Pop Culture Quiz

Focus on Article 1

Collins explores how Black women are stereotyped through “controlling images” that uphold systems of oppression. These images are not just representations—they shape societal expectations and justify inequality.

The Mammy

The loyal, obedient domestic servant. Justifies Black women's subservience and erases their autonomy. Aunt Jemima branding; TV shows featuring nurturing Black women who serve white families.

The Matriarch

The domineering, unfeminine Black mother. Blames Black women for family instability and poverty. Welfare queen narratives; critiques of single Black mothers.

The Welfare Queen

A lazy, greedy woman exploiting public assistance. Fuels racist and sexist policy debates; criminalizes poverty. Political rhetoric in the 1980s and 1990s targeting Black women.

The Jezebel

Hypersexual, seductive Black woman. Function: Justifies sexual exploitation and violence. Music videos, reality TV, and media that portray Black women as promiscuous.

The Sapphire

Loud, angry, emasculating Black woman. Silences Black women’s legitimate anger and resistance. Sitcoms and memes that mock assertive Black women.

Why These Images Matter

They reinforce intersecting oppressions of race, gender, and class. They shape public policy, media representation, and interpersonal dynamics. Collins argues that resisting these images is key to Black feminist thought.

Focus o article 2

Jones examines how bodies are represented, modified, and commodified in popular culture, especially through media, celebrity, and beauty industries.

Bodies as Cultural Texts

Bodies are not just biological—they’re shaped by cultural meanings. Media teaches us what bodies “should” look like.

Celebrity and the Ideal Body

Celebrities act as templates for beauty and desirability. Their bodies are often surgically enhanced, digitally altered, and obsessively scrutinized.

Plastic Surgery and Reality TV

Shows like Extreme Makeover and Botched normalize body modification. Surgery becomes a tool for self

The “Makeover Paradigm”

Popular culture promotes transformation narratives: ugly → beautiful, failure → success. These stories reinforce the idea that the body is endlessly improvable.

Gender and the Body

Women’s bodies are more heavily policed and commodified. Beauty standards are racialized, classed, and often unattainable.

Why This Matters

Jones encourages us to see bodies as sites of power and resistance. Understanding how bodies are represented helps us critique norms and imagine alternatives.