Society has influenced its citizens to conform, to stay quiet when their opinions could cause a controversy. This is why it is easier for people to say that one is disadvantaged, instead of pointing out their own privileges. The civil rights movement has already brought up the idea of racism. It has been established that blacks are at a clear disadvantage. However, if white people start to point out their own privileges such as the white skin colored band-aids (94), then a whole new chain of events will occur. Because white people are at the advantage, it makes it easier for them to agree with this “law” society has created.
As a white female, I have been given advantages. I was raised in a middle class home and have had the opportunity to go to college and hopefully medical school. However, these are the obvious advantages that are known to society. Furthermore, they are the aspects that are being amended with programs such as affirmative actions. Some of the ideas mentioned by McIntosh are ones I would have never even thought of. For example, the fact that it is guaranteed that the place I work will have people of my own race or that I will be able to move into a nice neighborhood where my race will be dominant (93). These ideas are some that unfortunately would be hard to change. Furthermore, in my opinion, I would not care if they did change. I grew up in a high school where 99% was white teenagers. If there were more black teenagers, I do not think it would have affected my education or future. If black skin toned band-aids were made, I would not be offended. Although this is my opinion, it is not the opinion of many white Americans. Unfortunately, it is the opinion of those few that make life for blacks and whites so different. If it was not for racism, black people could come to a meeting late, and no one would think it was a reflection of their race (94). However, there will always be one person with a racial view, who will see their tardiness as a “black characteristic.”
Many white people, like me, do not recognize these privileges that we have. They are “invisible” to us because it is the way we have been raised. It is not that all white people are racist and do not believe that black people should have the privileges that we have from day to day; it is the simple fact that we do not even realize the privileges that we have. Sadly, this situation will only be solved when someone takes a stand and is willing to fight for EQUAL rights.
Heterosexism is the norm. When a child is raised, most likely, its parents do not raise it to be homosexual. In sexual education class, sex between people of the same sex is not explained. This is compulsory heterosexuality, the idea that people automatically and subconsciously choose to be heterosexual. What is wrong with homosexuality? It challenges the status quo. Lesbians, viewed by society, are women who “can live without a man” and are a “threat to the nuclear family” (88). The idea of homophobia came from this fear of the collapse of the social norm. If women threatened the nuclear family and the power of men, the world as we know it would be completely different. Out of this fear, people established the idea of homophobia. It spread also to the fear of gay men, because they too threaten the idea of male power. Any woman who had different ideas than those of the social norm was considered to be a lesbian.
All women are the same. We have the same body parts, life functions; many of us have the same haircut, style of clothing, etc. If a woman who decides to speak her mind is called a lesbian, it holds other women back from fighting for what they believe in. Therefore, one stereotypical association with a women being a lesbian, can cause the oppression of women to continue. This idea connects with one of my friends thoughts about feminist. One of the first things that came to her mind when I said the word feminist was lesbian. This idea influenced by society is one of patriarchy. If women want to advance in the world, they must ignore the stereotype of being a lesbian and express themselves.
The bootstrap myth is the idea that if you work hard in society, you will achieve your goals. This idea also suggests that those who can not gain what that wish to achieve must be lazy (70). In society, this idea is not justified. There are many other aspects to achieving what you want. Your economical status, gender, and race, are all characteristics that can either place you higher or lower or the totem pole. Therefore, this idea is defiantly what it states, a myth.
Internalizing oppression means to make the fight against oppression part of your life. When you see others being oppressed you can not just stand there and watch, TAKE ACTION! If all of us internalize oppression then we can solve the problems of racism and discrimination in the future.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
"Girl Like Me"
What comes to mind when you think of the mythical norm? When I imagine the mythical norm, I see myself as a young child playing with my Barbie and Ken dolls. White, young adults, in shape, and most likely, in the case of my fantasies, middle-class. The mythical norm is all throughout culture, on television shows, novels, and even in children’s toys. It is no surprise that anyone that does not fall into this category feels different and, in a sense, inferior.
