Jenna LewandowskiRace and gender are not the only issues affecting American society; social class, as well as sexual orientation, is major factors in people’s lives as well. All citizens of the United States have privileges; some just have more than others.
“I didn’t understand whether I made the rules to the game invisible or if they were made for me,” Dr. Charlie McCormick, English professor, said. The rules he spoke of are those of how our society functions on a daily basis. Rules such as the privileges of being a white male or the privileges allowed women who show off their sexuality.
Cabrini faculty developed an educational program to bring to light the issues of race, gender and sexual orientation. Students and teachers gathered to talk about the issues and how they have affected them. The first part of the program included an interactive activity, which the audience had to choose whether they agreed or disagreed with certain patterns and trends. Some of the questions were “do you expect your doctor to be the same gender as you?” Or “do you expect to go into an interview with a person of the same race?” As the questions changed the dynamics of the room changed. Most women disagreed with the doctor while most of the black students disagreed with the interviewer question.
‘You can’t say that you’re color blind unless you are blind,” Lori-Ann Litchmore, freshman, said. The idea of socialization between different races as people being blind to one another’s color was dismissed as propaganda.
Students felt it was expected of them to feign ignorance to different races. “You are taught not to point out people’s differences,” Geronna Lewis, senior, said.
Posted to the web by Antonio Masone
