updates Manhattan's elite young adults with each other's secrets. Again this show holds the ideological messages that are in PLL.

The similarities between the two television programs are endless, hidden identities, rich, beautiful, happy, glamorous people all trying to keep their status. The pair both shed light on the latest in peer pressure issues among teens, such as sexual orientation, drugs and alcohol giving both the "positive" or fun side and the negative down side to each issue. They also give the audience the opportunity to choose their own meaning. The best example of this is attempting to determine the identity of both A and Gossip Girl.

Even with all of these details both shows are still captivating, thus being able to keep rating high and keep viewers interested. Don't believe me? keep an open mind and tune in next Monday.

Do you look in the mirror, and hate what you see? Do you poke and prod at your body, wishing it could be thinner, and more toned?

Eating Disorders affect millions of people. Males and Females. They're so common that they effect 1 or 2 out of 100 kids in the U.S.. These kids will mostly suffer from either Anorexia Nervosa or Bulima Nervosa.

Anorexia Nervosa Syptoms

• can become seriously underweight
• easily upset and irritable
• loss of sleep and energy
• decreased concentration and attention
• become obsessed with thoughts of food
• mood, anxiety and personality disorders

Bulimia Nervosa Symptons

• complusive exercising
• regularly going to the bathroom after eating
• discarding packages for laxatives, diet pills, emetics & diuretics.

*If you know anyone that might be suffering from either of these, or any other eating disorder, please confront them and/or get them help immediately. These eating disorders are no jokes.

I believe that the media is to blame for this. In todays media, we see models that look perfect, with their perfectly thin bodies, air brushed skin, and flawless makeup. Whether we notice it or not, we're surrounded by these advertisements, and it influences the way that we see ourselves when we look into that mirror every morning. Now because we are surrounded by all these subliminal messages, boys and girls around the world starve themselves, and spend thousands of dollars a year on material items, so that they can try and achieve what the media states is perfect.

Never Say Never

From the first music video "One time" to his current hit movie "Never say Never" people have been criticizing Justin Bieber day in and day out. From his baby face smile to his perfectly fallen hair, people never seem to run out of things to say about the pop sensation, but despite all of the hard criticism Justin Bieber has defied all of the odds. The media has changed the name Justin Bieber from just an everyday small town boy name, to being a thing of marketing genious. take a t-shirt throw the name on it and you are sure to have a top selling item. But the name Justin Bieber isn't only a brand, its also an inspiring story. In the new movie/biography "Never Say Never" the story of how this young boy went from being the boy next door to a household name is told in an exciting yet inspiring way. From health issues to selling out Madison Square Garden this movie gives you an inside look at the life of this teen pop sensation and shows you that he is more than a one hit wonder, but he is someone who has, is and will always beat the odds against him due to his passion for what he loves the most.... creating music and entertaining those around him. In the same case as many other people I'm sure, this movie has completely swayed my opinion on Justin Bieber. I used to just follow the trend of thinking he was going to fade away soon, but this movie was so inspiring and it brought me to think about the way that the media has portrayed him and the way that it has negatively shown him, But "Never Say Never" has truly given me and many other people a new persepctive on how this 16 year old boy is truly an amazing artist.