While reading interrupting
the Cycle of Oppression: The Role of Allies as Agents of Change by Andrea
Ayvazian I came across some quotes I found important:
1.
An ally is a member of a dominant group in our
society who works to dismantle any form of oppression from which she or he receives
the benefit.
a.
This is a very important definition. To be an
ally, you have to be a part of the dominant group to make a difference. That means,
for example, someone who doesn’t like gay people is insulting a gay man; angry
yelling from another gay man is not going to make such a big difference in the
situation. However, in that same situation, a heterosexual man defending the
gay man might make the other person think twice.
2.
I use the term “oppression” to describe the
combination of prejudice plus access to social, political, and economic power
on the part of a dominant group.
a.
I agree with this. I never really thought about
the word before this class. Now, I see oppression as people who are not treated
and appreciated like the “main” dominant people. But answer me this, how would this country be
without the minorities? What would happen if there was nothing to dominate?
3.
Allies are whites who identify as anti-racists,
men who work to dismantle sexism, able-bodied people who are active in the
disability rights movement, Christians who combat anti-Semitism and other forms
of religious prejudice.
a.
Anybody can be an ally because it’s about
standing up for something and doing you best to make a difference. If you can
make a difference, to help a child in school stand up to bullies or supports someone’s
idea, then do it.
That's an interesting question you raise after the second quote. To be honest, if minorities did not exist right now in the form of different races, sexual orientations, gender, gender identities, classes, religions, disabilities, etc... then what you'd be left with is a society of straight, white, American, able-bodied, male, property-owners. Without said minorities present, these people would most certainly find something else, and someone else to oppress. Perhaps it would then be based on height, hair or eye color, your dominant hand, or weight. Some of these qualities are already discriminated against in an intersectional way. But if much of the intersectionality did not exist, I'm sure that American culture would find new ones. Wouldn't want everyone being equal and equitable now, would we? Anywho, that's just what I think!
ReplyDeleteI agree that you raise a really interesting question here!! And I agree with Jen to an extent. But to be honest, she says that we would just find something else to oppress, based on height, hair or eye color, hand dominant, or weight. But who says that some people haven't already done that? Not to such a large extent, but to a degree there are already groups that are being oppressed because of their weight. Think about all the people who cannot go on airplanes because they cannot fit in the seats... I think that is slightly oppressing, no?
ReplyDeleteThe question about minorities makes me think about something I read the other day that a friend posted on Facebook. He said if everyone was treated equal then people wouldn't want to be equal anymore and would find ways to make themselves stand out. I'm not saying dont treat people equal but looking at it that way I agree with Jen
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