The last couple of years were key to questioning our roles as members of this society and reevaluating our identities as we collectively learned and created awareness about social injustice. With the Black Lives Matter movement, the Covid-19 pandemic, and other huge events that made evident the inequality among the United States, a discussion about oppression and privilege started. This week’s reading allowed us to further our knowledge about oppression and privilege.
In the first reading, the author, Marilyn Frye, creates an interesting analogy between being oppressed and being a bird trapped in a cage. She explained that being oppressed is being repressed by systematically related barriers, just like the wires of a birdcage. These barriers immobilize the oppressed group, mold them and reduce their options in life. Women are oppressed because they are subject to multiple barriers that were created to benefit the oppressors, men. Frye explained the differences between being miserable and oppressed, one can be miserable without being oppressed. For example, a man can suffer because he is broke and his wife cheated on him multiple times, but that suffering is not because of his sex or gender. Also, one can be oppressed and have privileges at the same time. For example, a man of color can be oppressed but he’d still have privileges because he’s a man. An interesting point the author raised is the gallant gestures and how they actually mock women. These gestures seem to be a demonstration of kindness and respect toward women and plenty of women, especially the older, love a “gentleman” who opens the door for them, pays for their food, or carries their bags. These are actions that every woman who isn’t physically impaired can do by herself. In reality, the meaning of men doing these gestures for women is that they are not able to do it by themselves. I’ve never liked men doing this kind of stuff for me, it’s cringy and unnecessary. Oppression can be seen in multiple ways and the term can be misused very often. To know if someone is a victim of oppression, it is important to evaluate the context of the situation, and identify who is the oppressor and how the situation benefits them.
Privilege is a benefit one obtains without earning it. It gives you advantages that other people don’t have and they also deserve. White privilege is something we have seen throughout history, is very tragic how your skin color was used to define your value as a person, even though we are all equals. Peggy McIntosh digs deeper into white privilege, showing us her perspective on privilege as a white woman, how it benefits her, and why it is important that people are able to recognize their privilege and use it to help unprivileged people. The author reveals how white people don’t see themselves as oppressors or as fairly advantaged people. She describes privilege as an unearned entitlement and an unearned advantage. It is important that people are able to recognize their privilege in order to create equity among people.
In my opinion, it is very important that people recognize their privilege and use it for the better. Our society is very unfair, and it is sad to see how unequal everything is. Systematic racism keeps people of color oppressed, and even though racism is not as evident as 50 years ago there are still many barriers that keep them from succeeding as a lot of white people in the U.S. As a black queer latina immigrant, I definitely have a lot of stuff to deal with, and I experience a lot of injustice in different ways. As a woman, I am more likely to be harassed on the street than a man, as a bisexual, my sexual orientation can be used against me in my own family, as a black person, my skin color can make people believe that I’m loud or any other stereotype. Even though I am at a lot of disadvantage, I know that I have some privileges like being “cisgender”, not having a disability. Also, my parents being able to afford a good private school in my home country, that’s why I know English, and I’m writing this, and the privilege that my father was a U.S citizen. It is important to keep discussing these topics, so we can help everyone to succeed.
Hey Catherine, I agree it is important to acknowledge the privileges and use them for the better it is the only way we can possibly reduce and get rid of it making it equal for everyone !!
Hi Catherine, I totally agree that the past two years have given many the opportunity to reflect on their privilege. I think the fact that we all took a pause and were suddenly unable to take advantage of many of the things we took for granted gave many of new perspective. It was also difficult to ignore the circumstances of others as we were also forced to recognize how interconnected we all were now that we were unable to connect. I hope we are all able to continue examining the disparities we have and work to make change.
Hi Catherine, to be honest I had not seen the point of view of how you have interpreted it, now I start to think about whether men actually perform these actions just because they are gentlemen, or because they want to see themselves with more control and power over a woman. It is not that I am questioning the kind actions of each man, but rather that there may be cases in which one man feels much more powerful than another if he can do something that a woman feels that she cannot. I completely agree with you that our society is very unfair, but if we see it in a certain way, why is society like this? I feel that it is so, because we gave him the power to take his opinions into account, perhaps beforehand we should not have accepted all the criticism that he charged. I feel that yes, even though we are exposed to many risks, or feel oppressed, we should also be grateful about our surroundings and what we have.
Good honest response. The point isn’t that all men are consciously acting to power and control in these instances. Rather, the point is that there is an idea that men are supposed to do this in our society, and that belief comes from the idea that women aren’t capable, etc. Whether or not the man is aware of such roots/history, they are still participating. You don’t have to be aware to participate in patriarchy.
Hello Catherine, I agree with you about society being unfair and how everything is unequal. I wish we could live in a world that didn’t see color, sexual orientation, or anything but simply a person for being a person. I like how you’re an independent string woman that enjoys doing things by herself. I wish you didn’t have to go through the stuff because of the simple fact that you’re a black queer Latina. I know the strength that you have to push forth all the harassment. I only hope for things to get better for all of us and our personal choices.
Hey Catherine, I also find it super weird and uncalled for when some guys make an attempt to do things for me. For an example, recently I was at Target and I was reaching for a large plastic container on a shelf that was taller than me, when a young man offered to grab it for me. At this time, I already pretty much had it and said no thank you, I immediately saw the disappointment on his face when I said that and he quickly walked away. For some reason, when some guys try to do things like that it strokes their ego. I can tell he felt ” needed” when in reality I was confident and knew I was able to reach the item.
HI Catherine,
Thank you for sharing your response, I enjoyed reading it. I also never really viewed mens actions that way in which they do things to not only boost their ego but have some sense of power and control over a female. As I ponder on it now I can see how that makes sense in many ways. In a way, you can almost say that men at times can be labeled as oppressors when it comes to the women in their life. If you think about it, when a man does almost everything for you in your life; buy you things, take care of you, and basically manages your life along with his in certain ways he can be your oppressor. Men hold a lot of hidden power in this world without any of us really realizing it. I think it’s important to pay attention to peoples way of thinking.