One Face at a Time

          From the very beginning of our existence, humanity has experimented with many different substances, in order to accentuate or minimize certain features. Originally used for various ancient rituals and ceremonies, the use of cosmetics evolved to suggest social class, rank in society, personal background, and even one’s romantic availability. These utilizations of cosmetics have become so numerous within America’s evolving cultural beliefs and trends, that they have too become associated with many of our beliefs and ideals. However, it is often that the live of American women become so focused on the aesthetics of our world that we tend to miss the true meanings behind them. Such as the reasons why so many American women feel the need to look at themselves in the mirror constantly, to watch others build a certain style for themselves, and then proceed to copy it in the hopes of seeming unique. So many women spend their entire lives in this paradox, oblivious to its practically parasitic nature as cosmetic corporations profit off of the population’s insecurities and self-doubt. By altering our social norms, our population’s self image, and our methods of marketing to others, the use of cosmetics has contributed in shaping the culture of American females of the present, one face at a time.
   
          Our use of makeup extends well beyond our recorded history, and its uses are even more vast. Used as a tool of ritual, protection, as well as a personal self image and satisfaction elevator, our shifts in makeup uses and styles as a culture have reflected our constantly evolving beliefs and ideals.
Some Native Americans tribes used face and body paints to create patterns significant to the tribe for ceremonies or battles, as well as certain oils to protect themselves from harmful UV radiation or insects. In many of the Native American cultures, different color combinations and symbols had a very distinct meaning for specific settings or events, such as war, places of healing, or contemplation. According to Linda Alchin, Director of Education at Siteseen Ltd, each color can have a completely different meaning depending on the situation it is used in. For example, the color red is quite an aggressive color in times of great conflict as it represents blood and violence. However, the color red can also “reflect faith, beauty and happiness” as well as spirituality.   
The uses of cosmetics varied based on what beliefs and priorities the individual culture held. Most of the many Native American cultures had very simplistic views of self image, as this was not a large focus in their lives. The use of everyday makeup in most of the Native American cultures was not practical, as every member of their tribe was expected to be helping in the daily functions of the community. According to History.org, whether that was working in the fields, collecting corn, building shelter, hunting, etc., it was a group effort. It was not normal or desired for one to be sitting and checking their appearance long enough to use correctional cosmetics. 
With the introduction of the British settlers, a new culture was introduced, and with it, a new take on self image and an entirely different objective in the use of cosmetics. In Lenore Wright Anderson’s(Doctor of Philosophy) Thesis, Synthetic Beauty: American women and Cosmetic Surgery, he writes that because women were viewed as “the weaker sex”, it was ideal for their features to reflect this sense of weakness and need to be protected by being “small and delicate.”(pg 164) For a large portion of history, a woman’s use of makeup implied a heightened social status and aristocratic lifestyle, meaning that the woman would be able to preserve her youthful, pure glow and remain untouched by the dirt of the working world. Through our country’s years as a colony, the use of makeup in the common woman was still incredibly subtle. However, the aspirations to live the comfortable lifestyle implied by one’s heavy use of cosmetics were still ever present. These physical aspirations included whitened and even skin tone, rouged cheeks, full, dark eyebrows and red-tinted “bee-stung lips”.
As women’s suffrage began to make an entrance in our country’s history in the 1900’s, women began to express themselves in new and innovative mediums, such as their clothing and an increased use in cosmetics. The general belief of our culture in this time period was that cosmetics were for actresses and prostitutes. 
Because it was commonly saw as desirable for a woman to possess or portray small, soft and dainty features, the women’s suffrage movement used an opposite approach in order to gain attention for their cause. As an act of assertion and defiance against this ideal of women and their roles, women wore bold red on their lips in marches and even in their everyday lives. Although it may not be pioneering by our standards today, this act of defiance represented women’s breakage of preconceptions and their bonds as objects, and expressed their demands to be seen as people with their own rights among men. In Lisa Hix’s article How a Makeup Mogul Liberated Women by Putting Them in a Pretty New Cage, it is mainly described that “the flapper feminists” used cosmetics as a “tool of liberation” and empowerment. Using this new technique of self expression, after almost a century of protest, the 19th Amendment to the American Constitution was added; effectively granting women the right to vote. After this feminist victory, cosmetics soon became a great symbol of women empowerment, and this vision has only grown and became rooted into our own cultural beliefs, as a large population of American women now use makeup as a direct expression of their beliefs, personalities, and background. In order to voice one’s message, the face is often a go to canvas. As a result, many different styles have been accepted, and because these styles were so common in certain settings they have become expected and some even enforced; such as in business setting, the types of styles you may find on a fashion magazine, or perhaps the cosmetics worn by your waitress or flight attendant.
Through our expansive history of cosmetic use, humanity has created many preconceptions, assumptions and expectations of the kinds of women who wear makeup. In the research article, THE EFFECTS OF HAIR COLOR AND COSMETIC USE ON PERCEPTIONS OF A FEMALE’S ABILITY, researchers, Heike I. M. Mahler and Diana J. Kyle of California State University, San Marcos, found that when shown images of women in cosmetics, and others without cosmetics, participants in their study deemed the model without cosmetics to be “more capable” and inferred that she would have a higher paying occupation. Although the research did not deeply address the possible logic for the participant's judgments, it is possible that the image of increased femininity in a woman, as cosmetics imply, could have swayed them to believe the woman to be less assertive, less intelligent, and therefore, less competent in a work environment(page 152). As this study was done in 1996, a similar but more recent study found that in the present American culture, the exact opposite was true. As of 2006 (ten years later), the expectations of a woman wearing makeup include heightened social or economic status, success, health and confidence. In this more recent study done by Rebecca Nash, George Fieldman, and Trevor Hussey, in their research article, Cosmetics: They Influence More Than Caucasian Female Facial Attractiveness, an image of women wearing makeup was considered to be “healthier and more confident” than those of the same women without makeup. The women who wore makeup were even thought to have a “greater Earning Potential” and hold a more prestigious career than those without it. The main point of this study was not to dive deeply into the reasoning for their subject’s assumption, however, they were taken into consideration in Nash’s writings. As of now, it is possible that society associates a women’s use of cosmetics with “higher status jobs” such as office-based occupations, rather than “less bureaucratic jobs” such as childcare or factory work. This is because a women’s use of makeup implies a heightened social status, a lessened obligation to manual labor, and a need to put their best face forward in situations such as business meetings or important social exchanges. (pg 502) From these experiments, it is obvious that our society’s attitudes toward cosmetics are beginning to shift to a more understanding and tolerant view of a women’s use of makeup, even to the point of expecting and encouraging it to be applied on a daily basis. This is a great difference from the American cultures past ideals of feminine beauty and their reception of a woman’s ability to accentuate herself.
   
