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Readers Sound Off: Do Gold-Toothed Transformers Epitomize Black Stereotypes?
By the DiversityInc staff - Jun 29, 2009
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Also read: racism, Hollywood, stereotypes, Black, entertainment

How can fictional characters impact the workplace? Readers weighed in on our recent article "Do Gold-Toothed 'Transformers' Epitomize Black Stereotypes?" Read their unedited comments below:

I have been a manager, supervisor and HR consultant for many years at some of the biggest corporations in the U.S. Piousness is irrelevant. The practical impact of Black stereotyping that has always concerned me is economics, i.e. in the hiring and retention of African Americans. I am still amazed by the insensitive and idiotic statements uttered by non-Black mangers in the debriefings after Black employment candidates have finished their round of interviews. The media stereotypes referred to have been literally stated as a basis of denying qualified African Americans jobs. In the 21st century, it is still pervasive, petty, damaging and real. You are foolish and unaware of the realities of the marketplace if you think these "entertainment" images cause no harm.

--C Hughes


Click here to read "McDonald's Custer Toy: Readers Furious Over Insensitivity."

Click here to read "How to Fix a Multicultural Misstep: Burger King Does It Right." 

Click here to read "Black Men Bowing Down: Intel's Marketing Misstep."


This is no different than the "pimp" charactures that were touring during the late 1800s, no different than Black exploitation films of the 70s--the 'I'm Gonna Get You Suckas,' etc. You have to look at the context: We could possibly view that and see the humor in it, at that point we are laughing together. [In the Transformers movie], they are laughing at you. It reinforces stereotypes of people who have gold teeth due to hygiene issues. (A lot of inner-city kids have to get gold or silver teeth due to poor care.) I'm what you would call decently privileged (access to resources), and I feel this was a shot at my people. But ask me if I care? Nope. I care with my dollars.

--Jarred M


Normally I don't write in, but this time I'll throw my oar in the water too. This is a racist country; it is a divided country. If you don't believe that that is true, look at funding for public schools, look neighborhood renovations. The haves (non-Blacks) move in and takeover a once predominantly Black area and buy the homes, raise the rent and force the people out the area. Now, I haven't seen the movie; I had planned on seeing. But do I want to give my money to someone who continues to fuel stereotypes? I can't laugh with you if you are laughing at me. So I will keep my money in my pocket and offer my protest in that manner. Green is the only color that everyone respects.
--Yvette Hankerson


Sagging shorts, gold teeth, business suits or BMWs. [Hollywood is] in the business of making money, nothing more nothing less. This movie is going to make money. By the way, when is the last time you saw a movie about a Black man who worked on Wall Street wearing an Armani suit? If the movie-makers thought they could make a profit by making those types of movies, they would make several every year. If Black people have a problem with the way we are portrayed, perhaps we should not spend money watching these types of movies. As long as they make money, Hollywood will keep rolling them out!

--Anthony Smith


It's funny that people would notice stereotypes like these, but not other stereotypes found in the many forms of media. For example, the video-game character Donkey Kong--just a silly tie-wearing gorilla, right? Why is it, though, that Donkey Kong carries a gun in later games and only listens to rap music? Sounds like a very subtle racist joke to me.
--Aaron Thomas


I don't think we should be so quick to dismiss this and other similar incidents by saying "it's only a movie." Our society is so steeped in media, we're surrounded by it practically from the time we're born. And this media, especially movies and TV, constantly sends us messages about almost every aspect of life. I'm not saying that other factors aren't equally, if not more, important to teaching us about life and society. But media does play a role in teaching us how to behave and relate to others. This is especially true if you grow up not knowing many people of other cultures/religions/colors/etc. So I don't think we should be so quick to shrug off these kinds of messages in the media.
--J.H.

The views expressed herein are solely those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of DiversityInc.

Readers' Comments

 

