Social Justice in the Classroom: Understanding the Implications of Interlocking Oppressions

                I was impressed with some of the ideas expressed in my article. It stated that in order for Social Justice to be properly handled in a classroom setting, indeed, properly discussed in any setting, the participants of that discussion must understand that they fall on one side or the other of any –ism portrayed in our society (racism, sexism, etc.) and that because of this fact, they are all oppressed and they are all oppressors. This fact would probably prove very uncomfortable for many people as it requires that they accept that they are imperfect and prejudiced in one facet or another. With the negative connotation linked to being prejudiced, many students and individuals in our society might find this a distasteful thing. However, acceptance of these failings within themselves can actually help strengthen their own identities and understandings of themselves through a recognition of their prejudice towards others.

                My article also suggests that it is through an understanding of this idea of identifying ourselves based on our interactions with one another that we can better understand those with whom we hold some kind of prejudice (once recognized) against. The author shares a quote by Audre Lorde as follows: “I am who I am, doing what I came to do, acting upon you like a drug or a chisel to remind you of your me-ness, as I discover you in myself.” This quote helps us realize that our interactions with one another are largely an effort to impress aspects of ourselves upon those with which we interact as well as to assimilate aspects of those with whom we interact into ourselves. Social Justice demands that we find some means of accepting that these –isms exist and that they exist within ourselves, whether in that we are against said –isms or whether we actual exhibit such –isms within ourselves.