The young girls in the video, “A Girl Like Me,” portrayed what it is like to be a young African American girl. It seems they are forced to be someone other than themselves by straightening their hair and using skin bleaching cream. They have been influenced by society and their families, both of which follow the “mythical norm.” The texture of your hair and the color of your skin, in a perfect society, should have no affect on your value. However, when these children’s parents force them to conform to the white dominated society, it creates feelings of lowliness. Furthermore, as much as society would like to ignore it, people are still discriminative towards black people. The civil rights acts brought forth many new rights and privileges to the African American society, but many blacks are discriminated against in the modern world. When young children see these actions, they directly associated it with exterior appearance. Therefore, they are ashamed of what they see when they look in the mirror.
The discrimination of black people around the United States is caused by the idea of “white advantage.” Somewhere in our nation’s history, white people started to become more valued in society. Whether it started with the British taking over the Native Americans or when Africans were shipped over to the United States to serve as slaves, white people seem to have gained some special “power.” This power, however, is artificial. In reality we are all humans with equal capacities to succeed. We all should be given the same opportunities, privileges, and the same rewards when we work hard to achieve our goals. The white privilege has been placed by society in order for white people to be one step ahead of the rest of the world. White people are not any more capable than anyone of any other race. This idea of white advantage is much like the mythical norm in that it is a standard that society has set, a standard that our culture seems to be trapped in.
Much like the mythical norm causes society to strive to be like the “ideal” human being, the white privilege does as well. When minorities, such as blacks, see the advantages that are associated with being white, it only seems logically to try to reproduce the lifestyles and appearances of white people to gain the same rewards. However, I feel that while the “mythical norm” is more directed toward the young children, the “white privilege” is aimed at the adult population. Children notice the exterior before they see any other part of the “package.” For this reason, they automatically associate the way people look with the way people are treated. However, the “white advantage” seems to work in the opposite way. When minorities see the privileges that white people seem to have, they subconsciously try to mimic the white lifestyle. This idea seems to be more concealed, and it is for this reason I believe it affects many African Americans in modern culture.
Although these young black girls have a problem “fitting in,” the problem is true throughout society. Young white girls are constantly worried about looks and how people perceive them. An example of this would be the increasing rate of eating disorders in our society. The idea of “self-worth” is challenged in the young white girls worried about their figures, as well as the black who are worried about fitting in. Society has placed so much importance on skinny models, actresses, and singers. It has reached an extreme in the present that even normal healthy women are putting themselves in danger to have the “ideal” body. The concept of race is also a factor of self worth. This was depicted by the young children in this video feeling inferior. The little children in the video pointed out that the black doll was “bad.” When the little girl in the video was asked to pick out which doll looked like her, she hesitated before handing to black doll to the narrator, ashamed of whom she was.
In conclusion, society places norms on society that affect all citizens, black and white, male and female. However, we are all human beings that should be offered equal opportunities. It is our job in society as a whole to overcome these stereotypical barriers that have been placed within our culture.
The young girls in the video, “A Girl Like Me,” portrayed what it is like to be a young African American girl. It seems they are forced to be someone other than themselves by straightening their hair and using skin bleaching cream. They have been influenced by society and their families, both of which follow the “mythical norm.” The texture of your hair and the color of your skin, in a perfect society, should have no affect on your value. However, when these children’s parents force them to conform to the white dominated society, it creates feelings of lowliness. Furthermore, as much as society would like to ignore it, people are still discriminative towards black people. The civil rights acts brought forth many new rights and privileges to the African American society, but many blacks are discriminated against in the modern world. When young children see these actions, they directly associated it with exterior appearance. Therefore, they are ashamed of what they see when they look in the mirror.