           There are many obvious reasons to wear makeup: to decorate, accentuate, or even minimize and hide certain features. However, the issue is not just skin deep, for the American culture’s increased use of makeup has edited many women’s self image to a point in which they do not truly see or accept themselves when they look in a mirror until they have highlighted, shaded or concealed all of the “less desirable” aspects of themselves.

One’s self-image is simply the way in which one sees themselves or their role, as described by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. For many American women, makeup is more than a superficial application; it is a way in which one expresses their own self-image. The face they put on becomes the image of themselves that they identify with, rather than their own face without makeup.
In the article, Appearance work: Women’s everyday makeup practices, the researcher, Natalie Beausoleil, finds that women who wear makeup on a daily basis begin to recognize themselves as the mask that they apply to their face. These women also admit to believing that they are “not being themselves” when they are not wearing makeup(pg 170), for their ideal version of themselves they present to the world is the one they eventually come to identify with.

In their research article, “Who wears Cosmetics?” Individual Differences and their Relationship with Cosmetic Usage, Julia Robertson, George Fieldman and Trevor Hussey Buckinghamshire from Chilterns University College, found that those who express “anxiety, self-consciousness, introversion, conformity, and self-presentation” are more likely to form a bond with and wear cosmetics regularly to accentuate themselves than those who more readily express “extroversion, social confidence, emotional stability, self-esteem, physical attractiveness, and intellectual complexity”. (Robertson, Fieldman, & Hussey, 2008, p. 41). Whether we are making a bold statement of our views, or just trying to cover our own insecurities, in reality, we are just trying to reflect a better version of ourselves that we would be comfortable presenting to the world. Because it is insecurity and one’s longing for acceptance that drives them to apply makeup, it is very easy to identify with this more pleasing image of oneself allows as it increases their sense of confidence, and gives them a better sense of control over one’s social situations.
However, how exactly are these insecurities fabricated? Through the many fashion magazines, blogs, and posts on social media, American women are constantly bombarded with examples of feminine beauty, perfection, and    to compare themselves too. Our brains often require a frame of reference in order to imagine an ideal version of ourselves. This is often where many women’s habits to pick and choose features from other women on magazines and beauty blogs they fantasize of possessing come from. According to Virginia Blum, Professor of English at the University of Kentucky, in her article, Becoming the Other Woman: The Psychic Drama of Cosmetic Surgery, it is often that, when you don’t feel beautiful enough, “the rest of the world looks like an array of perfect examples of just what you lack.” (page 1) 

      American women are constantly guaranteed, bated, and often persuaded by the continuous advertising on our television, popup ads on any given website or YouTube video, and all forms of social media that a better version of us lies somewhere just within reach; that we can make her our new reality, if we just buy their products.

