[Open to BIPOC and those from the Global South]
Marginalized Identities:
- Types of marginalization:
- Religion: Christian,
- Race: Caucasion,
- Citizenship,
- 500 years of colonialism
- Heterosexuality,
- Temporarily Able-bodied, Developmental
- Language: primary legal language
- Age
- Woman/transgender
- Informally Education
- Non-target/ dominant group: society organizes around this group, they're "normal"
- Target group: marginalized
Oppression: The process in which, historically and over time, a group is seen as less than, treated as less than, and offered less access to society’s benefits and resources.
Prevailing society is right
Race/Ethnicity (POC in Global North (1)
Class/Income (Poor/working class) (2)
Informally educated (3)
Women/Transgender (4)
Religion (Muslim/Non christian in NL) (5)
Citizenship/Immigrant/refugee (6)
Lesbia/Gay/Bisexual (7)
People with disabilities (8)
Language of gov/police/courts not your first language (9)
Elders/Children (10)
Question 1: What are some strengths that come from your experiences as a member of one of the groups you checked? Write down the words that come to mind to describe these strengths
4) I can ask for help. Peope feel safe around me.
2) I can be proud. I am strong in numbers. I am justified.
10) People feel safe around me.
Question 2: Treated as less than
4) I'm not vocal enough in boisterous group.
2) I'm looked down upon in rich places. I feel out of place. People don't listen to me.
3) People don't listen to me.
It's not culture. It's the impact and reaction from oppression.
Internalized oppression: we tend to personalize it, come to believe there is something wrong with us - our bodies absorb the harm; rage, anger can affect our organs. Physical damage to our health, people cope by numbing, turning to alchohol, substances to numb out
Lateral violence - how we lash out, undermine, hurt others in our marginalized group, or towards other marginalized groups. Distrust among the group.
**Live in community that understands this, then expand to others
Journaling exercise:
- Imagine you're in conversation with someone in the dominant side.
- That person has done something not meeting your needs.
- You are speaking from the marginalized identity you are part of, and speaking to someone from the dominant group and that they are in a position of structural power.
- if they have more structural power than you, it means that they can make decisions that impact your life more than you're ability to impact theirs.
- Imagine you're trying to have a conversation about the reality of power differences. You're in the process of explaining to them the impact that their actions have had on you.
- And they reply, "Power is in your head. I have as much power as you project onto me."
- Write down how you feel hearing this statement. Any thoughts that come up when you hear something like, "Power is just a label"
K told me to just read "speed-reading book"
I feel belittled. This cannot be the answer. He's not taking me seriously.
Who am I to ask for such thing from him? I'm nothing. I should be happy with what I already have.
Why was I so stupid? Now he knows that I'm silly and selfish and unaware.
Shame for stepping out of bounds. Not knowing my place. That I should have been known better, behaved better, not be so outspoken and selfish, self-aggrandizing.
So much internalized shame.
I want to be safe. I want to be accepted.
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