The discrimination of black people around the United States is caused by the idea of “white advantage.” Somewhere in our nation’s history, white people started to become more valued in society. Whether it started with the British taking over the Native Americans or when Africans were shipped over to the United States to serve as slaves, white people seem to have gained some special “power.” This power, however, is artificial. In reality we are all humans with equal capacities to succeed. We all should be given the same opportunities, privileges, and the same rewards when we work hard to achieve our goals. The white privilege has been placed by society in order for white people to be one step ahead of the rest of the world. White people are not any more capable than anyone of any other race. This idea of white advantage is much like the mythical norm in that it is a standard that society has set, a standard that our culture seems to be trapped in.
Much like the mythical norm causes society to strive to be like the “ideal” human being, the white privilege does as well. When minorities, such as blacks, see the advantages that are associated with being white, it only seems logically to try to reproduce the lifestyles and appearances of white people to gain the same rewards. However, I feel that while the “mythical norm” is more directed toward the young children, the “white privilege” is aimed at the adult population. Children notice the exterior before they see any other part of the “package.” For this reason, they automatically associate the way people look with the way people are treated. However, the “white advantage” seems to work in the opposite way. When minorities see the privileges that white people seem to have, they subconsciously try to mimic the white lifestyle. This idea seems to be more concealed, and it is for this reason I believe it affects many African Americans in modern culture.
Although these young black girls have a problem “fitting in,” the problem is true throughout society. Young white girls are constantly worried about looks and how people perceive them. An example of this would be the increasing rate of eating disorders in our society. The idea of “self-worth” is challenged in the young white girls worried about their figures, as well as the black who are worried about fitting in. Society has placed so much importance on skinny models, actresses, and singers. It has reached an extreme in the present that even normal healthy women are putting themselves in danger to have the “ideal” body. The concept of race is also a factor of self worth. This was depicted by the young children in this video feeling inferior. The little children in the video pointed out that the black doll was “bad.” When the little girl in the video was asked to pick out which doll looked like her, she hesitated before handing to black doll to the narrator, ashamed of whom she was.
In conclusion, society places norms on society that affect all citizens, black and white, male and female. However, we are all human beings that should be offered equal opportunities. It is our job in society as a whole to overcome these stereotypical barriers that have been placed within our culture.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Tolerance.org tests
I do not believe these tests show a hidden bias. I think that the test makers set the test up to make the results they want to achieve. I do not believe that the results are a reflection of the persons’ subconscious but a result of the way the information was presented. They first associated the two characteristics with the “common norm” result and then switched it. By putting the two norm characteristics together first, it trains your brain to associate them together. Then, when they switch the characteristics, it makes it harder to disassociate the two. Therefore, I was not surprised by the results of the experiment.
I believe that this assignment was given because it raises two important topics in women’s studies – women role in science and careers in general. It also raises the question of where these biases come from. Do they come from our environment – school, work, home? I think that some prejudices are more acceptable because of the history of social norms. Before the civil rights movement, association of blacks and weapons would have been “acceptable.” However, after the women’s rights movement I think the association of women and family life is still widespread. This is probably because it is still a common thing. However, as women find a larger role in science and careers, I believe this prejudice will be become a lesser one.
I decided to take the two tests on gender and the test with weapon association. I chose the two gender tests because it was for this women’s studies class. I chose to take the weapon association test because it seemed interesting.
I believe that this assignment was given because it raises two important topics in women’s studies – women role in science and careers in general. It also raises the question of where these biases come from. Do they come from our environment – school, work, home? I think that some prejudices are more acceptable because of the history of social norms. Before the civil rights movement, association of blacks and weapons would have been “acceptable.” However, after the women’s rights movement I think the association of women and family life is still widespread. This is probably because it is still a common thing. However, as women find a larger role in science and careers, I believe this prejudice will be become a lesser one.
I decided to take the two tests on gender and the test with weapon association. I chose the two gender tests because it was for this women’s studies class. I chose to take the weapon association test because it seemed interesting.
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