stereotypes // The Observer

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‘I would be lost without my smicks’: Saint Mary’s students reflect on Zahm emails, rally to reclaim term ‘smick’

Genevieve Coleman | Wednesday, May 12, 2021

Editor’s Note: This story contains discussions of sexual assault. A list of sexual assault reporting options and on-campus resources can be found on the Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross websites. After the release of an April 12 article from The Observer, the tri-campus community learned of the harmful language used against Saint Mary’s students in several emails written

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Finding identity regardless of stereotypes

Diversity Council | Thursday, December 12, 2019

The concept of race has always been a part of my life whether I knew it or not. When I was little, I noticed the obvious differences between me and others, such as my dark, almond-shaped eyes and straight black hair. I noticed that the sharp, inflected sounds of the Vietnamese language weren’t heard in

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Surf’s not up, bro

Emily Casado | Thursday, February 21, 2019

Did you know that California has more than three major cities? It is hard to believe, but Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego are only a small portion of what California has to offer. As a Californian living in the Midwest, I like to think I have heard all of the stereotypes about us

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The (dis)honest guide on how to fit in at Notre Dame

Gabriel Niforatos | Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Your life’s biggest questions, all answered here. Finally, the complete and unedited completely absurd hand guide on how to survive and fit into Notre Dame. (In other words, a case study into the Notre Dame student stereotype that doesn’t accurately paint a picture of any individual here. Do not try this at your dorms.) Let

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The unspoken word

Diversity Council | Thursday, February 22, 2018

Words hold a strange power over us. The spoken ones openly question and validate our values, our attitudes and our opinions. They’re also ever-changing, with open debates constantly molding it into something current, something new. It is the unspoken word, however, that holds the most sway. It is what causes a woman in the workplace

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Lecturer analyzes racist language and words

Gina Twardosz | Thursday, September 14, 2017

Luvell Anderson, assistant professor of philosophy at the University of Memphis, spoke about how those with different racial and social backgrounds experience and inhabit different realities. Anderson explored this topic through the analysis of the word “thug.” Anderson said he is currently focusing his writings on understanding racial realities and how they differ from person

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Different

Cole Feldman | Monday, March 6, 2017

I went to see “Show Some Skin” on Saturday night. Some of my friends had gone the previous nights. Julia said she cried 80 percent of the time. Katie said she felt uncomfortable. I took a notebook to write down my reaction. The show was sold out so we arrived at 6:30 p.m. to get

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‘I am not a feminist’

Letter to the Editor | Monday, March 21, 2016

“I’m not a feminist,” she flippantly stated as she took a bite of her sandwich. My friend who was sitting to her right immediately concurred with a fervent nod of her head. Before making any rash statements that I would surely soon regret, I worked to confirm the statement I had just heard. “Did you

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Race does matter

Letter to the Editor | Thursday, October 29, 2015

On a functioning plantation, shotgun-wielding white men on horses, dubbed “freemen” by their enslaved wards, oversee the work of cotton-picking young black men. When, if ever, these men are released from their forced labor, they will return to the poor, completely segregated neighborhoods that formerly housed their slave ancestors. They will be unable to vote.

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Dear Hollywood: Address Gender and racial equality

Jennifer Vosters | Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Recently I came across Empire Magazine’s online list of “The 100 Greatest Movie Characters.” As a self-proclaimed film appreciator, I was pleased to find a good range of performances from a good range of genres in the last 50-plus years, from classically trained theatre giants like Ian McKellen to young(ish) whippersnappers like Brad Pitt. But I

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