Essay On Oppression In America

897 Words4 Pages

Internalized Oppression of Latinos Racism is a topic that is constantly being discussed each and everyday in political, economic and social settings. It seems that there are different notions of what constitutes as racism, and boundaries have been established to determine what is classified as a “racist act” and what isn’t. Although America has attempted to convince itself that it is living in a “post-racial” society that has not been the case. Racism and oppression has been internalized into racially oppressed groups and has been continued, as seen through the Latino community. Understanding race and racial hierarchies is important in understanding how it is enacted and reinforced by society. Eduardo Bonilla-Silva explores these ideas …show more content…

In the chapter “The Strange Enigma of Race”, Bonilla-Silva examines the effects of racial structure and says that “when race emerged in human history, it formed a social structure (a racialized social system) …show more content…

When I was younger, I internalized the belief of Colombians being associated with drugs, and worked so hard to move away from that ideal. I truly believed that being an obedient and diligent student would help me move away from that stereotype that has been associated with my people. I have also become aware of the policing that I enact towards myself, in terms of my personality and my clothing style. Latinas are already hypersexualized and fetishized on a daily basis, and I always found myself of being afraid of being recognized as the “stereotypical Latina”. I am fearful of succumbing to a “stereotype” that I know that is not true, and it has helped me realize that I am only further reinforcing the stigmas that are created by society to keep Latinas in their place on the racial hierarchy. Sexism and colorism are also prevalent in my life- I’ve seen my family criticize and mock my sister for dating men that aren’t white passing, or are black. Their racist and oppressive views have taught me to shift way from the reinforcement of stereotypes, and are teaching me