Choices!

Hi everyone! I can’t believe this is our second to last blog post. I really enjoyed the Johnson reading this week, but it was also pretty convicting. Immediately, I could identify with the idea that even if we are aware that inequalities exist and we want to make a positive change, if we sit in silence and do not stand up and give a voice to the people that don’t have one, we are contributing to the problem.

I also liked that Johnson took the time to redefine “privilege,” because I think that, especially lately, it’s a word that gets thrown around a lot when talking about inequalities in society and its meaning has been lost or misunderstood over the years. Here are the most important things I think we need to recognize about privilege:

·      It is not assigned on an individual basis

·      People who have it often don’t know it

·      People who have it have it at someone else’s expense

The poem “stubborn ounces” really reminded me of an idea we have been talking about all semester—though our voices may seem small, they matter and they can ultimately make a difference.

            Johnson also touched on the importance of acknowledging the problems that exist in our society. Again, this reminded me of Verna Myers’ and her advice: instead of shying away from the things that make us uncomfortable and the biases we know we hold, we need to walk boldly toward them.

            I loved, loved, loved, that Johnson touches on the importance of reading. I have found that a lot of information about privilege can be found in books. I just started reading Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America. It has really made me aware of problems I previously never would have thought about. The same holds true for a lot of the pieces we have read in this class—I’ve recommended them to some of my friends and family.

            It’s awesome that being in the School of Social Work makes it a little bit easier to find ways to stand up for what we believe in. Just today, I saw a stand in the lobby advertising a letter writing campaign.

            Johnson’s list of ways to actively promote change was encouraging, because there truly are so many opportunities for us to make a difference! And most of them are as simple as questioning current policies and standing up for what we believe is right.

            I think Johnson is right: the main reason people (including me) choose to be silent in the face of discrimination and oppression is the risk that’s often involved, whether that’s being thought of as “weird” by your friends or even feeling ostracized by certain family members. However, it’s worth it to experience the sense of empowerment and to promote lasting, positive change. As I look at the Action Continuum, I am definitely able to say that I have gone from supporting oppression to confronting oppression. Hopefully, we will all become better at initiating and preventing oppression in our world in the future.

References:

Johnson, A. G. (2005). What can we do? Becoming part of the solution.

Spheres of Influence

Hi everyone! It’s hard to believe that we only have two weeks of readings and videos left. It’s really exciting now that we’re learning about how to take action against social injustices.

Barbara J. Love’s ideas in “Developing a Liberatory Consciousness” paralleled some of our readings in the past, particularly because she claimed that the first step to gaining a liberatory consciousness (“living with awareness and intentionality,” rather than “on the basis of socialization”) is, in fact, awareness—confronting your own thoughts and ideas head on. This reminded me of Verna Myers’ ideas about getting out of denial and moving toward our personal discomforts in order to overcome our own biases. I like that this is a relatively simple (although not always easy) step. It’s something everyone should be encouraged to do in order to begin a dialogue of liberation.

Additionally, I enjoyed Gloira E. Anzaldua’s definition of “allies”—someone we can expose our wounds to. I researched Anzaluda a little more, and even though she has passed away, she is remembered through an award that honors her dedication to women of color and LGBTQ women every year. It’s cool that she continues to be an ally, even after her death.

I think “This White Feminist Loved Her Dreadlocks—Here’s Why She Cut Them Off” is one of my favorite essays we’ve read so far, particularly because of the idea that the messages we communicate through our actions (what we say, how we choose to dress, etc.) are out of our control—we can’t dictate how we are going to make people feel. Even though we may think that we aren’t making anybody feel offended or discriminated against, like Annah Anti-Palindrome thought, we ultimately do not get to decide how someone is going to read something. I think this was especially important for me, as a member of a dominant group in society, to understand. This was a topic that was talked about a lot in the “Beyonce Feminism, Rihanna Womanism” class—it’s unfair for a dominant group to get to dress up and play the “exotic other” without knowing what the subordinate group goes through every day. I thought it was particularly awesome that her friends stood up to her, and that she was able to listen to them and take in their ideas.

“The Hidden Influence of Social Networks” made me think of a book I just finished: Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance (I highly recommend it!). In Hillbilly Elegy, Vance, who grew up in poverty but ended up graduating from Yale Law School, describes the way in which his grandmother was able to instill a sense of value in him at a young age, despite the ever-present poverty he was surrounded by, and he credits her with making an enormous difference in his life and allowing him to break out of the cycle of poverty. Christakis was right: the world does need more connections, especially beginning with kids at a young age, so that they can break out of the cycles they may be trapped in (whether that’s poverty or prejudiced thinking).

I think that this week, we should all embrace the leadership qualities that we have and, as Garvis said, “get over our fear of being powerful.”  

