After concentrating my learning this term on theories of social justice I have found one blatant truth; there is much that I was not and sometimes continue to be unaware of. As I have been learning more and more, I have been recognizing racism and other forms of oppression that exist everywhere around me. Part of where this starts is in my own head and the times I classify people. Our minds are wonderful computers with the ability to classify different objects in order to survive. For example, it would be difficult and overwhelming to recognize over and over again that a knife is sharp or that a stove top is hot. Although beneficial and necessary when dealing with objects, this can be severely detrimental when carried over to classify people. I know that when I look at someone, I can automatically put that individual in a category. It’s how I go about everyday life. I don’t mean to hurt anyone, but I have realized what I have been doing is generalizing and stereotyping the people around me. I automatically assume certain things based on the way they look, dress, or act.
It wasn’t until I started asking questions about myself that I started noticing what I was doing. I’m not saying that I was oblivious to it, but I am saying that I was ignoring it and taking it for granted. The ability to classify objects led me to start classifying people. It is still a challenge I face every day. I struggle with recognizing people for their social identities, without using what I see on the outside to shape my opinion (or classification) of them without getting to know them. I also realize that I want the same exact thing from other people.
I know I will continue to classify, but it won’t ever stop me from trying harder. So now I put the ball in your court; can you see people as individuals AND as part of their social identities, at the same time not classifying them because of their social identities? I challenge you that it might be harder than you think.
Kameron Beeks
CRF – Eastside & Co-Ops
Appearing Adverse
It is interesting what we see when we look in the mirror. What is the first thing that you see? I see the clothes I wear, my body size, and blemishes, but there is a lot more in my appearance that I take for granted. I do not analyze my skin color or the fact that I am a male. I do not consider the features that I cannot control necessarily, but I am aware that other people do. This causes me to ask questions that some other people do not think about. Do you feel comfortable around other people, both males and females, every moment of every day? Do you feel comfortable in your classes working in groups with people of other social identities; may it be their sexual orientation, social class, gender identity, race, etc? Are you a member of an underrepresented group (racial, gender, etc.)? Now imagine yourself as a person with the opposite social identity of yourself: opposite gender, race, etc. Try answering the same questions as above and compare them to your previous answers. Do you take anything for granted? I know I do. In the end, remember to respect people from other social identities and truly and wholeheartedly treat them the way you want to be treated.
Kameron Beeks
Community Relations Facilitator
Eastside & Co ops
Several times I’ve been involved in programs or program series in which the focus topic is identity saliency (something that is prominent or important to me). During these exercise we’re asked to think about our most and least salient identities. Every time, I have a tough time answering the latter.
I struggle with this question because I am reminded of the identity that, in a sense, I ignore most. This struggle within me continues because I’m disappointed that my job consists of educating people about becoming aware of targeted identities and their privileges as members of untargeted group, and then find myself unaware of some of these same issues.
When I go through this brief battle with myself, I ask myself, how do I balance my time between my more salient identities (typically the identities in which I belong to targeted group), and the not so salient identities (typically the identities in which I have privilege). I also hate to remind myself that I’m still a work in progress and recognize that I too need to be reminded of some unearned advantages I have, and to feel guilty or disappointed in myself. Feelings of guilt and disappointment ultimately, don’t move anybody or issues forward.
With that said, I challenge you folks to think about your identity saliency. What’s most salient? What identity do you think about the least? Why do you think that is? Try to think about the identities in which you are privileged and those in which you are targeted. Is it easier to think about the ones that put you at a disadvantage? If so, examine why.
Alba García
Community Relations Facilitator – Southside
