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Social Construction Of Race Essay

1217 Words5 Pages

1. What does the social construction of race and ethnicity mean? The social construction of race and ethnicity deals with the need to have a hierarchy based on skin color, phenotype, and the poking and prodding of humans to scientifically justify their claims that White is the superior race. Though the basis of the conversation of race and ethnicity as a social construct is based on biases, prejudice, and misconceptions about minorities, it was believed in society for many decades because of the rhetoric that was pushed into institutions that helped to further oppress people of color. Many opinions about the racial hierarchy that was prominent in society were based on colonization, slavery, and in more recent times, scientific racism. In America, when it comes to race and ethnicity, people are …show more content…

This does not mean that my life would be better if I a different race, but I am already being judged because of my race before I can even speak or prove myself to people. In many cases, as a Black woman, I must work harder than other people to even be able to compete with them. As a Black woman, I have to be smarter and more calculated during everyday actions, such as speaking to people because regardless of how I speak, I run the risk of being labeled an “angry Black woman.” In many settings, it is harder to fit in and still be me because myself is not accepted or appreciated in the room and is not a common sight in these places. Even in public, it takes more caution to just have fun with your friends because we are not looked at as young adults who are just enjoying their time together, we are looked at as potential threats and will constantly be profiled wherever we go. Being Black in America is not always the safest, yet in the Black community, we have a way of flipping negative aspects of what we have experienced and making the most out of it

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