Inequality And Systemic Opression Analysis

The importance of seeing inequality as a system is that stereotyped beliefs, because they become embedded in society, are widely held and supported by not only individuals, but social groups and institutions alike. Oppression does not end when one person decides to confront their own prejudices or when one law is passed which works toward guaranteeing equal rights for all individual; the struggle for equality it is an ongoing battle. Often, discrimination and inequality are confronted only when they are direct and visible. Yet, inequality is multifaceted and the perpetuation of inequality has become so entrenched in our social and political structure that it is often hidden behind ideas and practices that have become accepted as the norm.

This kind of discrimination is often recognized when it results in violence or direct confrontation and is easily identifiable. Yet, prejudice and discrimination play only a small part in the whole spectrum of systemic oppression. From the moment we are born, individuals are subject to a wide variety of social constructs and ideas which serve to shape who they identify as and become. These concepts are learned through socialization, a process in which our surroundings serve to characterize the ideas and customs which we accept as ‘normal’ as well as our personalities, beliefs, and social identities. Bobbie Harro explains in “The Cycle of Socialization” that we are each born into a specific set of social identities and that through these identities, we are predisposed to oppression. The author describes this process as “pervasive…consistent…circular…self-perpetuating… and often invisible”. Through socialization, our existence is shaped in relation to our physical and social environment…we become a product of the context in which we are raised and our reality is shaped not only by a universal morality, but the beliefs and practices of those around us. This invisibility is what makes the conscious processing of and recognition of oppression as a system challenging for many

(Whitley, B. E. Jr. & Kite, M. E) Such discrimination is characteristically codified into the working procedures, policies, laws, or intentions institutions such as schools, media, churches, workplaces and governments, and is supported when socialization distinguishes this discrimination as normal. Because the entire social system is saturated with institutional discrimination, it becomes an everyday part of our lives and is difficult to distinguish because many people have been brought up to accept the ideas which perpetuate discrimination as universal truths. This ‘normalcy’ of discrimination, which is disseminated through social practices, can be difficult to recognize because it is so embedded in our daily lives. For example, a teacher who may not consider themselves discriminatory by nature may still unconsciously show prejudice against their students by behaving according to their social conditioning. Asking students to line up for bathroom break by binary male/female gender standards may cause students who do not fit in to this binary to feel uncomfortable or rejected. Yet the teacher may not be aware, because they fit into the gender binary themselves (and the gender binary is commonly accepted as normal in a large majority of institutions and