Despite our induced desire to be individual, our natural inclination to join the crowd greatly overpowers this longing. Each member of humanity is constantly searching for something to be a part of, searching for community and instinctually (and often unconsciously) adapt to each new culture we are dropped in for fear of being outcast. Some examples of this are as simple as picking up an accent when visiting another part of the world, or when a child learns a bad habit from a friend. However, Beauty companies are more than happy to indulge both of these incredibly human longing.
In one of his better known articles, Why Johnny Can’t Dissent, Thomas Carr Frank, American political analyst, historian, and journalist, wrote very passionately about the topic of unconscious conformity in our purchases and styles.  “We consume not to fit in, but to prove[...]” that we are  “rebels[…]rule-breaking and hierarchy-defying”. American women are continuously being influenced by companies and corporations, even through our attempts to escape them. In our personal quests to be individual, independent, and unique, we are unwittingly becoming a part of the same market as the large portion of our population is swayed by how incredibly innovative and original the model’s lip style on the latest fashion Instagram is.
Rather than reading the newspaper or the newest fashion magazines, the American population is now hooked on Twitter, Instagram, and most of all, YouTube. It is here that people find their idols in alternative art, music, and cosmetics. However, these individuals who are so highly praised for their unique style and techniques are really funded or sponsored by the same corporations who are making an incredible amount of income from creating self doubt in possible consumers through their advertisements.
According to Brodie Lancaster’s interview of one of the newest “Beauty Gurus” on YouTube and first male Cover Girl ambassador in 2016, 21 year- old Michael Finch; as well as earning money through advertisements included before or during his videos, also makes a great deal of income from “brand sponsorships”. Finch explains to the interviewer that a brand sponsorship is “ just brands reaching out to you to promote their products.” Because YouTube has become so popular in the American culture, women often consult it for various reasons, mainly assistance in their cosmetic use. According to the Statistics Portal, the trend of viewing beauty content on YouTube has increased from 0.63 billion to 88 billion views from 2007 to 2017. Considering how popular YouTube had become in the last decade, it is really no wonder that large companies are using it to advertise their products. As people look to vloggers like Finch for guidance in their cosmetic decisions, it is a very bold but effective business move for Beauty companies to use these rising “YouTube Stars” in order to sway the female American population in their purchases compared to their past use of magazines and billboards. 

          Throughout America’s relatively short history, the American culture has undergone many changes and reforms not only in our views, ideals and general beliefs, but also in the ways we express them. The female population of America has used cosmetics in the name of self-expression, liberty, and empowerment. However, new techniques in advertising by Beauty Companies have made this claim hypocritical and in many cases, close to meaningless. American women are once again being manipulated by the expectations of others based on their appearance, as well as what it is they personally wish to look like through advertisements designed to shape these personal ideals. As women were originally expected to be without makeup, it is now engrained in the American culture that successful and confident women are always made up and professional, that a woman’s beauty should equate that of America’s next Top Model, and in order to achieve this necessary goal, we must seek knowledge from so called “Beauty Gurus”, and use the products they suggest. It is apparent that the life of an American woman can become so focused on the aesthetics of our world that we tend to glance over the true meanings and implications behind them, as they have to become associated with many of our beliefs and ideals. It is through these alteration in our social norms, our population’s self image, and our methods of marketing to others, that the use of cosmetics has contributed in shaping the culture of American females of the present; one face at a time.



Bibliography
Alchin, Linda, Meaning of Colors, Native American Culture, Siteseen Limited, https://www.warpaths2peacepipes.com/native-american-culture/meaning-of-colors.htm, 4/22/2018
Beausoleil, Natalie, Appearance work: Women’s everyday makeup practices, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, http://0-search.proquest.com.wizard.umd.umich.edu/docview/303983876?accountid=14578, 4/22/2018
Blum, Virginia. "Becoming the Other Woman: The Psychic Drama of Cosmetic Surgery." Frontiers 26.2 (2005): 104,131,237. ProQuest.Web. ,https://0-search-proquest-com.wizard.umd.umich.edu/docview/232346874/fulltextPDF/EA008DA910204C52PQ/1?accountid=14578, 4/22/2018.
Kyle, D. J., & Mahler, H. I. (1996). The effects of hair colour and cosmetic use on perceptions of a female’s ability. Psychology of Women Quarterly http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.891.9250&rep=rep1&type=pdf, 4/22/2018
Lancaster, Brodie, Glam or sham: how the big brands cash in on YouTube's beauty vloggers, The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2018/mar/08/glam-or-sham-are-youtubes-beauty-vloggers-selling-out, 4/22/2018
Merriam-Webster, Self-image, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-image, April 22, 2018
Nash, R., Fieldman, G., Hussey, T., Lévêque, J., & Pineau, P. (2006). Journal of Applied Social Psychology (2nd ed., Vol. 36). Blackwell Publishing. http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.891.9250&rep=rep1&type=pdf, 4/22/2018
Robertson, Julia, Fieldman, George, Hussey, Trevor B., "Who wears Cosmetics?" Individual Differences and their Relationship with Cosmetic Usage, Academia.edu, https://www.academia.edu/237989/_Who_wears_Cosmetics_Individual_Differences_and_their_Relationship_with_Cosmetic_Usage, 4/22/2018

