Could you do me a huge favor?
Can you turn it down a bit?
Can you go into my purse?
Listen. Listen. Listen. Listen. Listen. Listen.
Twinsies!!!!
Hey where are you?
Can I have a chip?
Get these chips away from me.
That is so not okay.
I’m not like super hungry.
I can’t believe I just ate all that.
How many of these phrases have I used in my life? Wait, no, in the past week: 9 out of 11. For those of you who have yet to watch the entertaining video series, “Sh*t Girls Say” is a YouTube video performed by a male who takes on the role of a woman. He explores various situations in a woman’s life and imitates how she would act and interact with others, and what she would say. You can check out the link here.
When I first saw this video, I found myself laughing hysterically, not only because of what I believe is the sheer accuracy of “her” comments, but also due to her perfect execution of each scene. Famous YouTube videos such as Rebecca Black’s “Friday,” and John Jacobson’s “Double Dream Hands,” rise in waves. One minute the video has four views, and the next it has four thousand, and this video was no different.
So, it came as no surprise that this comical performance of “Sh*t Girls Say” became a YouTube sensation. And it’s not alone! It has inspired “Sh*t Girls Say to Gay Guys,” “Sh*t Single Girls Say,” “Sh*t White Girls Say to Black Girls,” “Sh*t Indian Girls Say,” and more videos that feature males, parents, and teachers, all of which have exploded across the web and reached the ears of at least regular Facebookers and YouTubers on Duke’s campus.
Typically, I find myself making fun of females who say stereotypical girly phrases, dramatically yell “OH MY GOD!” and scream whenever they see each other. It wasn’t until I saw those actions in a different context that I realized I do the same exact thing. Stephanie Rotolo, a junior, agreed, “I thought it was funny, especially because I hear my friends and myself say that kind of stuff all the time without realizing how it sounds.”
Even though these amusing videos may provide a chuckle here and there, their presence may present aspects about stereotype in our society. The original video, “Sh*t Girls Say” stereotypes a group of people, chiefly women. “Sh*t White Girls Say to Black Girls” stereotypes the behavior of a group of people towards another group of people. And finally, the video “Sh*t Girls Say to Gay Guys,” not only generalizes a person’s behavior towards another, but also stereotypes those on the receiving end. For example, this particular video shows gay men not liking watching sports or drinking beer (and I know friends who can totally contest that!). Even though I have caught myself asking, “Do you know anything about computers?” to the hot guy sitting next to me at the library, it certainly isn’t fair to generalize all women and men of diverse races, sexualities and more. How accurate are these portrayals, who decides the accuracy, and what does the content of these videos say about our interactions with others?
At the same time, stereotypes would not be stereotypes if there weren’t some experiences or factual information to create them. Chris Rzeznik, a junior, contributed some thoughtful insight: “Although it’s hard to generalize a group of people with a minute-and-a-half long video, I do think they are funny and the writers and actors clearly draw on some real-life experiences.” It is evident that many of these phrases arose out of previous encounters, and once there was an opportunity to share those experiences, men and women did not hesitate to externalize their emotions in the form of these videos. Jordan Fraser, a sophomore, voiced, “As a gay guy, I’ve had about 90% of those things said to me. I think it’s hilarious and enjoyed the way the videos humorously jab at stereotypical behavior without being offensive.” Chantae Campbell, a senior who identifies as African American also shared that she didn’t find the “Sh*t White Girls Say to Black Girls” offensive, but perhaps dead on with “urban” phrases and expressions like “Not to sound racist, but…” Perhaps these realistic behaviors are indicative of how we perceive others, and perhaps a good opportunity to reflect on our opinions, judgments, and misconceptions. I’m sure these Duke students are only a few of the many who share experiences that these videos portray.
These types of videos not only contain drops of sarcasm, a mix of stereotype, and splashes of humor, but they also show how our language affects others. Some of our comments and questions may be unintentionally insensitive, but it is difficult for those on the receiving end to always take that into consideration. Even though Campbell said the videos made her laugh, she also shared, “I hope that in addition to poking fun at the quirky things we say, these videos cause us to think before we speak so we all will stop making statements that must be qualified with, ‘I don’t mean to sound racist.’”
I personally thought these videos were amusing because well let’s be honest, the acting is superb, and the lines were often accurate verbatim. But they also have the potential to spread awareness on stereotype and language. Bonnie Ofishel, a junior, sums up my exact feelings with a perceptive thought, “The videos were entertaining, but also hopefully a good tool for self-reflection.”
“That is so…. True.”
What are your thoughts about these videos? Feel free to comment below!
Photo Source: http://cdn.thegloss.com/files/2012/01/shitwgs.jpg
Photo Source: http://www.anorak.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/shit-girls-say.png