When we first talked about globalization I immediately thought of the telenovela my mom watched when she was younger called Xica da Silva. My mom told me she used to watch this telenovela when she was younger and it was her favorite telenovela. I had never heard of this telenovela until we talked about it in class and I was so shocked that she liked it so much and that she was able to watch it. I was surprised because the Mexican community struggles with colorism and hearing that it was dubbed in spanish for consumption really caught me off guard because the telenovela’s main character is a black woman who goes from rags to riches and has a love interest who is a blonde white man. However, my mom did not even mention the main character’s race which really goes to show how vital the plot is to the consumption of telenovelas. When people are given an engaging plot then seemingly controversial themes are pushed aside to truly appreciate art like this historical telenovela. I debated switching my telenovela selection to this one because of the historical importance that this telenovela had within the Latin community. As we have talked previously, representation is vital to ensure a brighter and more diverse future. Thus, consuming a telenovela with such historical value can be an important learning experience where we as a society can progress to have more inclusive media in telenovelas.
Chris,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you highlighted on the importance of Xica da Silva. I think some aspects of her storyline are regressive and it certainly leans into the Cinderella stereotype, but it paved the way for Black protagonists. However, being kind and pushing back on colorism in telenovelas means paying attention to the roles Black and/or darker skinned protagonists represent. Why are Black and/or darker-skinned individuals always domestic or poor individuals? Why are viewers so inclined to witness and empathize with exploitation? Xica da Silva is also a sensual film and it begs the question, is this film sensual because of Brazilian culture or because we tend to oversexualize Black women?
Chris, when Xica da Silva was mentioned in class, I was so surprised. Although I knew how successful this production was, I would never have imagined that someone so young - and in the United States - would know about it. And without a doubt, all the points you brought up in the text are very important. In line with Brittany's comment, it is indeed very important to understand why the protagonist was constructed this way and to understand how the stereotype of an aggressive and promiscuous black woman is so harmful to women.
ReplyDeleteAnd as a Brazilian I can give you a more personal opinion. Brazil is, in fact, a country that uses and abuses sexuality, however, black women, especially the darker ones, almost always fall into oversexualization.
Globalization has done a lot for the representation of minorities in all different media formats. The issue of colorism is one that many cultures struggle with. Often when researching globalization in conjunction with colorism, it is typically Western media pushing a certain "look" that is typically very white-washed and negatively affecting the cultures it is being exported to. Reading that the globalization of this telenovela helped to curve the issue of colorism in Mexico gives me hope that globalization can be used to stimulate positive cultural shifts for the sake of a more progressive society.
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