The Native-American Family: The Colonial Williamsburg Official History & Citizenship Site, The Native-American Family, http://www.history.org/almanack/life/family/first.cfm, 4/22/2018
 YouTube: annual beauty content views 2017 | Statistic, Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/294655/youtube-monthly-beauty-content-views/, 4/22/2018

The American Flag and America

It is said that an image can speak a thousand words. The following three photographs
(A., B.,and C.) all tell a story about America’s ever changing culture, its history and fluid social
norms. Each photograph, taken from a different point in time, illustrates a major conflict of that
period and it’s population’s views of our country. By taking these incredible shots, the
photographers Joe Rosenthal, Thomas E. Franklin, and Jonathan McIntosh unwittingly
captured some of the most iconic and meaningful moments in our country’s history. Through
these images, the audience is given a small window into the American population’s attitude
toward their country, their cultural/social norms and their developing values.

Each of the images listed displays the view Americans had of their country in that
specific time period. Image A. illustrates an American victory of World War II in the battle to
secure Mount ­Suribachi. This black and white photograph, taken by Joe Rosenthal, depicts a
group of war ragged American soldiers in a field of broken ground and rubble, working together to hoist our
nation’s flag atop the mountain in triumph. This photograph, a symbol of unity for many, shows
that even in the hardest of times, good can rise from the debris. In this time period, when there
was already so much hate in the world, our country as well as all those who stood by us, were
viewed as the common good. Much popular culture in this time period formed such reflections
of our country, and created a sense of national pride. This image was used to make an
incredible boost in moral for our war efforts. Featured in history books and magazines world
-wide, this photograph is mostly shown during specific times of the year to celebrate those who
fought and/or died for our country and what it stands for. These days include Memorial Day,
Veterans Day, The Fourth of July and the many patriotic holidays our country celebrates.

In image B., the audience is shown three men in dusty green and grey firefighter uniforms
surrounded by the wreckage of a recently demolished building, also hoisting up the American
flag. However, the building in the background of the image is no regular building. This
enormous pile of torn metal beams and concrete was once the one of the Twin Towers on New
York City. This photograph was taken from ground zero in one of America’s most tragic events,
911. In the incredible pain and suffering this heinous act of terrorism caused, the three first
responders in this image heave the American flag atop a large pole, and look upward with
hopeful gazes, toward a new beginning. This photograph is seen by many to be a clear
representation of our country’s undying spirit and hope. Although unplanned, Image B. is
undoubtedly one of the most iconic photographs in our nation’s history. The photographer to
take this photo, Thoman E. Franklin, states that ”I can’t even say this is the best picture I ever
took. It is the photo with the most meaning.” From early in our childhood, American children
are exposed to images such as this. It is a constant reminder of our country's history, its values,
and the sacrifices people have made for them. As said by Jeffrey Nealon and Susan Searls
Giroux in "Culture" from The Theory toolbox, popular culture doesn’t necessarily reflect the
attitude of its consumers. “It teaches us how and what to reflect.”(69) By seeing these images
over such a long period of time, we begin to feel an attachment/fondness/sympathy toward the
history behind them and build a sense of pride and hope in being a part of that history.

