How Do You Represent West Virginia?
Written by Jason Keeling on October 4, 2007
For decades West Virginia has often been depicted as unsophisticated and backwards by national media, as have many other Appalachian states. Such descriptions contribute to a skewed perception of West Virginia and promote the “hillbilly” generalization. Whether it’s Abercrombie & Finch t-shirts proclaiming “It’s all relative in West Virginia” or the recent Megan Williams torture case in Logan County, negative images of the state often prevail.
If you’ve traveled throughout the U.S. as a West Virginian, you’ve likely experienced frustrating stereotypes first-hand. Within such interactions we can play into generalizations or we can represent the best of West Virginia through our own demeanor.
The Charleston Daily-Mail recently interviewed actress Jennifer Garner, and despite her acclaim, she continues to positively represent the Mountain State. A Charleston native, she said: “It’s just the overall feel of it there. The green’s there, the people walking down the street. Anyone that doesn’t live there or isn’t from there just can’t understand it.”
West Virginia does face numerous economic and social challenges, but there are many characteristics of the state that are envied by the nation: friendly people, beautiful landscapes, low-crime, tremendous work ethic, etc. The next time you observe an “outsider” sucker punching West Virginia’s image, don’t fight ‘em, simply offer some productive information, and see yourself as an ambassador.
Posted in Culture, Media, West Virginia
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October 5th, 2007 at 10:41 am
West Virginia IS almost heaven! What people have taken for subjects to make jokes about are actually the things that make this state so different AND appealing. Drive anywhere in-state and it’s very much like driving through a state park. West Virginia makes its greatest mistake in not EMBRACING its “hillbilly” culture, its heritage, its old-time and historical flavor. The entire state SHOULD be a tourist attraction. Instead they behead mountains, support a harsh police state (out of control WVSP), and try to be something they are not. “Keeping up with the Joneses” is NOT for WV!!! You can try and try and try to be like everybody else, but you are simply NOT. Part of the problem with WV’s image is that we try too hard to be like other states, but we CAN’T and it makes us look foolish…
There is one thing about “hillbillys”, they have A LOT OF PRIDE. There must be a reason for this don’t you think?
October 5th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
Sometimes people downgrade a state full of culture because they are not educated in its history. Our United States is full of American History. If you look in history books you will find some of the best reading is about our culture (our ways of life), our West Virginia. People who make fun of the state are not educated with any FACTS! Down every holler and on every mountain there is a story to tell. Throughout this beautiful state you’ll find culture, magnificent views, glorious history, wonderful stories, and so much evidence of our true character.
I assure you that not all West Virginia people are married to their cousins. If those who proclaim to be such experts on the state would read a little history, they would discover the reason most people wed within their families (way back when) was because there were no other families around. The hills were home and most people didn’t move on to find other families. It was way to hard to pick up their families and put them in wagons toting them around the hillsides Still, marriages within the family did not happen often. SO, to keep my opinion short and to the point: Visit West Virginia and take in the “Awes” of the land before judging our state.
October 8th, 2007 at 10:54 am
It is Our Responsibility to Replace Derogatory Conceptions of “Hillbilly” With Positive Values
What is the “hillbilly” generalization? Instead of focusing on commercial goods offered by Abercrombie & Finch, and the absolutely horrific ordeal that Megan Williams endured, I offer another perspective of the connotation of hillbilly. Anthony Harkins in his book “Hillbilly: A Cultural History of an American Icon,” traces the origins and development of the hillbilly and argues that the definition of the term changes as the usage moves between different people, and groups. He says of hillbilly, “derogatory conceptions of backwardness, ignorance, and savagery, with positive ideas of ruggedness, independence and devotion to home and family” (page 140).
I argue as an Appalachian-born woman, it is our responsibility to replace the derogatory conceptions of the word hillbilly with positive values such as those presented by Harkins. Instead of offering productive information about West Virginia and other states in Appalachia, I believe to make change; we need to reconceptualize the terminology of hillbilly to suit our needs positively.
October 9th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
I could write a lengthy novel in regards to this subject matter but I will spare you of my rambling. I have traveled the United States in both business and pleasure as well as our great state. It seems to me that no matter what state or city I have traveled to, I hear the same stereotypes. I have been subjected to the incestuous jokes or questions like: Do you wear shoes all year round? Does your girlfriend or wife dip snuff too? and any other uneducated and quite offending question you could think of. I simply will not answer such absurd questions. I am proud to live in West Virginia, with its high peaks and low valleys. I enjoy the abundance of rivers and streams. I educate my children in West Virginia history and culture. I believe that we will eventually change the way the rest of our country views West Virginia and its inhabitants. This requires us to proactively educate the ignorant and keep those few from being interviewed on the evening news whenever a natural disaster strikes a small mobile home court somewhere. There are many states with many stereotypes, so many that I will not begin to list. However, I certainly would not ask a perfect stranger in Boston why they are too lazy to annunciate their “R’s” when speaking. With all of that said, I will continue to give our state and people the great press it deserves, clean up after myself when camping and educate the disgracefully ignorant on West Virginia culture with the hopes that more will do the same.
October 22nd, 2007 at 12:08 pm
My husband and I visited Canaan Valley and the Dolly Sods area last week to do some “leaf peeking” and feel peaceful. You really don’t have to go to Vermont to see beautiful trees.
I do have a concern with lodging for people that want to visit this area. The Canaan Valley Lodge is a great place to stay, but the rooms are becoming dated and in need of an update on the interior.
There is lots of new construction in this area, but it is privately owned mountain homes. I think the state needs to ad a facelift to the lodging to the budget. Most people like to stay in a place that is better or comparable to their own home.
November 29th, 2007 at 3:37 pm
West Virginia is an awesome state. I went to West Virginia Wesleyan where I met many incredible people. I have remained close friends with most and seem to always find something to remind me of my WV roots. Here’s a photo of my buddies Tom and Jay (originally from Point Pleasant, WV). This past summer in Rome, Italy, we even found a West Virginia license plate on a club wall…
Thanks,
Sean
Pittsburgh, PA