References

Dudley, D. (2010, September). Everyday leadership [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/drew_dudley_everyday_leadership/transcript?language=en#t-10805.

Garvis, N. (2010, October). Change our culture, change our world [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/nate_garvis_change_our_culture_change_our_world.

Christakis, N. (2010, February). The hidden influence of social networks [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/nicholas_christakis_the_hidden_influence_of_social_networks.

Anti-Palindrome, A. (2015, August). This white feminist loved her dreadlocks - here's why she cut them off. Everyday feminism.

Adams, M., Blumfeld, W., Castañeda, C., Hackman, H., Peters, M., Zúñiga, X. (2013). Readings for Diversity and Social Justice. New York, NY: Rutledge.

Empowerment

One of the main big ideas that has stood out to me while taking this class is that silence can truly be deadly. Sometimes, we have to embrace (or at the very least, accept) being uncomfortable if it means being a voice for someone who has been silenced. If we as social workers begin to both focus on the strengths and possibilities and speak up for what is right, we can begin to change the way the world thinks and acts.

            I completely agree with Ash Beckham’s idea that we live in a world of polarity: you are either on one side of the issue or the other. Rarely is there an in between. I see this every day: on campus, when people argue with each other to prove their point on a hotly debated issue, on the news, when politicians refuse to look at a problem from a different perspective, and even in my social life, when people choose to surround themselves with others that think they same way they do. That being said, if we chose to become a world of duality, it wouldn’t mean people would have to abandon their ideas and beliefs, but embrace similarities rather than differences, like Ash said. And, of course, she ended with the idea that apathy doesn’t do anyone any good—allies see people.

            After watching Verna Myers’ TED talk, I tried to put her three ideas into practice by recognizing my own biases, moving toward my discomforts, and saying something instead of remaining silent. It has been a very, in a word, revealing experiment! I've been able to acknowledge my biases with the kids I volunteer with. Additionally, I’ve been trying to move toward my discomforts by interacting with homeless people. Usually, I just turn a blind eye, but I know that only makes someone feel like they’re not even human. I’ve been trying to make eye contact, say hello, and ask about their day (I was definitely inspired by Clint Smith’s talk). I haven’t yet come across the opportunity to say something when people are perpetuating biases and stereotypes, but I know I’ll definitely have a chance as I head home this weekend for the holiday!

            I think that the idea in “The New Liberal Millenial Revolution”—that millenials are incredibly liberal and seek drastic change and yet do not vote is, in some sense, an example of staying silent. You can protest on the streets and post pictures on your Instagram, but if you do not show up to the polls and vote, you are, in a way, still remaining silent. Fortunately, I think that in our most recent election, more than ever, people began to recognize that—I was thankful for the people on campus always reminding me to vote!

            The approach I took to most in “National Approaches to Human Rights Legislation” was the judicial enforcement of human rights. I would really like to do social work in the legal field, and if I could use the law to give people a voice and make them heard I think that would be incredible.

References

Claude, R., & Burns, W. National approaches to human rights implementation. Human rights in the world community: issues and action (pp. 371-412). Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press. 

Thompson, D. (2016). The liberal millennial revolution. The Atlantic. 

Beckham, A. (2014). When to take a stand - and when to let it go. [Video file]. Retrieved from  https://www.ted.com/talks/ash_beckham_when_to_take_a_stand_and_when_to_let_it_go.

Meyers, V. (2014). How to overcome our biases? Walk boldly toward them. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/verna_myers_how_to_overcome_our_biases_walk_boldly_toward_them.

Institutional Inequality

When thinking about institutional inequality, I realized Professor Sepp was right: until I was a student in the school of Social Work, I didn’t know exactly how to talk about it—there never seemed to be the right moment, or the right vocabulary, or the right group of people. Now I understand that this is how the people who actually face these institutional injustices feel in their everyday lives.

I really liked Jean Baker Miller’s essay because it provided a different insight into social justice. I like that we can learn about social justice through the stories and lives of actual people that are either fighting for social justice or have experienced injustice, but it’s also interesting to read about the theories behind justice issues in our society, like in “Domination and Subordination.” I think her note that children can only grow through engagement with people that are different than they are is important. Additionally, her discussion on how the dominants stay in power made me realize that there is almost a formula for this—it seems like every dominant group in society has found a way to make themselves the model for “normal” while defining a couple of roles available for subordinates (usually the roles no one wants). What especially stuck out to me was Miller’s definition of subordinates—that they often have to concentrate solely on survival. It reminded me of a series of art I studied by Elizabeth Catlett, an African American woman artist that eventually had to flee to Mexico. The series of art was called “I Am the Negro Woman” and detailed the experience of African American women in the United States. One of the fifteen linocut pieces in the series was called “A Special Fear for My Loved Ones” and was meant to show that every time a family member or friend walked out of an African American woman’s door, she had to worry about whether or not they would be returned home alive.