Image C. shows the audience a more recent and not so optimistic view of our country.
This photograph illustrates a young protester holding the “Corporate American flag” from
Adbuster's  at George Bush's second inauguration. The flag, being the main focus of the
photograph, has been altered to hold an entirely different meaning than the original. This flag
no longer has 50 white stars on its blue square, but 30 logos of major corporations and businesses
widely known and used by Americans; which include Pizza Hut, PlayBoy, Shell, Windows, and
of course, McDonalds. It also has an incredibly large statement branded across it, “SOLD”,
implying that this country has been sold to these chains. This editing of the American flag was
done in order to represent the amount of power corporations really have over this country, it’s
government and its citizens. This act of protest, as well as its canvas, shows that our current
population not only performs with a different set of social and cultural norms, but has a
drastically shifted view of our nation. It has become increasingly acceptable to make these
incredibly bold statements and is most common to see them on social media. When making a
statement on social media, one needs to be surprising, concise, and persuasive, all while
remaining interesting. This photo is an example of how these social norms have changed from
a delicate, and eloquent procedure of debate to a more abrupt and abrasive form of argument.

It is my own personal belief that our flag is to be respected, for it is a representation of
what our country stands for. A nation’s flag depicts what our country’s values are and what
being a part of that country truly means. However, I also know that little to no change or major
progression has ever been made without treading along the line separating the acceptable from
the taboo. Using a nation’s flag will definitely qualify as taboo. When sending a message, one
needs to provoke a strong emotion in a group of people in order to get a reaction and promote
their cause. Whether this reaction is anger, frustration, understanding, happiness, relief or guilt,
all depends on the audience. This image could provoke a whole slew of intense emotions and
ideas, and it is this almost controversial way of sending a message that really gets the attention
of an audience.

These images, used to change the tide of our population’s associations, ideals, and
attitude towards our country, have done just that by rallying citizens in celebration, unity, hope, and
frustration. By taking these incredible shots, the photographers Joe Rosenthal, Thomas E. Franklin,
and Jonathan McIntosh unwittingly captured some of the most iconic and meaningful moments in our
country’s history. These incredible images have given audiences a small window into the American
population’s attitude toward their country, their cultural/social norms and their continuously developing
values.

Image A.

Taken by Joe Rosenthal. An American symbol of unity

Image B.

”I can’t even say this is the best picture I ever took. It is the photo with the most meaning.” Thoman E. Franklin.

Image C.

Representation of “Corporate America”, Jonathan McIntosh.

Work Cited

Nealon, Jeffery T., Giroux, Susan Searls. The Theory Toolbox Critical Concepts for the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, Rowman & Littlefield Lanham, MD 2012

Tanabe, Karin. “Behind the lens on Sept. 11.” POLITICO.,September 10, 2011

The American Culture

When one is prompted to contemplate any country, they will most likely associate it with the culture specific to said country and the factors that make up this culture; such as the food, holidays, traditions, languages and celebrations. These factors make up a large part of the personality of a country or region, and often include ancient and distinct traditions that have withstood the test of time.  While most countries and regions may have a large history of tradition and old culture, what of America, whose population is a mixture of unique people from all across the globe. One may come to question, "Has America ever had a true culture?", "What exactly is America's culture?", or perhaps "Have we lost our culture, or gained a new one?"

While reading The Theory Toolbox by Jeffery Nealon and Susan Searls Giroux, one may come to realize that there really is no one culture that can be used to define America, for we are made up entirely of different ethnic groups. Even before America was considered a country, the indigenous peoples who live here and practiced their own cultures, did not all have one universal culture. In many periods of our country's relatively short existence, America has had many various large groups of people travel their way through it and call it their home.  Even then, our country would not have been able to be represented by one culture, because there were still so many in all of the different regions of our continent.

However, this does not mean the U.S. is a country without a culture. America, the nation of

immigrants, also known as a "melting pot" of different cultures and peoples, has simply built its own

culture. However, this brings us to our second question, "What, exactly is this American culture?"

The American culture is often broadcasted as a hearty, burger consuming, gun loving way of life;

however, this is only a part of it. Our culture cannot be singled out to one ethnic group, religious
group, or singular background. As a nation of immigrants, we are constantly receiving new peoples
and cultures, which in turn, adds to our own, building it from the ground up. Our nation's culture can
be easily compared to a mosaic. The many different pieces of other countries and other cultures are

brought together, to become a part of an incredibly unique and completely improvised design.  Like
the many different pieces in our metaphorical mosaic, the people of our country come from different
places, and may be of many different shapes, sizes or colors. When coming to this country, the pieces
of the mosaic are not sanded, painted or replaced to fit, they are taken as they are and added to our
piece of cultural art. Our country's people may share what is called citizenship, however, they "live very
differently within it." Since we all come from different backgrounds, we are all unique, all with our own

cultures and traditions. Because of this, there is no "average American".

