In a world where everything is at our fingertips, pop culture infiltrates every aspect of our lives. Specifically, pop culture aids in eliminating the stigma surrounding sensitive issues while simultaneously educating the masses. Pop culture refers to the types of media that are consumed by mass society. Forms of pop culture can be sports, art, literature, social media, film, fashion, music, and many more. This research project will explore and evaluate the emphasis put on pop culture today and how it affects us daily. To support these claims, this project will also present the reader with data and research collected on pop culture and its effects on the public.  The purpose of this project is to connect sensitive topics and how they are impacted by pop culture. By analyzing the issues talked about in the media and associating them with the removal of stigmas and education, this project strives to illustrate pop culture’s impact on socially sensitive topics, such as the Black Lives Matter movement, The 2020 Election, and Sexism in the media. 

Beginning in 2013, the Black Lives Matter movement was formed in response to Trayvon Martins' murder, where his killer was acquitted of all charges. The movement began with the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter, in response to the pattern of violence on black people committed by white people. Not only did the movement begin to protest the violence and systemic racism faced by black people, but also to combat the corrupt legal system in which racial profiles affect prison sentences. After George Floyd’s murder in 2020, the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter took a completely different trajectory. The hashtag was then used 50 million times on the social media app Twitter alone.

 The Black Lives Matter movement then transcended onto other social media platforms, to raise awareness and protest the undeniable change needed within the justice system. In the article, “More Than Just A Hashtag: The Influence of Social Media on the Societal Change of the Black Lives Matter Movement” by the Journal of High Technology Law states, “The impact of social media on the BLM movement has been astronomical, as it was not only the vehicle that gave rise to justice for George Floyd’s murder but also that which gave a voice to those who have been ignored and overlooked in the criminal justice system. While there is still a long way to go, the use of social media has been essential in highlighting the changes that need to be made in law enforcement and criminal justice policies.” In sum, we see that the spread of knowledge and activism on social media not only helps to educate the greater society but helps to create a beneficial change in both society and the government. 

Acknowledged by the Black Lives Matter movement, there is a strong history of racial inequality to this day, that has affected racial representation in the media, social justice, and present-day discrimination of black minorities.  James Baldwin writes in his book, “I Am Not Your Negro,” “The entertainment industry is compelled to present to the American people a self-perpetuating fantasy of American life. The mere concept of entertainment is difficult to distinguish from the use of narcotics. To watch the TV screen for any length of time is to learn some really frightening things about the American sense of reality. We are cruelly trapped between what we would like to be and what we actually are.” Baldwin describes the false sense of security in the media of how viewers view our world as but in fact disregard the hardships of others and the stories not shown on the television. The entertainment industry indiscreetly shows biases and stereotypes of diverse ethnicities, while adding to the long-running history of racial misrepresentation in the media.

Not only does pop culture impact social movements such as the Black Lives Matter movement, but can influence politics. Leading up to the 2020 election, not only did we see activism in sports and television, but activism was almost all held on social media. Never like before, conversations about politics infiltrated every aspect of life due to the election. With the heavy importance of the election amidst challenging times, with the world facing Covid-19, conversations about political views lead to severe polarization between the two political parties. In an article produced by the Greater Good Science Center at Berkeley, it is said, “Since 1994, the number of Americans who see the opposing political party as a threat to “the nation’s well-being” has doubled. This deepening polarization has predictable results: government shutdowns, violent protests, and scathing attacks on elected officials.” The deepening polarization between the two political parties has not only led to social issues but has begun to take a violent turn. 

Polarization between the two political parties is not only at the fault of social media but is due to bipartisanship in the media. When going out in public, you can be exposed to biased or misleading information by simply walking by a tv with a news station on. In a study completed by the University of Oregon “Six ways the media influence elections,” it is stated,  “We know there’s a relationship between selective exposure and the growing divide in political attitudes in this country. And that gap is related to the rise of more partisan media sources.” Listening to information presented by media sources affects elections by swaying voter’s perspectives on candidates and social issues. The article also elaborates on how bias in the media can spread false information, further impacting voters’ decisions. Credibility has become an important factor in social media’s effect on elections by false information being spread on social media by fake resources. Popular culture such as the media is one of the main sources at fault for the deepening polarization between political parties due to false credibility and bipartisanship.

Also, another social issue that is severely impacted by popular culture is sexism and how women are perceived in the media. Sexism within the popular culture can be shown by the gender wage gap between men and women in sports. A study by Adelphi University states, “Whether professional players receive salaries or individual prize money from competitions, male athletes in basketball, golf, soccer, baseball and tennis make anywhere from 15% to nearly 100% more than female athletes.” In this statistic, it is shown that within the same sport, a male is paid more than a woman for doing the same thing. This statistic relates to popular culture as it is due to the lack of representation on television and unequal marketing compared to men’s sports. The gender wage gap not only shows the disproportionate amount a female is paid to a male in sports, but it also includes the gender pay gap among all jobs worldwide. 

Although the gender wage gap among sports depicts sexism within the media, sexism can also be linked to how women are perceived in the filming industry. Since movies came out in theaters, women have been portrayed with negative connotations, making them seem “less than a man.” Jocelyn Nicole Murphy of the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville expressed, “Women are portrayed as dependent on other characters, over-emotional, and confined to low-status jobs when compared to enterprising and ambitious male characters (Bussey & Bandura, 1999). Even films aimed at a female audience often disappoint in depictions of independent women that real audience members can relate to”  The ways women are portrayed within movies and television have direct links to sexism within our country. The media often depicts women as emotional and independent and sexualizes them leading to misrepresentation within the media. 

Popular culture has both positive and negative effects on socially sensitive topics. While information is easier to obtain, it can also be misinformation and or biased. Also, popular culture has a severe impact on the polarization of the United States from a political aspect.  Lastly, the use of popular culture can lead to misinterpretation in the media causing many social issues. With the unstableness of the world, and the possibility for an absolute change at any point in time, the world remains evolving constantly, especially in a technological aspect. With the positive and negative effects of this evolution, as a society, we can make changes to shape how our future is impacted by popular culture. Removal of discrimination within the media amongst races and genders can help to eliminate stigmas in all aspects of popular culture. Without a change in how we present things in society, and without recognition of our outputs, changes cannot be made. This research paper acknowledged the effects of pop culture on socially sensitive topics and strives to leave you, the reader thinking about your effect on these topics, by individual inputs into the popular culture.