Social Justice Blog: Is Our Society Really Post-Sexist and Post-Racist?

One of the most important things I've realized this week is that we as a society still have so far to go when it comes to eliminating inequalities. It's not that I didn't know this earlier, however, in light of the readings, my own research on the Clarence Thomas case, and the on-going Trayvon Martin case it has become more evident to me. We, as Americans, are often so quick to criticize other societies for being backward yet we continue to struggle with racial and gender disparities in our society. While we should do our part to help other nations with their struggles, it is imperative that we look at our own problems as well. I'll being by talking a little bit about sexism.

Chapter 70 of Adams's book really resonated with me. We supposedly live in a society where equal opportunity exists yet it doesn't seem this way at times. Many women would agree that despite the strides society has made, double standards and discrimination in the workplace still exist. A few of the most hard-hitting examples in this chapter are: "HE's having a baby: He'll need a raise---SHE's having a baby: She'll cost the company money in maternity benefits," "HE's firm---SHE's stubborn," "HE loses his temper---SHE's bitchy," and "HE exercises authority---SHE's tyrannical." Although women are much more liberated than they used to be, there are still many hurdles we have to overcome. One of my classmates eloquently stated that it seems like as women, we can never win. If we abide by traditional gender roles, we are weak. If we are confident and in control, we're bitches. The examples in this Adams chapter demonstrate how the same behavior that put women in a negative light put men in a positive light.

Another one of the chapters I found interesting was Chapter 65, "Violence against Women is a Men's Issue." The author makes a strong case when he states that since 99 percent of rape is perpetrated by men, it is in fact a men's issue. I also agree with his statement that we must work toward chaning sexist norms throughout all areas of society, "from the elementary school playground to the common room in retirement communities---and every locker room, pool hall, and boardroom in between. The sad truth is that women have also been socialized into thinking sexist behavior is acceptable. If everything from ancient traditions to modern day pop culture is encouraging you to abide by certain norms, it's very hard to go against society. We, as Americans, talk about the likes of the Middle East and Africa as very oppressive societies (which they are in some ways), however, it's almost as if we fail to notice the disparities that take place here at home. If you ask me, it's pretty backward if women can't go out at night without the fear of getting raped or attacked.

After Professor G briefly mentioned Clarence Thomas and Anita Hill, I was interested in learning more about the case. I understood that it related to sexual harrasment and came about around the time I was born, however, I never knew the details of the situation. As I read more about Anita Hill's allegations, some of the responses she recieved were shocking. So many people were quick to blame her and accuse her of lying. Some even suggested that she was delusional and that Clarence Thomas wasn't capable of such behavior. I personally find it very courageous of her to stand up in public and speak out against someone's wrongdoing. Society expects women to brush these issues under the rug, even if they are very serious.

There's no doubt in my mind that Anita Hill was speaking the truth. Why would someone lie about something so serious? The fact that other women also recognized his inappropriate behavior is proof that she wasn't the only one who felt uncomfortable. I was disgusted as I read through the allegations. In addition to asking her out multiple times, he brought up sex during work, discussed women and animals having sex, described his own "sexual prowess," and made comments about his anatomy. My first thought upon reading this was, "Creep." It's unfortunate that the court ruled in favor of him by such a narrow margin. However, on a more positive note, this led to the "Year of the Woman." Many women upset by the treatment of Ms.Hill felt that the 98% male Senate didn't take her complaints seriously. This sense of frustration ultimately led to greater empowerment and a record increase in female political participation. In the House of Representatives, 24 women won new seats.

I have a serious problem with this "blaming the victim" attitude present in our society. Whether it is Ms. Hill or Trayvon Martin, some people are so quick to accuse the victim or doubt them. Wouldn't a better way to end racism or sexism be to actually direct our anger toward the perpetrators? It disgusted me to read that some politicians dismissed Ms. Hill as crazy and unstable. It also infuriates me when people say that Trayvon wouldn't have been shot if he wasn't wearing a hoodie. Really? Our nation is supposed to be a free country that protects people regardless of their gender, skin color, sexual orientation, or religious affiliation. Obviously our society isn't as progressive as we think it is if so many people are still treated like second-class citizens.