One word the writers of The Theory Toolbox, Nealon and Giroux's, use to describe America is

“multicultural”. Their definition of “Multiculturalism” has to do with "Exclusion", or the separation of one

group from another in order to recognize each one as an individual group. This can be used in many

immoral ways, such as racism, sexism, etc. However, the correct use of this is not segregation, but to

distinguish between the different histories of each group, and the many traditions they are bringing

forth. The idea of exclusion is to prevent overly universalizing our society, and our perception, as this

would mean we would not be able to find any significance in any one thing. There would be no
distinction and no way to process the world and the many people in it. The authors use the example of
writing an essay. When referencing an audience, you cannot be too broad, or you no longer hold
meaning. "The world we live in is too complex" to create a "coherent cultural context that will include
"everyone."" Any attempt our society makes at finding a "same" or "coherent...narrow group", relies on the "process of exclusion", and referring to the different ethnic groups as "others". As our country is made up of so many different groups and cultures, there are infinitely many "others"; therefore, too many for us to really define America by one singular culture.

As I read the chapter, "Culture" of The Theory Toolbox, it occured to me, that these differences are

exactly what make up the American culture; as well as our the ability to add to and enrich it. There are

those who believe the multiculturalism of America to be a large scale attempt to "separate" humanity

further. However, I see it as a way to bring our citizens together.  America is a country of immigrants,

our own metaphorical mosaic of ethnicities and cultures from all around the globe. The many different

ethnic groups that come to America are given an expansion on their original title. "insert- American".

This allows for a recognition of a person's ethnic background, as well as including them into the large

and diverse collage of America. We have all come to this country, bringing with us our many different

traditions and histories, however, we all share the same basic ideals; which include equal opportunity

for success and prosperity. These ideals and the many people from all different walks of life who

support them are what the American culture is. In many cases, the American people wish to hold onto

the idea of a single, unifying identity of "Americaness". This can be for one of many reasons. Many

people long for that same history and universal traditions that other countries and regions possess.

They wish for something they can be a part of nationwide, and a sense of pride in that inclusion. By

holding onto that sense of sameness, many Americans wish to unify their country further and end the

process of exclusion that comes with multiculturalism. However, in this same sense, Americans also

wish to still be connected to the rest of the world, as we are large supporters of globalization and long

distance trading.

This brings us to our final question, “Have we lost our culture, or gained a new one?” As our

nation continues to grow, so does our culture. America has not lost its culture, but created one of its

own. America has always been multicultural, never holding only one culture or people. With each new

culture that is added to our cultural piece of art, our own society and country gains a sense of itself,

building from the examples of other nations, and becoming more worldly in a cultural sense. Each

person becomes part of a very large and equally diverse culture, and continues to add to it.

The Fight Against Canine Racism

Sonya Merced

Dr. Ashley Whitmore

English Composition 106

12 February 2018

The Fight Against Canine Racism

When most people are asked to list the characteristics of a pitbull,  some of the most
frequent responses  may consist of strong, aggressive, dangerous, or vicious. However, some of the
many qualities of a pitbull that are not listed are their loyalty, friendliness, and their family
manner. The image above is the profile picture of Twitter page called Save Pitbulls, however,
the page uses many different kinds of images in order to spread their message to their audience.
This page is dedicated to shedding light on the kind and loyal nature of pitbulls, and pushes to
end Breed Specific Legislation laws and regulations effectively through the use of unique
diction, appeals to the audience’s sense of empathy and compassion, as well as their appeals to
credibility. Each of the images presented on the page, such as the examples provided, present a
sympathetic view of the dogs, showing them in different moods, viewpoints, and perspectives.

The Twitter page primarily uses sympathetic lighting and priming in order to convince
their audience, giving very little, if any statistical or historical information to make their claims. The
strategy is to play the audience’s heart. However, in order to understand the argument the page is
making, the audience needs to have some background knowledge on what the issue is. The issue on the page’s
metaphorical table is the unjust Breed Specific Legislation laws and regulations, also known as the BSL
laws. These laws set certain restrictions on owning specific dog breeds which are often centered on
pitbulls. These laws can be just regulations as to keeping a muzzle on the pitbull, however, some ban the
breed entirely and force the owners to relinquish their dogs to the authorities. States such as Colorado,
Iowa, and Kansas, have banned the entirety of pitbulls, according to dogsbite.org. Many see these laws
to be necessary and crucial to the safety of the public. However, these bans are often declared to be not
only unjust, but “canine racism.” The creators of Save Pitbulls believe that in shifting the public’s
current view of pitbulls, the BSL laws may be abolished. However, in order to fully understand an
argument, one must posses some amount of background knowledge of how the current views of pitbulls
and how the BSL laws came to be. This is something that Save_Pitbulls does not provide.

