How You Should Read Coronavirus Studies, or Any Science Paper

By: Carl Zimmer

Race Essentialism and Social Contextual Differences in Children’s Racial Stereotyping

By: Kristin Pauker

Pauker’s study is observing how children from Massechustes and Hawaii ages 4-11 years old view racial cognitions and stereotypes. Children’s concept of race is created by outside factors. Such as demographic makeup, or local norms, should also impact what stereotypes are available in that context. By studying two states opposite of each other will result in varying results. The experiment concluded that as the age of the children increased so did the amount of outgoing stereotyping. In reference to the difference in the environment, kids in Massechustes did more outgoing stereotyping compared to the kids in Hawaii. The results supported their hypothesis that social context and age affects the way children see race.

“Raising a Black Boy in America” by Calvin Hennick

The author, Calvin Hennick is struggling with how to teach his African American child about the concept of racism. Hennick acknowledges that he is “white, and my wife is black, and I have nothing to teach my son about how to be a black man in America.” Hennick points out that it is his role as the father to teach his son how to be a gentleman and how the world works but in this situation many white men and black men live very different lives. Hennick is reluctant to explain to Nile, his son, how racism will affect him because it feels like he is “deliberately peeling away a layer of his innocence.” This is the sad reality of what many African American families have to deal with daily. Imagine trying to explain to your child that because of the color of your skin people will “also perceive you as scary; and even though you’re the one scaring them, it’s you who will be in danger.” This is an instance where “self” definition has been made up by strangers over thousands of years ago. The Black Lives Matter Movement is just now starting to break this “definition” of African American people and bring racism of all forms to light.

“Bad Feminist” by Roxane Gay

The author of Bad Feminist, Roxane Gay is struggling with what it means to be a Feminist. Gay is caught between two views of what a woman should be according to society and “good” Feminist. Most of society thinks of a woman as “thin, to wear makeup, to wear the right kind of clothes… charming, polite, and unobtrusive… content to earn 77 percent of what men earn… bear children and stay home to raise them without complaint… modest, chaste, pious, submissive” Gay points out that this stereotype of a woman has been around for decades and is growing and evolving as times are changing. According to Gay, “good” feminists are women who “hate pornography, unilaterally decry the objectification of women, don’t cater to the male gaze, hate men, hate sex, focus on career, don’t shave.” These are two completely different views of what a woman is, this is why people are afraid to join the feminist movement. This makes self-definition difficult as Gay explains, people fear categorization because of the punishment and criticism they might face from opposite parties. The ultimate value and goal of feminism “is to achieve equality, in all realms, between men and women.” Gay considers herself as a failing woman and feminist because “To freely accept the feminist label would not be fair to good feminists. If I am, indeed, a feminist, I am a rather bad one.” She believes in this one goal but doesn’t fully agree with all the ideals a “good” feminist has. She also doesn’t fit into the box that society has created for women. Gay is breaking the social norms and isn’t afraid to be different just because she self identifys as a “bad” feminist.