Blog#9

Last week in class we first discussed our experiences in the Tunnel of Oppression. It seemed we all had similar experiences that the experience left a bit of a sad feeling on us. I think it was an accurate display of reality, but that many of us do not see this kind of treatment toward others on an up close basis. I know that I have not experienced the amount of, or all the different types of oppression I witnessed, albeit pretend, but I have been oppressed in some ways and to some lower level of degrees.  The sheer magnitude of it all, and the feelings I felt as I put myself in the shoes of the oppressed actors  put me in a sad mood.  We also discussed the article Lipsticks and Labcoats during class. I agree this is an issue that should, and is, being addressed. However, great strides are being made in the STEM fields by women and I personally have faith that the numbers will even out before long. I believe that early childhood stereotypes about what a scientist looks like needs to be addressed as well. Girls/women need to feel comfortable pursuing a career in the STEM fields and not as if they are an underdog. Toward the end of class we discussed our thoughts on the homeless articles we read. I mentioned that the most important thing I learned from the reading was that many homeless or financially disadvantaged youths feel as though the  higher education life is like a whole other world to them and that they would not fit in. Also, I learned, that many of these same youths do not have enough support around them to help them  through the necessary steps to become accepted by a higher education learning facility.

The reading this week on liberating ones self from oppression by Bobbi Harro was interesting in how she uses the cycle to show how we can get to the core of liberation. The cycle is quite different than her cycle of socialization in that this is a good cycle and that to join this cycle one needs to take such initial steps as to “wake up”  and to make inter and intra personal changes. I appreciate how Harro has taken upon herself to do more than teach social justice to people but to also help entire groups of people understand what it will take to make system-level changes. I like how she encourages groups to work together and in coalitions “we may organize, plan actions, lobby, do fund raising, educate and motivate members of the uninvolved public. We coalesce and discover that we have more power as a coalition. This gives us encouragement and confidence” (Harro, p.467). The suggestions given by Mary McClintock in her article on interrupting oppressive behavior were similar to the messages we heard at the tunnel of oppression exhibit. McClintock also believes that speaking up against and not accepting oppressive behavior is crucial in eliminating this from our society. I agree that if vast majority of us educated ourselves on this issue, such as the tunnel of oppression did, and Univ.349 class does, and we step up more often and interrupt the behavior, as well as support others who interrupt oppressive behaviors, we can get much closer to a civilized society that treats each other with equal respect.