According to a blog post by Jon Bastian, the history of the pitbull is actually a very sad
one. Once bred to herd and tame bulls in England, they were the perfect work dogs, and considered
to be “very child-friendly”. According to Bastian, the pitbull was apparently an “American favorite”
and used frequently as a metaphor of good health, strength and resolve; often, athletes were compared
to them in the highest compliments and forms of praise. All this changed in the 80’s, when dogfighting,
once again, became increasingly popular. For these events, the pitbull was “the dog of choice”.
Pitbulls were quickly going from a breed of aspiration/adoration and respect to objects of fear. They
soon became the top choice of drug dealers, gang members and other criminals as guard dogs. Through
this, pitbulls became publicized as aggressive and incredibly dangerous. This reputation really took
flight when a dog of that breed was the culprit in a fatal attack of a two-and-a-half year old boy. This
pitbull was guarding a marijuana crop in California.  

The point of Bastian’s argument is that “it only takes a brief look at the history of pit bulls
to realize that the dogs are not the problem; the humans who misuse them are.” This message is similar
to the one the creator of Twitter page is trying to send to their audience; “Pits don't kill people it's the
people who raised them that do.” As a colleague of Cesar Millan, a famous dog trainer, the audience is
able to feel that Bastian’s word is reliable on this particular subject. Because of this, the audience sees
Bastian as a figure worthy to put their trust in, and accept his output. He further ensures this by using
historical references in the form of specific dates and articles rather than just images and other personal
accounts in order to make his argument, rather than rather than solely exploiting  his audience’s
sympathetic responses toward the dogs. The way the creators of the Twitter page present this argument
and their persuasion techniques are completely different. While the blog writer, Jon Bastian, uses
appeals to the audience’s sense of logic and credibility, the majority of Save Pitbulls’ argument relies
on the audience sympathies. Which can be easily seen from the first image on their page, their profile
picture.

In image A., the audience is shown a young pitbull pup. He is staring straight into the eyes of the
viewer, making meaningful eye contact. This visual acknowledgement to the audience makes this
message incredibly personal, for the audience sees not just an image of a dog, but is making an
emotional connection to the being in the photo. As the audience stands face-to-face with this puppy,
they realize that the dog himself is youthful, small, and still possesses his floppy ears. The perky yet
still floppy ears indicate that the dog is innocent, and this pulls at much of the audience’s sense of
compassion. Because the audience is already sympathetic toward the small dog, most likely having
the urge to pet and coddle him, their emotional attachment to puppy is made stronger.

However, the tinting of the image counteracts the warm and loving feelings going toward the puppy,
indicating that something dire is just below the surface, foreshadowing the sad reality the message is
portraying to the audience. The audience sees an old quality to the image, as the edges are faded away
to white, as if it were a memory of better times. These memories of a better time are, however, shaded
over with the grey issues of today. This issue would be the BSL laws, and unjustified fear of the
specific breed, which the young and innocent puppy in the image belongs to. This image seems to be
asking the audience, “Do you really want to take this innocent, young puppy’s life?”

The writing in the image clearly states the pages message; which is to judge one by their actions and
not their breed. The essence of the message is written in the form of a short and catchy poem, allowing
it to stay fresh in the viewers mind. It is short and sweet. In the poem, the word “sentencing” gives the
content so much more meaning than if they used a more common word, such as send. This is so
because the word implies that those who support the BSL laws are personally condemning the puppy
in the image to death. It shifts the perspective of the audience into seeing the puppy as not just a puppy,
but perhaps an inmate. The word “sentencing” bring to mind the death sentence. The very final word
of the short poem,“Die”, rings in the audience’s mind. It makes the issue seem so much more dire and
gives the audience a sense of urgency in rectifying their implied mistake.

Separately, the image and the words could still pose as arguments. However, the wording and image
both interact to enhance their own individual argumentative properties. The style of the lettering as
well as the greyish-blue contrast of the image complement each other very well and add to the image’s
empathetic and encouraging theme.

The audience that the creators of this image intended to expose to this image to would be young adults,
teens, millennials, and animal lovers. These groups of people make up a large portion of Twitter’s popu
lation. This crowd mostly consists of young adults, teens, millennials, and animal lovers. These people,
who have had a lifetime of experience to social media and technology, not only make a great audience,
but messengers. The profile image is coupled with the hashtag summary message and its’ call to action,
#PitBullLivesMatter. This encourages the audience to spread the word and indicates a meaningful
movement and worthy cause. The many images and memes of the Twitter page are easily distributed,
and shared throughout this audience.

