Oppression And Privilege Analysis

As we deepen our understanding of institutional oppression and sharpen our personal and professional lenses to be mindful of its presence, I grow to understand that this will be a constant challenge that will require a lifetime commitment to mindfulness. In preparing for this paper I became more mindful of the forces within my institution and myself that perpetuate this practice. Silence equals acceptance. Fear of bringing this to consciousness is a tension that will exist throughout our careers. I continue to be saddened by the political climate in Washington. This negative influence will negatively impact the forces of oppression and privilege and tighten the proverbial noose around the necks of the disenfranchised. In

The purpose of the Privilege Walk Activity is to learn to recognize how power and privilege can affect our lives even when we are not aware it is happening. The statements in this activity addresses privileges that are based on gender, race, ethnicity, class, or sexual orientation and divides participants similarly into different places privileges place individuals in society. Privilege tends to be invisible to those who are privileged and the boosts in position that accumulates over time for those that are, goes unrecognized. I found my experience, as a patriciate of the Privilege Walk Activity disheartening.

Oppression has long shaped human society. Whether it be Egyptian slaves hundreds of years ago, or Latino people today, we have never, and will never, become free of oppression. Given our contingent history, I agree with the statement that there is no hierarchy of oppression. Audre Lorde discusses in her narrative, as she mentions how society has long befallen itself with structured oppression. She discusses how the LGBT and Black communities are connected because they have overlapping members. She further argues that all oppression stems from the same roots. This concept is further exemplified by “First They Came For The Socialists”, in which Martin Niemöller mentions how the Nazisinitially targeted one group of people, but began grouping many

Peggy McIntosh's "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack" addresses the issue of acknowledging whites' unaware privileges, thus weakening the systems of advantage to reconstruct power systems in the society from 1989 to the present. For instance, men are unconscious about their privileges in a patriarchal society while women are oppressed in the society. White people are unaware of the privileges which they take for granted while non-white communities are discriminated against repeatedly. McIntosh identities her privileges from daily life, which she also relates the patterns of white privilege and assumptions that passed down.

Dowsett’s use of informal language and a conversational tone really helps him get his point across. His essay is not a lecture on those who have privilege, it’s a conversation starter to begin disassembling the infrastructure that excludes those who do

Peggy McIntosh concludes white privilege is, “an invisible package of unearned assets which I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I was meant to remain oblivious.” The writer came to this conclusion when observing male privilege initially in America. McIntosh discusses the lack of acknowledgement of men when it came to addressing their own advantages over women even if they could admit the position of disadvantage of women. This shed light on how white privilege is curtailed; In the United States, foundations of our society are interlaced with institutionalized privilege creates unethical levels of dominance; dominance of males over females, whites over people of color,

In this spellbinding lecture, the author of White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son offers a unique, inside-out view of race and racism in America. Expertly overcoming the defensiveness that often surrounds these issues, Wise provides a non-confrontational explanation of white privilege and the damage it does not only to people of color, but to white people as well. This is an invaluable classroom resource: an ideal introduction to the social construction of racial identities, and a critical new tool for exploring the often invoked – but seldom explained – concept of white privilege.

An alumni group, Check Your Privilege organized by Dr. Ja’Nina Walker, works to raise student and faculty awareness about privilege on a San Francisco campus and increase social equality. The group defines privilege as “unearned access to social power based on membership in a dominant social group.” The group desires to increase consciousness about privilege, especially in the among social justice influences. They work to bring privilege into regular public discussion and urge those with privilege to use it for public benefit.

In her 2012 TEDx Talk, “How Studying Privilege Systems Can Strengthen Compassion”, Peggy McIntosh discusses how race is a privilege system and how white people are given an advantage without even realizing it. In her lecture McIntosh says, “These privilege systems, which locate us above and below the hypothetical line of social justice, were invented and we were born into them. And we all know both sides and that is the reason for compassion, about the sadness of having been born into systems that gave us such… such different ‘politics of location’”. Here, it seems that McIntosh’s main goal is to inform people that we are born into a privilege system because of our skin color and the only way that we can prevent a social hierarchy we must be able to recognize that we are all different. I think that the human population should be able to identify that people are different and have compassion for the differences in society our world today could have little to no race issues. After listening to McIntosh’s arguments, I support the ideas she makes throughout her works and I find that privilege systems are still prominent in today’s society.

Peggy illuminates to the origin of white privilege which, for the most part, has been taught from an early age that they are the normal standard of a person and that benefiting others will help them achieve that neutral point. This aids to the oblivious nature of their own advantages due to it being instilled at a young age. She goes on to list a few ways this privilege is used that collectively make an impactful difference. These instances of white privilege go unseen every day due to not wanting to come to the realization that meritocracy is a myth. The first step is to see that this privilege exists and from then

#, 1991). Consequently, this placed individuals in vulnerable positions that disabled them from achieving equality in society. Crenshaw explores these historical efforts through an analytical framework, to address the different intersecting identities that ultimately create multiple oppressions and discrimination in society. For example, on a personal level, a young, white, middle-class woman will experience different oppressions in society, such as gender identity. However, a young, upper-class African-American woman may experience different oppressions and privileges based on her race, sexuality, or socio-economic status.

Collins, L., & Barnes, S. L. (2014). Observing privilege: Examining race, class, and gender in

This research paper will outline the causes and traits of oppression in America. Dynamics such as the social, historical, and psychological systems that serve as vessels of oppression will be addressed. Using academic research, the goal for this essay will be to discuss the characteristics of oppression and how those characteristics are connected to its origin. The research will develop major themes that will serve to define agents, including classism, discrimination, and the intersectionality of different types of oppression. Discussions on strategies for addressing and ending the current oppression in America and recommendations for the future will be highlighted as well.

Right on the first page in chapter six it discusses the privilege groups discomfort about discussing privilege. Yes, it is true for so many and for those who don’t feel discomfort, I call you brave and open minded. But, it is a hard thing to discuss especially with a non-privileged group of individuals. I, for one also feel discomfort and defensive sometimes in those situations, and that could be from a number of different reasons. Whether it is because I feel guilty, ashamed, judged, etc. For this I will talk about race, for those who are white, we are born this way, we didn’t choose to be white and there’s nothing you can do about it. You were born into the privileged group here in America. But, it is something that we need to accept and admit to, we are the privileged group but, we don’t because of this nasty stigma about race. Race has turned into this sharp word that scares people when it is mentioned. We, as educators need to change the stigma of that word. We need to make it so people of privilege and non privilege can discuss privilege and race with out discomfort or being offended. In this class, our race discussion had brought up white privilege and at first it was not comfortable but, as you admit to it, the easier it is to discuss.