Now the question is, what are we going to do about it? This class has really helped me think more about the "how" in addition to the "what." I really like Professor's G's idea about using writing as a a tool to advocate for certain causes. The written word is more powerful than many people think. My dad was telling me recently about an experience he had when he was a student at UT in the late 80s. At that time, someone had written a very racist editorial about Aparatheid, justifying the South African government's treatment of people of color. The editorial was apparently very condescending and portrayed minorities as unintelligent. In his anger, my dad wrote a response to that editorial and sent it to the Daily Texan. His response ended up getting published and thanks to his efforts, many people were able read about a different point of view. When he was at UT, there wasn't much ethnic, religious, and cultural diversity. The fact that he got his word out in an eloquent, educated manner let bigoted people know that there are others who aren't ok with racism and will speak out against it.

I personally feel that part of being a good social worker involves passionately advocating for important causes. Part of the journey involves reading books and taking classes, however, the other part includes putting the knowledge into action. This involves educating the community about social issues, attending rallies and meetings, and being involved in the political process. I realize that I alone can't eliminate oppression. However, if I take a stand and encourage others to follow my example, we can change the world.

Pakistani Acid Victim Commits Suicide

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2110403,00.html

It breaks my heart to read that 33 year old Fakhra Yonnus commited suicide today. She endured so much pain through her life and it hurts me to read about everything she went through. Her struggles began as she worked as a stripper in the red-light district of Karachi, Pakistan. She then got involved with a Pakistani politician whom she married when she was 17. A few years into her marriage, he started verbally and physically abusing her. One day in his anger he threw a bucket of acid on her. Her situation became so severe that her sister-in-law was concerned that she wouldn't make it. Her burns were so bad that her nose was melting and she couldn't breathe. Luckily, word eventually got out to humanitarian organizations and she was then taken to Italy for plastic surgeries. It looks like the emotional scarring she experienced was too deep and the damage had already been done. She decided on March 29 that life wasn't worth living and jumped from the 6th floor of the building in Rome where she was being treated. After reading this story, I really felt motivated to do something to raise awareness about this. Acid attacks on women are not ok. What do you suggest we can do to expose these horrors that take place? How can we protect women in male-dominated societies so they aren't subjected to this type of treatment?

Social Justice Blog: Education, Disparities, and the Achievement Gap

The articles Professor G sent us, the lecture in the Utopia Theater, and my experience interviewing teachers at Reagan High School have taught me a great deal about the "achievement gap" in the past two weeks. It is common knowledge that minority students are more likely to face hurdles in achieving academic success than their White counterparts. These hurdles come as a result of economic hardships and social barriers. The media and society as a whole focus more on the fact that these problems exist than on means for creating positive change for these students. I personally believe we need to focus more on the "how" instead of the "what" in order to make a difference.

I found the article discussing why black students are lagging to be very interesting and informative. Mr. Ogbu's research delves into the source behind the achievement gap and it provides clear reasons for the situation. I've definitely noticed in my experience that many minority students are afraid to be percieved as "acting white." The middle school I attended was a Humanities Magnet Program located in downtown Austin. There was a wide range of students from all across the city, including a fair share of Blacks and Hispanics. I remember there were times where myself and some of my Black and Hispanic friends were chastised by others for "talking white." I remember coming home crying one day telling my mom that a black girl told me that I was basically white because I "act white."

The girl's comment infuriated me because I have always been one who is proud of my ethnic roots. I couldn't understand why this girl more or less referred to me as a sell-out. My mom responded by telling me that if someone associates speaking gramatically correct English and having good manners as "white" qualities, it really goes to show their own sense of inferiority. To this day, I couldn't agree more. It frustrates me when I hear people associate intelligence and refined behavior with being "white," because it is almost as if they think that only White people are capable of these attributes. I honestly think that this mentality plays a signifcant role for many minorities. I remember there being many intelligent Black and Hispanic students at my middle school who stopped caring about school after they were accused by their peers for "trying to be white." How can we, as a society, change these perceptions that many minority students have? How can we let them know that they are capable as any White student of achieving academic success?

This ties into the lecture we attended on Wednesday pertaining to the achievement gap. I agree, like the others, that it wasn't exactly what I expected. While Mr.Edleman is a great speaker and the subject is something I'm very passionate about, I don't think the presentation as a whole did justice to the complexity of this issue. As I stated in class, it would have been beneficial to hear the panel's opinion on the role of peers. Psychological studies demonstrate that the peer group plays an important role during adolescence. I'm interested in solutions that assess the importance of peer validation. The reason why many minority students face greater hurdles isn't a lack of intelligence; it is a lack of social support. The achievement gap exists in part because students of color that excel academically are often ridiculed by community members for "trying to act white." The first step to solving this problem is to address ways to promote community involvement and support.