The page in which the image was posted is filled with many similar images. The page and their message
mainly acts on the audience’s pathos, presenting many different pitbulls in a positive light. All of the
pictures shown reveal a more docile, and family friendly side of the pitbull.  Most of the images are
positive, endearing photographs of these dogs playing, sleeping, enjoying being pet, trying new food,
or making new and unlikely friends with other species; such as newborn pups or other creatures such
as kittens or monkeys, like images B and C. The audience finds these pictures to be endearing and
humorous. However, there are a few reminders of what the world can do to these curious creatures in
the pictures of the abused provided by the page. These picture consist of the beaten, and starved dogs
who were forced to fight by their abusive owners. One example, Image D., was posted with the caption,
“Bad people don't deserve good dogs, they only make good dogs suffer.” In this image, the audience
sees a a pitbull, who is not only older than the one in Image A., but so much thinner. It is very clear
from the image alone that the canine is emaciated, for the viewers are not only able to count each of
the poor dog’s ribs, but see every vertebrae of his spine and the sharp ridges of his skull behind his face.
He is weak, unsteady on his feet. The audience also sees the poor dog is injured, as a part of his
skeletal front legs is bandaged. These images allow the audience to sympathize with the suffering
of the animals, and see them as other beings who can be hurt just like any other animal; and that
even with their tough reputation, pitbulls are just canines, not killers.

Image E., is an exceptional example of the pages use of visual argument. This image, which may
even be called a meme, expresses it’s message from the unique perspective of a dog. It’s message,
in relatively large lettering, is “You Made Me”. It is usual that over a long list of items or sentences,
an audience will only remember the very first and last portion of the list. In this case, the very first
and last sentence of the message. Therefore, the creators of this image made these sentences hold
the most meaning in the image. The very last sentence, “I am only a reflection of YOU”, resonates
with the audience a great deal after being read, planting an idea in their brain and allows it to take
root.

Like the first image, the audience is shown a pitbull, however, this one is laying his/her head on her
owner's lap. The dog is completely at ease, while holding an intelligent gaze at his/her owner,
looking curiously up at the human who is relaxing with her. The dog’s ears are perked up, as if she
is in deep contemplation, listening intently, or having an interesting/meaningful conversation. The
setup of this image had much more warmth than the other. The trim is not faded, and the words
stand out in an incredibly bold white in contrast to the dark background. The message, rather than
being written in a poem, is written as if it is part of a dialogue; a direct message to the dog’s owner.

Though the page’s driving form of rhetoric comes in the form of pathos,  it also appeals to the
audience's sense ethos is in the posts from many different people on the page. A large portion of the
people who add onto the page are pitbull owners themselves, adding photos and videos of their own
dogs. Many of these posts with captions describing how loving their dogs are with their own family.
With a personal family photo or home video style of capturing the moment, these images are sure to
turn heads. These touching and often humorous photographs and videos appeal to the audience’s
sense of ethos as well as pathos for the audience knows that these images and videos are not just
made by the site to sell their message, but come from real people who seem to truly love their pets.
In this way, the audience is able to have an easier time taking in the message when hearing it from
people who have had experience with the matter.   

Each of these images depicts a dog in a different mood, setting, and perspective. However, all of
them share the fact that the canine is the center of the visual argument, and draw their power of
persuasion from the bonds the audience makes with each dog in the images. They push the audience
to connect with the dogs, and to see them in a less threatening frame. These image allow the viewers
to witness the many different sides of a pitbull, from their loyalty, their kindness, their friendliness,
curiosity, playfulness, as well as their mortality.

Through these images, Save_Pitbulls inspires and persuades its’ audience to see the many good
qualities of the breed, rather than the many labels it has been given.They force the audience to see
the dogs as something other than just another weapon to be banned, but other beings with their own
personalities who are being put down as a result of the BSL laws and regulations. The Save_Pitbulls
Twitter page is a valiant effort to shift the public’s view of pitbulls in order to save them from the
oppression of BSL laws and regulation. Each of the images they upload onto this page presents a
sympathetic view of the dogs, showing them in different moods, viewpoints, and perspectives.

Images A.-E.






Image A.




Image B.






Image C.

 


Image D.


Image E.

Work Cited Page

Bastian, Jon. “How did pit bulls get such a bad rap?” Cesar's Way, June 15, 2017

https://www.cesarsway.com/about-dogs/pit-bulls/how-did-pit-bulls-get-a-bad-rap. February
11, 2018

“Breed-Specific Laws State-by-State.” DogsBite.org - Some dogs don't let go. Lynn Media
Group,  https://www.dogsbite.org/legislating-dangerous-dogs-state-by-state.php. February 11,
2018

“Save PitBulls (@PitbullsSaving).” Twitter. December 10, 2015.
https://twitter.com/PitbullsSaving. February 11, 2018