Remember that awkward moment when Sofia Vergara got up on a rotating platform during the Emmys?So do we.
During one of the most cringe-worthy "jokes" of the 66th Annual Emmy Awards the "Modern Family" star angered many by standing on a rotating platform so viewers would have "something compelling to look at" while the president of the Academy gave a speech about diversity on television.
*SIGH*Many took to Twitter to express their discontent with the bit.
A huge GRACIAS to Sofia Vergara for her continuous promotion of the stale and insulting "sexy Latina" stereotype. #Emmys
— Latino Rebels (@latinorebels) August 26, 2014
Sofia Vergara's 'turn' at the Emmys was a gross, stereotypical objectification: http://t.co/z0UacPt6cB pic.twitter.com/kmwqLGjRJR
— Comment is free (@commentisfree) August 26, 2014
Yet others thought the star was empowering women by getting up on the pedestal and making fun of her sex-symbol status.
.@RonandFezSXM A woman self-mocking her sex-symbol status is called EMPOWERMENT, not subjugation.
Viva La Vergara! | http://t.co/KwpI9s9IX9
— Lillian Gao (@Lillielgee) August 26, 2014
I'm a woman & a feminist, but I think people are getting way too upset about the @SofiaVergara Emmy stunt. It was a joke people. Lighten up!
— Dick Tracy Orlando (@DickTracyOrlndo) August 26, 2014
The star also responded to the claims that her stunt was sexist by telling people to lighten up.
"I think its absolutely the opposite," she said, according to Entertainment Weekly. "It means that somebody can be hot and also be funny and make fun of herself. I think it’s ridiculous that somebody started this -- I know who she was -- who has no sense of humor [and should] lighten up a little bit.”
This is not the first time there have been complaints about Vergara perpetuating the stereotype of the sexy Latina bimbo, especially with her character Gloria Pritchett on "Modern Family."
"'Modern Family' suggests that a Latina’s strongest attribute is her aggressive and exotic hotness, not to mention her supposedly explosive fertility," writes Tim Padgett in The Miami Herald. "And that often sends the sitcom veering from witty domestic satire to witless ethnic slur."
A recent study from the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism of the University of Southern California revealed that "Hispanic females (37.5 percent) were more likely than females from all other races to be shown partially or fully naked on screen.”
Although Vergara's Gloria Pritchett character could be considered the most popular character played by a Latina on TV today, there are many other talented Latinas who are doing an amazing job at portraying confident, multi-layered characters and breaking with stereotypes. Here are some of our favorites: Reported by PopEater 3 hours ago.