The teachers I interviewed at Reagan High School for my social justice project addressed the importance of support and encouragement for minority students. When I asked them what hurdles came in the way of Reagan's students, they listed a couple of issues including economic hardships,teenage pregnancy, and neighborhood crime. I admire all three of the teachers I interviewed for their passion and commitment to the well-being of their students. They attributed the root of these problems to a cycle of poverty which feeds off itself. The health sciences teacher put a special emphasis on the prevalence of teen pregnancies at the school. She stated that the school has a daycare and a pregnancy rate of 30%. She also noted that pregnancy at an early age is considered socially acceptable for many teens at Reagan.

I personally feel this high frequency of pregnancy demonstrates the lack of expectations these girls have for themselves. The world history teacher stated that he believes this apathy comes from the girls being told that their sole purpose is to procreate. If society expects certain things from you, it is very difficult to go against the norm. As far as the male students go, there is a strong level of gang influence, he said. He emphasized that a sense of belonging is key at this age, and the decision to focus on academics isn't a well-respected one. A lack of adequate family and community support drives many of these students to make decisions without clearly assessing the consequences.

After hearing all of this information and reflecting on the class readings and lectures, I feel even more inspired to help the situation. I feel even more passionate about empowering minority students that doubt themselves. I know that Mr. Edleman suggested mentoring and tutoring, both which are great, but I want to do something that can create a larger dent. Since the health sciences teacher at Reagan emphasized a need for positive role models, I want to do what I can to help. I believe that large-scale peer empowerment programs would be beneficial. If students participate together in such a program, they will be more likely to absorb the messages. Marianne Williamson's quote "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate--it's that we are powerful beyond measure," couldn't be more true. The achievement gap is reflective of a lack of faith many minority students have in themselves, and I want to do what I can to change this. As social workers, we have the potential to collectively make a difference. If we put our heart and soul into this cause, we can significantly reduce the incidence of this disparity.

Ghana Blog Five: Quality of Life in Ghana

1)Population and Profile
-25,241,998
(July 2012 est.)
Age Groups
-0-14 years: 36.5% (male 4,568,273/female 4,468,939)
15-64 years: 60% (male 7,435,449/female 7,436,204)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 399,737/female 482,471) (2011 est.)
Median Age total: 21.4 years
male: 21.1 years
female :21.6 years (2011 est.)

2) Birth/Death Rates
Birth Rate: 26.99 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47
Death Rate: 8.57 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
Life Expectancy
total population: 61.45 years
country comparison to the world: 187
male: 60.22 years
female: 62.73 years (2012 est.)

3)Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.9%
male: 66.4%
female:49.8% (2000 census)

4) Leading Causes of Death
-Diarrheal Diseases (23,516 deaths or12.53% of deaths in 2010)
-HIV/AIDS (18,465 or 9.84% of deaths in 2010)

5) Imports and Exports
Imports: capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs
Exports: gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds,
horticulture

6)Percentage below poverty line-28.5% (Census 2007)

7)Unemployment Rate- 11% (2000 est)

8) School Life Expectancy
total: 10 years
male: 11 years
female: 10 years (2009)

9)From modernghana.com: “ In Ghana, it is difficult to talk about
'average' house prices, because there is no central record of land and property
transitions which take place in this country - this lack of regulation in the
industry in fact one of the factors compounding the escalating-price problem. The
most common way of averaging house prices elsewhere is to take the median, that
is the middle, price – this way, the figure is less distorted by the top two or
so percent of particularly expensive properties.”

-However, the average household size is 4.6, the average rooms per household is 2.4, and the average room density is 2.0.

