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Gender, Family, and the Hillbilly Stereotype
May 2, 2019 | 3 Comments
May 7, 2019 at 7:37 am
I really liked the presentation and also saw a ton of overlap with the content here and the “hillbilly in TV” (which Ivy and I did) and I think there is so much to study in regards to the media representation of class and culture– and the use of your video clips, etc. helped highlight the depth of this. Going along with Bridget’s point, the use of social media with regards to what is already portrayed on TV and on YouTube and other shows further escalates the perpetuation of these stereotypes. They continue to evolve. In television, for example, the technology with which directors and producers could accurately see reviews and reactions to their shows shifted “hillbilly” TV dramatically. Furthermore, reality TV and the ability for these characters to now (with social media) have a presence outside of just their screen time I believe will only continue to shift the scope of this type of TV and entertainment. Like reality TV as a chapter in the evolution of hillbilly TV, I believe that the social media chapter has only just begun– for example, the characters in Duck Dynasty being able to say that they “refuse to apologize” for their Christian faith, which has been used as an excuse for homophobia in many instances and in the minds of many viewers. So not only can we see this side of the situation, but social media is also utilized as a platform for the response to this.
Your presentation was a great layout of the potential of all of these things, and was super helpful and clear about the details of the stereotype which we have read and learned about throughout the year!
May 4, 2019 at 9:08 pm
I agree that the hillbilly stereotype does not represent all people in Appalachia. However, it does encapsulate the poverty and lack of education that exists in the region. I think it is more important to critique the systemic sources of these forms of oppression.
Additionally I am a critic of Catte because, in my opinion, she is trying to make a name for herself as the liberal counterpoint to Vance. In doing so, she opposes Vance’s narrative of Appalachia across the board. I don’t think this is entirely accurate either. In particular, Catte tries to show that Appalachia is actually progressive, which, in some parts, it can be. However, I am from near where Catte lives and there are certainly forms of oppression that exist. I don’t think that she, as a straight white person, can accurately say that Staunton, Va is open to black and LGBT communities. In my experience, segregation is still incredibly present and being an openly queer person is, at best, making oneself a social outcast and at worst, dangerous.
May 3, 2019 at 11:19 am
I thought the presentation on the Hillbilly identity in Appalachia was a wonderful way to discuss many of the topics we have touched on this semester: media portrayal, gender, inequity and class. Specifically, I was interested by the discussion of social media and other media platforms, such a Barstool sports and YouTube as tools used to perpetuate a long-standing identity in American culture. As Frank, Bobby, Emma and Katie mentioned, the hillbilly identity is one that has endured the decades in American culture. In recent years, since the 2016 election, the hillbilly has once again become a topic conversation. The confluence of social media and the Trump election with the hillbilly identity has supported and perpetuated some of the most negative stereotypes. This was evident in the video of Sam the original NC hillbilly YouTube star and Rough and Rowdy by barstool sports. The use of social media creates an interactive experience for the view, and each like or makes us complicit in perpetuating negative stereotypes of the hillbilly identity. In short, the hillbilly identity has been revived as a topic of conversation in American culture and politics, which is furthered by the widespread use of media.