Content of Tabloids and Sensationalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Content of Tabloids and Sensationalism - Essay Example Stereotyping is very common in several communities especially towards women, minorities, physically or mentally challenged. As expressed in many tabloids, there are issues concerning attitudes towards persons and groups ‘cultures, the way of life, and their capabilities. Some myths and misconceptions about the minorities and the mentally or physically challenged persons are simply stereotypes (Deal, 2007). People tend to place people with disabilities, women, and the minorities in categories that undermine their natural capacities. For instance, notions such as people with disabilities are different from other human beings are issues of stereotyping. Some communities simply categorize such persons as ‘others’ and that any successful handicapped person or woman is superhuman. Other people consider people with disabilities as a source of sorrow to the family members and the community and think that the disability is kind of an illness. According to other forms of ste reotypes, people with disability are a menace to others and the society especially those with mental disability. The pictures of disability portray the minority and people with disability as social and cultural misfits who should not feature in the public. The other attitudes that are expressed in the tabloids concerning the minority groups, women, and the physically or the mentally challenged persons is discrimination. Discrimination is in several forms such the stigmatization of and negative attitudes towards the minority, women, and physically or mentally handicapped. Some depictions of people with mental illnesses in drama and entertainment give them a picture of persons without a normal life. Stigma is a mark of shame or degradation that can affect the psychological well-being of an individual. Stigma and discrimination may bring shame and distress to individuals and make them have low self-esteem. In fact, stigma is one of the greatest