10) Prevalence of cell phone and Internet users
Cellular Phone Users
17.436
million (2010)
country comparison to the world: 48
Internet Hosts
60,282 (2011)
country comparison to the world: 91
Internet Users
1.297 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 93

Sources:
http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/country-health-profile/ghana
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gh.html
http://www.modernghana.com/news/122211/1/house-prices-in-accra-too-high.html
http://www.ghanadistricts.com/region/?r=1&sa=90

Analysis
1) Physical Geography: Ghana is very rich in natural resources, including gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone. This allows for different industries to flourish and for Ghana to utilize these souces as exports. Agriculture is also a substantive part of Ghana's economy and the rainy tropical climate of the south allows for fruits, vegetables and grains to grow. However, Ghana does face disadvantages in the dry, arid north which is susceptible to drought and famine. Additionally, the area is known to recieve dust storms in the earlier half of the year. Based on this information, it appears that the standard of living ranges between low and medium for most people. While statistics show that roughly 25% of people live below the poverty line, there are likely other people who profit from the lucrative opportunites related to natural resources and agriculture.
2) Government System: On a positive note, Ghana has been described by the United Nations as Africa's most successful democracy. There is a democratic system of government intact, where people vote in elections and have the opportunity to experience their grievances. Nonetheless, corruption is prevalent throughout the Ghanian government. Ghana is better off than many other African nations yet it still lacks an effective structure. Another hurdle in the government system is the lack of acceptance of women politicians. While the likes of Kwame Nkrumah's daughter are examples of Ghanian women in politics, women are for the most part looked down upon for speaking their mind.
3) Economic system: Ghana's economy is 28.3 % agriculture based, 21 % industry based, and 50.7% service based. The average annual per capita income is $3,100. Since this figure is conveyed in American dollars, it's difficult to assess the situation. While 3,100 dollars seems like very little money for most Americans, by Ghanian standards, this amount of money may be just enough to help someone get by. That's not to say that poverty doesn't exist--there's no doubt that it does exist to a great extent. However, it's possible that certain items are proportionally cheaper for Ghanians. I have noticed in my trips to India that one can get a decent sized meal for $2--something that doesn't happen often in the US. I imagine that in Ghana the situation is similar.
4) History: Ghana used to be known as the Gold Coast during the time of colonialism. The presence of gold attracted colonists from Portugal, France, and England. While the British were the primary colonizers of the region, there were traders from the other two aforememtioned regions. The Portuguese built the Elimina Slave Castles to transport slaves from Ghana to other parts of the world. After years of slavery and oppression by European governments, Kwame Nkrumah helped Ghana achieve independence in 1957. This was a collective effort, with the help of pan-African thinkers like W.E. Dubois and Marcus Garvey. He was the first leader of Ghana and set the stage for making Ghana arguable the most democratic of African nations. The history of Ghana relates to the current standard of living in many ways. First and foremost, the fact that Ghana is a democracy impacts the people in a positive way. On the same token, since Ghana is a relatively new country it still faces difficulties with oganization and eliminating corruption. The deep-rooted oppression faced by Ghanians over time has also contributed greatly to poverty. For one, the Europeans exploited the natural resources and didn't allow the Ghanians to profit from them. Additionally, the lack of infrastructure contributes to social and economic difficulties.
5) Culture: Ghana is an extremely diverse nation with roughly 60 ethnic groups, 52 major languages, and hundreds of dialects. Ghana's culture is rich with different forms of music, literature, and festivals. There are a couple of ways in which the culture impacts the standard of living. First of all, Ghana experiences its fair share of ethnic strife and conflict. Although its diversity is admirable, it has unfortunately caused controversy between different groups. The case is similar for religion. There are also clashes between different religious groups (Christians, Muslims, and indigenous faiths). Life is indisputably more difficult for Ghanians in that they have to keep in mind the possibility of ethnic and religious riots. Another area where culture intersects lifestyle is in the role of women. While many communities within Ghana are matrilineal, there is still a common expection that women should be bearers of children and be confined to household labor. As I mentioned earlier, this influences the literacy rate for women, the Ghanian economy's output, and the participation of women in the political process.
6) How this relates to Gender Empowerment: The information I've gathered today further emphasizes the need for alleviating the status of women. Whether it's the average level of education attained, the literacy rate, or the number of jobs held, there is definitely a gap between men and women. For many years, the focus for women has primarily been taking care of the family. Although modern attitudes about educating and empowering women exist, change is occuring at a slow pace. While my Gender Empowerment group may not be able to make a huge dent in Ghanian society and attitudes, it is my hope that we will be able to convey messages of self-determination and economic empowerment for the women we work with.

