Response to Questions For Week 6

What memory do you have of an incident when you experienced bias, prejudice, and/or oppression, or witnessed someone else as the target of bias, prejudice, and/or oppression? Keep in mind that one can encounter such incidents in real contexts, including online environments, as well as in fictional ones, such as movies, books, television shows, and the like?

I was in a situation where I was teaching a summer course and this particular parent thought that I shouldn't be allowed to teach her daughter due to some lies that her daughter told to get out of that particular class, because she stuck out like a sore thumb. Instead of the parent telling her daughter that she could drop the class or following through with the class because she committed herself to it, the parent chose to make problems for me. Before this happened, I and the parent were friends which made this a sad event. I told my dear friend that we would never be as we were and we are not.

One fictional character was Perfect. The character was from a book called Perfect Peace. The book was wonderful. Perfect was born a boy but his mother wanted a girl so she sought to transform this boy into a girl. When he was eight, she finally told him the truth and tried to force this child into being a boy. They even tried to beat some male tendencies into this child. He grew up finding other boys attractive and not being able to share his feelings with anyone, he kep his feelings hidden which caused him the greatest pain. I love the character, Perfect, because here we gave fiction imitating life. Society has made it hard for people who love the same sex to explore and be themselves. It is truly a sad occasion. Here it is 2012, and we haven't progressed in this particular area of discrimination.

In what way(s) did the specific bias, prejudice and/or oppression in that incident diminish equity?

Each of the situations described above shows a lack of equity, because we weren't treated fairly. We were judged based on someone else's opinion of what we were/are. No one took the time out to try to accept us for what we were nor did they try to find out if the rumors that circulate about us were true or not. We were tried and convicted because we were different and that is the bottom line.

What feelings did this incident bring up for you?

I was hurt that the parent, who I had been friends with for twenty years, believed her daught, who was a known liar. I understand the need to believe your children, but teaching has taught me to be patient and look at things from every angle.

What and/or who would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity?

For the character in the book, some of the people in the community did finally change after this young man grew up and became successful. He didn't change who he was; he prayed for acceptance and the Lord granted him acceptance but not from others, but from himself. The young man learned to accept himself, because there wasn't anything wrong with him--people made it appear to be that way because there was something wrong with them. The incident afforded him an opportunity to live out his dream and prove others wrong.

Had the parent changed or treated the incident differently, the situation would be one that could have been fair to all parties involved. She could have been fair to myself and her daughter had she investigated before accusing. Had this happened, the child would have known that lying wouldn't be tolerated and the parent and I could have kept out friendship.