Your opinions and thoughts...
Posted Monday Jun 29, 2009 by Guest;
I spent my dollars to see the first movie and plan on seeing the second. I chose to live in an inner city neighborhood and am surrounded by all types of "stereotypes" which most often are only just that. For example, have you ever actually approached a youngster on why he wears his pants in a sagging manner? You would be surprised how quickly they will readjust their trousers knowing that they have already been made aware of the image that it projects. I don't get too upset over [Hollywood's] occassional depictions especially when I can see all that I can handle of the same stereoypes on most music videos. Finally, when we all get to the point where it's absolutely appalling to witness this everyday, the styles,goldteeth,sagging shorts will just continue to exist..
Posted Monday Jun 29, 2009 by Guest;
As an AA, I was not offended by this movie and am amused by all who are. Some of the same people who are so upset by the behavior ar the very ones who are the epitomy of the stereotype or are guilty of allowing the stereotypical behavior in their households. If we don't like how we are portrayed, we need to start making our children represent the images that we would like people to associate with AA's. Stop letting your children wear dreads, corn rows, sagging pants, mohawks. Learn the history behind those trends and impart the truth about their inception and why it is not okay for your children to mimic these things. Start demanding proper speech in your households and spreading that importance to those that you associate with. The stereotypes that are so upsetting are stereotypes not based on imagination but on the reality of how too many of our people carry themselves. In the days of old there may have been no other choice than for our people to receive a second rate education and speak in a manner that was less than civilized. Now, there is no excuse, everyone is afforded the opportunity for an education and too many refuse to take advantage of it and improve their minds or their images. AA's are furthering the downfall of themselves and how others perceive us because we are lazy. Raising your children to respect themselves seems to be a thing of yesteryear. As my grandmother always says when she sees slovenly, unkept looking youth and their parents, "Just because you are poor does not mean everyone else has to know it". That means take pride in what you have and who you are and always carry yourself with dignity and respect. If you do, you leave less for people to put in movies and make fun of. I found the movie hilarious and ironically a true characterization of how I perceive today's young AA generation. I look at them with horror and discust and am absolutely mortified by what they consider their role models (Soulja Boy and Lil Wayne, etc...). Parents, take back your children and take responsibility for the stereotypes you are allowing them to continue to facilitate all in the name of being hip and popular. Turn of the radio's and televisions in your homes and insist that your children read to expand their imagination. When you make that change in your households, the stereotypes will no longer be able to prosper because there will be nothing left for them to be based on. Until then, stop pointing the finger at Hollywood or any place else and point the finger at thine self. .
Posted Monday Jun 29, 2009 by Guest;
I went to see this movie over the weekend and had in my head this article after seeing it last week. In no way shape or form did I look at the gold tooth characters as stereotyping black people. Maybe that is because I didn't see myself in them at all. Part of me thinks that those who are seeing those stereotypes are the same ones that allow those stereotypes to live on. I thought the characters were funny and entertaining and expected so much worse after reading some of these comments. I am glad I did not let this article deter me from seeing the movie. .
Posted Monday Jun 29, 2009 by Guest;
I so agree with Law Princess..
Posted Tuesday Jun 30, 2009 by Guest;
I completely agree with Law Princess. Being an AA who saw the movie before reading this article, I must say that the people who are offended by The Twins in the movie are simply looking for a reason to be offended. It didn't even occur to me until about halfway through the movie that these characters were AA and they simply acted like all of the AA students that I have gone to school with over the years. Can I really be offended when I can easily look in my own family, in my neighborhood, in my schools, and find countless people that act like The Twins? Let's be the change we want to see.Also, why should an AA be offended by a stereotype? A stereotype is a generalization, not an absolute truth. Why should I be offended by something that does not reflect who I am? I don't talk like The Twins and I don't have a gold tooth, so why should I care? I know who I am and they do not represent me.And finally, if you pay attention to The Twins, the focus is on their relationship as brothers and their natural since of humor, not their implied race. They fight just like any pair of brothers, but they are also shown to be very honorable and brave when they're willing to protect each other even when the odds are against them. they also have a great sense of humor throughout the movie, even when things seem impossible. What type of person would see those as bad things? Personally, I find them to be acceptable qualities. .
Posted Tuesday Jun 30, 2009 by Guest;
As a follow up to my earlier message, I just came back from seeing Transformers 2. And again, I was impressed with the role of Tyrese Gibson, the African American soldier. The movie had great action and plot. I was impressed that they recognized early ancient civilization came from Mother Africa. And again, I was disturbed by the imagery created of the 2 Transformers that had "ethnic" characteristics: an inability to read, excessive use of profanity, gold teeth, prone to self-violence, etc. I'm going to take a stretch and assume that, maybe, the caricature was of uneducated whites that live in small communities or mountainous regions (apply the epithet yourself). But when I listened to the dialect, they didn't sound like that. . .the dialect sounded like they were Black. Yes, they're inanimate, artistic creations. They're not real. But they're created perpetuating negative stereotypes. For that, I agree that the creators of Transformers should be apologetic. But not just to Blacks. They should apologize for the characteristics applied to the small "bad-guy" Transformer that was locked in the box. As I listened to it speak, I detected an ethnic dialect and mannerisms that may have been the stereotypical "Italian/NY/Bronx mobster throwing profanity slang". I don't believe in "equal opportunity bias" but the creators made it a point of potentially offending 2 groups - possibly 3 if the seniors were offended for the depiction of the earlier Transformer from the museum. I am African American. And I disagree with those who have commented that they are not offended because they don't see themselves in those stereotypes. I don't either but I am offended for the type of imagery that is (here's the word again) perpetuated as stereotypes that tend to fuel how others view a culture through tainted lenses. I know I don't fit the stereotypes but others will be faced with being judged by those stereotypes; perhaps I'll be improperly judged as well. As a diverse society, we should call this what it is. . .an insensitive portrayal of diversity. The response, as I stated before, would be to demand and create more positive roles in entertainment..
Posted Tuesday Jun 30, 2009 by Guest;
I saw the movie this weekend and wasn't offended at all. As a matter of fact, I didn't give the transformers a race at all. I saw them for what they were machines; not black, white or hispanic. It amazes me that people watched this movie and tried to give these machines an ethnicity. To me, anyone who put the two together looks for race in everything. I assume you hate the fact that brown rice is better for you then white rice. What a shame! Racism will always exist in this world because of people like you. .

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