Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Equality
I am finding myself at a loss for anything to write this week. I also kind of found myself at a loss for anything to say in the discussion we had in class yesterday. Even though I am a female, I haven't found that I am the focus of a lot of inequality... I got into the university I wanted to, I get the jobs I feel I am qualified for (and I will be the first to say that at this point in my education/life the only jobs I am really qualified for are in retail), and I feel like I am treated as an equal among my family, coworkers, friends, etc. I'm also only 21 so my life experience is fairly limited... To put it simply, inequality doesn't really factor into my day-to-day existence and I don't feel like I can speak for people who are the focus of inequality when I don't experience it first hand. Or so I thought... I did find yesterday's debate really interesting. It's always nice to hear other people's points of view and when inequalities other than those focused on gender (ie. race, age, the language you speak, class... etc) began to be brought up it got me thinking that perhaps we are all the aim of some kind of inequality. I, for one, am an arts kid so my programs at the university/buildings I study in do not get the same kind of funding as say a student studying engineering. I am young so people might think I am naive or silly. I am not model pretty so I could never apply for a job at the Cactus Club Cafe and expect to get it (no offense to anybody who works at the Cactus Club Cafe... they seem to only hire very attractive people so I thought I would use it to further my example). So I guess my previous statements that I don't face inequality weren't entirely true. Yet, my inequalities don't hit the same level as inequalities based on sexism or racism. I do the best I can, and until a solution to inequality is found (which I'm thinking, based on our discussion, will be...ummm... never?) isn't that all anybody can do?
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I agree with you about not noticing a lot of inequality on a daily basis considering I am a white female. I think that in most places racism and sexism are issues that are definitely there, but it is considered more taboo these days to state that you're a raging homophobe or racist. I know I would be offended if someone said those things to me, even though I am not one of those minorities. However, I don't think that I would be sensitive to somebody saying incredibly sexist things in front of me. I don't know if that's just thick skin that we get from being constantly marginalized as females or if i would just realize that that person was probably uneducated and ignorant.
ReplyDeleteI think the fact that we are discussing inequality makes us messengers against it, in a way. By learning about how other have been treated or are treated, we can be aware of when it happens to others or when we do it to others (even accidentally)and help work against it. By being aware, you change the way you look at situations and the way we all treat each other. (wow this is really inarticulate)
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