Standing Out In The Crowd: A Little Bit On Religion

I must say that one of the things I like best about Adams's book is his lists of different experiences. I recently read his "A Beginning List of Christian Privileges," which really got my wheels turning. The more I read about privileges of different groups in this class, the more it just hits me what a significant impact social categorizations have on our daily lives. Earlier on this book, I remember reading a similar list titled "50 Experiences of Racially Mixed People." These lists do a thorough job of putting a face on abstract concepts like race, religion, class, etc.

After reading Adams's list of Christian privileges, I realized how true it is that Christians do have certain advantages. I don't usually sit around thinking "Hmm...I wonder what privileges Christians have?" but after perusing through the different statements it began to hit me how our society is essentially constructed around the religion. From Protestant prayer napkins at Chuy's to the abudance of churches around the country, there are multiple examples of Christianity as a hegemon.

Some of the statements that really stuck out to me included "I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify the existence and importance of the Christian religion," "I am never asked to speak for all the people of my religious group," and " I can remain oblivious to the language and customs of other religious groups without feeling any penalty for such a lack of interest/knowledge." It really just dawned on my how, as a Hindu-American, I've subconsciously molded my life to fit in accordance with the dominant religion. For one, I was never given curricular material in school that taught me about my religion. Aside from one amazing philosophy class at my humanities magnet middle school, no class every taught me anything significant about my religion. Thankfully, I didn't lose touch with my culture or religion due to my parents' insistence on teaching me about my roots. However, had I grown up in a household where the parents didn't enforce this, I would have ended up knowing nothing about my religion. How sad, huh?

Looking at the other two statements I've highlighted, I've definitely felt like I'm expected to "represent" Hindus. I've also noticed that it's almost socially acceptable for members of dominant religions to not know anything about my religion while I'm expected to know all about theirs. First of all, why should I be the spokesperson for Hinduism? Yes, I'm happy to answer questions about Hindu history, beliefs, and practices but we must keep in mind that we are all individuals. While I'm more laid-back in my practice, there are Hindus that are extremely devout. Second, I have no problem with learning about other religions; in fact, I truly enjoy classes and readings pertaining to world religions. However, I feel that it is equally important for members of dominant faiths to learn about minority religions. I remember once in high school a friend and I were talking about a young man both of us found attractive. We somehow ended up talking about what religion he was and I mentioned that he was Muslim. The girl, who was a Catholic, proceeded to say, "Well, maybe it might be better for you to go out with him, since your religions are closer anyway."

This statement left me dumbfounded; I'm no Catholic scholar but I can tell you that Catholicism and Islam are actually closer together in their beliefs because they fall under the monotheistic family (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). Also, Hinduism and Islam are extremely different religions with no common basis. Yes, people who practice these two religions may often be of the same ethnicity, but the religions themselves are completely and utterly different. The irony of this is that the girl was among the top few people in our class of 700. This situation is truly demonstrative of society's lack of emphasis on learning about minority groups.

From a historical standpoint, oppression 0f minority religions has existed for centuries. Whether it is the Native Americans, Jews in Nazi Germany or Muslims in post 9/11 America, minority groups have faced countless struggles when it comes to social equality. These struggles range from not having a holiday acknowledged to harassment and even violence. As I looked through Adams's maps of the history of anti-semitism, my stomach churned. It always boggles my mind to think that six million unarmed and innocent Jewish civillians were murdered. It is unbelievable how something as simple as religious differences led Nazis to murder, beat, starve, and gas Jews. On a similar note, I remember my mom telling me about Hindu-Sikh riots in India in the 1980s after Indra Gandhi's assasination. There were rumors that her Sikh bodyguards were behind her murder, and as result, many Sikhs were attacked and burned alive in the streets of Delhi. The sad truth is that people often resort to oppressive measures when they feel threatened by those different from themselves.

In the field of social work, a sense of worldliness and awareness of different backgrounds are vital tools. We come in contact with so many different populations that are multiethnic, multireligious, and of different genders and sexual orientations. It is important to be aware of the needs, desires, and struggles of these groups of people as we help them find effective solutions. In the context of religion, it is crucial that we are sensitive to various religious practices, beliefs, and traditions. It is my goal to gain a thorough understanding of world religions before I practice social work. I also hope to raise awareness about the diversity of religions and encourage society to place an emphasis on the importance of learning about them.

An Editorial On Rush Limbaugh's Recent Comments

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/04/opinion/sunday/dowd-have-you-no-shame-rush.html?_r=1&hp