The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

·         What memory do you have of an incident when you experienced bias, prejudice, and/or oppression, or witnessed someone else as the target of bias, prejudice, and/or oppression? Keep in mind that one can encounter such incidents in real contexts, including online environments, as well as in fictional ones, such as movies, books, television shows, and the like.

I would like to answer this question by referencing a movie. The movie that I watched where there were several incidences of prejudice and oppression was The Help. In the movie the black maid tells of her experience and the experiences of other women of color who are treated poorly because of the color of their skin. This movie made me angry but mostly it made me sad. The fact that people of color were considered “dirty” and the white characters in the movie could not even use the same restrooms because they may catch something outraged me.

This movie also illustrated ageism. The small child in the movie was deemed unlovable because she was not pretty enough for her mother and was abused and treated as insignificant, causing her to have internalized oppression.

·         In what way(s) did the specific bias, prejudice and/or oppression in that incident diminish equity?

Equity was diminished in the movie because the child was dependent on others for her care; therefore she was subjected to their cruelty. Equity was diminished for the women of color because they did not get paid fair wages, they did not have access to using the restroom when they needed to, and if a white person was caught sympathizing with them they were treated poorly or even criminally.

·         What feelings did this incident bring up for you?

These sort of things are still happening today all over the world even though we are a more educated society.  I am sad that any human being was ever treated so poorly and that other human beings can be so ignorant. It makes me feel angry but also hopeful. So much has changed since that time but so much change still needs to be done. Race is part of a person’s heritage and needs to be something that illicit feelings of pride, not shame or fear.   

·         What and/or who would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity?

All of society would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity. Children need to be taught that we are all equal from an early age. Children learn what we teach them; meaning they are not born racist.

Here is an experiment that has been conducted over generations that shows the effects of racism on impressionable children.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkpUyB2xgTM