Meaghan Rowland Post #2

The movie "The Life and Times of Sara Baartman" really opened my eyes to scientific racism and exhibition of various people based on appearance. Today, rather than freak shows and circus acts it is much more common to see people being exhibited on TV based on their differences from "normal" society. TLC and the Discovery Channel are two of the biggest TV culprits of this. The other day I watched a show on the One Ton Teen. There was an hour long show on a 19 year old boy who weighed over 1,000 pounds. It was sad to see this boy being exhibited because he was a substantial amount larger than the general population. No part of his life was kept private on this show. Everything was shown from his hospital visits, his uncountable number of health problems and even every aspect of his relationship with his mom who would not let him do a thing by himself. This is not the only show out there. Just that day there was a marathon completely based on weighed with the One Ton Mom, Dad, Man and Teen. Obviously, with this many specials on this one topic this is what the viewers were into watching. Many other shows exist of people with physical ailments, different values, traditions even psychiatric differences. Although it is hundreds of years later from the unfair exhibition of Sara Baartman this unfortunate entertainment still exists.