"A Special Fear for My Loved Ones" by Elizabeth Catlett.

“Discrimination Comes in Many Forms” is also useful when talking about institutional inequality. I had to idea about the differences between institutional and structural discrimination—I would have thought they were the same thing. The author mentioned that structural discrimination is the hardest to deal with because it is neither intentional nor illegal. I think she is right—the best way to try to get people to understand why their actions are unfair or target a minority group is education! Like I said last week, I think we can start by offering the Social Justice class to people in all majors.

I found the “Prison State” video especially intriguing because I’m currently in a sociology class about our criminal justice system and the way it sets people up to end up in jail or prison (kind of like one of the ladies in the video said: it’s “from the cradle to the grave). Our prisons are in desperate need of reform, because once people get out they are sort of “stuck.” This week  in my class, we learned that while prisons offer barber training to inmates, once they get out, they are not allowed to be barbers! I liked that the video ended with McDuffie getting therapeutic help to handle his shame and guilt. This it the kind of rehabilitation that would be beneficial in not just the criminal justice system, but in any form of corrections or rehab—looking at everyone as individual case.

Sources:

Edge, D., & Mucciold, L. (2014, Apr 12). Frontline: Prison State (Video). Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/prison-state/.

Miller, J. (2014). Domination and Subordination. In Race, Class, and Gender in the United States (9th ed., pp. 110-117). Worth.

Pincus, F. (1996). Discrimination Comes in Many Forms. The American Behavioral Scientist,40(2), 186-194.

Stigma

I really appreciate Erving Goffman’s idea that a sigma is “the process by which the reaction of others spoils identity” because it takes the burden of shame and disgrace and puts it on society, not the person with the so-called stigma. Certain traits that have a stigma attached would not be considered “wrong” or “bad” if it were not for the majority’s reaction. I think this is yet another impact of the cycle of socialization.

            When I was younger I was made fun of for being shy, when in reality, what is wrong with being shy? I had friends who were made fun of for their weight, for being “awkward,” for their parents’ jobs… the list could go on and on. But there is nothing wrong with any of the traits I just named.

            There is also nothing wrong with not conforming to the “typical” male stereotype either (what is that, anyway?). I’ve seen the ideas in the “There’s Something Absolutely Wrong with What We do to Boys Before They Turn into Men” video play out strongly in the boys that I mentor. When their masculinity is in question, they seek to prove themselves through violence, because, as the video said, they equate violence with respect. I wish boys didn’t have to feel this way! Just recently, I was listening to an episode of This American Life called “Testosterone.” In the fourth part of the episode, a mom is asking her teenage son questions she has about being male. She asks him if there’s anything he envies about girls, and he answers that he wishes he were able to express his feelings. Fortunately, I think that this is close to no longer being regarded as shameful, as I have personally seen the stigma attached with men receiving therapy and counseling fade away (at least for the men in my own life).  Furthermore, in “11 ‘Girly’ Things Men Wish They Could Do Without Judgment,” what stuck out to me most was not the list itself, but the idea that men are afraid of doing these things because they do not want to be called “gay”! Why is that an insult? This is another result of stigma.

            Speaking of, I love, love, love LZ Ganderson’s utilization of humor when talking about the “gay lifestyle.” I think that by getting the audience to laugh at themselves, he is enabling people to realize that the idea that gays should not have the same rights as other citizens is crazy, because, after all, “everyone deserves love and respect.”

            I think that the “But Who Is Perfect?” video is an awesome example of empowerment. Yes, it’s said that passersby would be “irritated” by this campaign, but it’s incredible that the company recognized the need for these mannequins and is willing to be an advocate and an ally to this community.

            The “A Girl Like Me” video reminded me of an awesome class I took called “Beyonce Feminism Rihanna Womanism” (everyone, take it if you have the chance!). Our professor talked a lot about there not being “room” for African American females in our society, because they are either expected to be a “mammy” (think loving, compassionate, cooking, motherly figure) or a “Jezebelle” (hypersexualized woman). For me personally, taking this class was a way for me to be an ally to this community, because it helped me recognize stereotypes I held, educated me about the truth, and realize that joking about populations is just another form of discrimination.

I love the idea of not being able to rid our lives of stigmas for ourselves, but rather, doing it for each other. I think that as social workers, it is our job to gather people together so that stigmas can be unlearned.

References:

Granderson, LZ. (2012, May). LZ Ganderson: The myth of the gay agenda [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/lz_granderson_the_myth_of_the_gay_agenda#t-1052192

Pro Infirmis. (December, 2013). Because who is perfect [Video file]. Retrieved form https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8umFV69fNg

V

agianos, Alanna. (2014, January). 11 ‘girly’ things men wish they could do without judgment. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/26/gender-roles-men-reddit_n_4504083.html