In this episode of White Women Wake Up, Karen and Jonelle explore how decades of movie tropes have quietly shaped our collective ideas about gender, race, and relationships. From Casablanca to The Goonies, they trace how stereotypes—women as “simps,” men as “bros,” and people of color as caricatures—still echo through modern storytelling. Jonelle reflects on her “classic movie challenge” and what it revealed about how media cultivates bias, while Karen connects these patterns to today’s advertising and political imagery. Together, they ask: What happens when the stories we love teach us to normalize inequality? And how can we reimagine representation to build empathy rather than enforce hierarchy? This candid mother-daughter conversation invites listeners to become more conscious viewers—ready to critique what’s on screen and choose what stories deserve our support.

Calls to Action

• Reflect on a favorite movie—what stereotypes does it reinforce or resist?
• Diversify your queue and your watchlist: seek films created by women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and other underrepresented cultures.
• Start a media swap—invite friends to share films that challenge your usual point of view.

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