I consider myself pretty introspective and reflective. Those close to me might characterize me as an ‘overthinker.’ I wear it like a badge of honor. I have found that some of my most impactful learnings about myself (and others) has come as a result of me setting aside time to reflect, process, and just think.
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“The most disrespected person in America is the black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the black woman. The most neglected person in America is the black woman.” Malcolm X quoted these words in 1962. As a Black woman, I would suggest they still resonate today… The “Angry Black Woman” narrative is one that is often used to undermine black women who choose to challenge the racism and sexism they experience.
Read MoreDave Portnoy, the founder of the sports blog Barstool, made national headlines this week from his response to rumors of his staff forming a union. It can be summed up from a tweet from Portnoy to his workers: “Unions are for pu%*#s. At least in our world.” As Eddie Kim argues, weaponizing masculinity to block fights for workers’ rights is a long American tradition.
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By my junior year in high school, I knew I wanted to attend a women’s college. To anyone who dared question this choice or offer the unsolicited “I could never be only around women—too much drama,” I retorted with an empty phrase I had memorized: “That’s sexist. Women’s colleges are empowering!” And empowered I would become—not without with some bumps along the way.
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As I think about the questions that Leigh Morrison posed in the introduction to this series, I admit that I was not particularly eager to reflect on so many painful memories of how internalized oppression has manifested for me. However, in service of the work and helping others to acknowledge and address the pain, I offer a glimpse into my own life in answer to her questions.
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Last week, when Leigh introduced us to the topic of internalized oppression, I couldn’t help but think of one of the most problematic “compliments” that I have encountered as a member of the Asian American community and how I have internalized it: being the “Model Minority.” This term has been used for decades to describe how the Asian-American population in America is exceptionally high-achieving, highly educated, and thus, a “model” for other minority groups to strive to emulate.
Read MoreWhen I was an undergraduate student at Wellesley College, one of my professors, Michael Jeffries, participated in an “Author Meets Critic” debate with Jason Reilly, a fellow black man, and the author of the book “Please Stop Helping Us: How Liberals Are Making It Harder for Blacks to Succeed.”
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