Current Protests

While I have veered from the subject of Male Stereotypes quite frequently, I believe male stereotypes are impacted by matters of race as well. Some men in the Black community are often discriminated against as seen with George Floyd. There is no denying that what was done was wrong and should be punished. However men today so strongly feel the need to provide that they have come to looting as their solution.

Stealing s not justified for their families. Although I recognize the need to provide is an immense pressure placed upon men in society, it is no justification for illegal activities. We must all condemn this in addition to the officer's discrimination against George Floyd. Due to all this, my family and I are concerned about our safety when going outside. I have even seen stores of family friends getting destroyed on the news. We must all come together to stop these acts from continuing.

White Privilege in the Job Market

White privilege’s impact on the job market has been felt for centuries. White privilege is defined by the Oxford dictionary as “inherent advantages possessed by a white person on the basis of their race in a society characterized by racial inequality and injustice”. Its roots in the United States can be traced to the 17th century with the advent of slavery. After fighting in the Civil War for their freedom, Blacks were introduced to a new form of maltreatment with sharecropping. Similar discriminatory actions continued legally until Lyndon B. Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Despite this law and continued efforts by the government, discrimination against Blacks in the job market has been proven by studies over fifty years later. Efforts were further made with the Kerner Report in 1967, citing White racism as the cause of Blacks’ lack of economic opportunity. Despite attempts at support for the Black community in legislation, it has failed to revert centuries of White privilege, resulting in the perpetuation of de facto discrimination.

Able-bodied Privileges

I have never placed much thought into my ability to walk from place to place. In school, I’m able to use my hands to type an essay, give my teachers a high-five, or do push-ups in PE. It wasn’t until my friend had broken his wrist that I had realized my able-bodied privilege. Going to the gym had become impossible for him. Taking a shower had become a daunting mission to undertake. Even eating had become an awkward ritual where the utmost focus was needed to guide the food correctly.

As horrible as the situation was, he was able to recover—a luxury not available to all disabled individuals. Although able-bodied privilege is easy to notice, it is just as easy to ignore. People tend to ignore those with disabilities as it makes them uncomfortable. Rather than take the time out of their day to support these individuals, it is easier to ignore them. I have made it my goal to see the able-bodied privilege in my day-to-day life, attack how society avoids the issue at hand, and utilize any possible solutions to help those in need.

Male Stereotypes Between Racial Lines

We've all heard about George Floyd's murder. An officer put his knee to the man's neck, causing him to die. Although most are looking at the more obvious racial discrimination taking place, it is important to also see the male stereotypes that take place here. Men are often seen as strong, and so complaining is seen as weakness and disregarded. When Floyd said that he wasn't able to breathe, it was subsequently ignored as a result. In addition, the officer wanted to show that he was in power. he did this by putting Floyd in danger and then killing him.

This is seen as 'manly' as it shows that the officer is 'stronger' than Floyd. Similar to how people go to the gym so that they can appear more manly, this is exactly what the officer did. The death of Floyd is quite disgusting to watch and makes me disappointed that an officer would do that. Watching the video is difficult, but I feel essential in understanding the similar plights between racial and sexual lines in society.

Current Events

It's Memorial Day! Millions of Americans go on to celebrate the day that The United States as we now call it separated from the British. Although some disregard the holiday and simply call it a day off, it does seem to be a male-dominated holiday. Men tend to come together and barbecue during this time of year. We are able to usually see commercials dominating our TVs about Memorial Day sales, but this year is different than the rest.

Instead we have seen a shift from our barbecues and sales. People have begun to come together amidst this time of worry. Although it is horrible that such a tragic event is the one bringing us together, it is nice to see the cooperation amongst all people. We must make sure to continue this trend into the future: supporting our hard workers at risk, placing the needs of the minority as important, and keeping ourselves safe. Thank you to everyone who is doing their part to support others.

Privilege Further Explored

I have come to realize a few faults in the study conducted that I analyzed the previous week. While I initially saw it as incredibly thorough, I have come to realize how the study 'whitened resumes' to be bad. Resumes had been whitened by changing ones employment from 'Engineering Union' to 'African American Engineering Union'. Those who had just written 'Engineering Union' were hired at a significantly higher rate than their counterparts. While initially I took this as a factual demonstration of the de facto discrimination facd by minorities, I have new thoughts on the study itself.

I have come to believe that this choice was justified. I don't think there is anything wrong with choosing workers from a diverse organization over a racially exclusive one. In addition, being president of a larger union with people of all races should be seen as more valuable than being in charge of only one specific race. There is nothing wrong with wanting someone of diverse experience in alarger group. If there are any identifiable discriminatory acts against African Americans, then I believe action needs to be taken. However, in regards to this, it is not as apparent.

Privilege

We've all heard of White Privilege. It's the notion that a White man is in a more advantageous position as a result of his skin. Earlier this week, I read a study describing the discriminatory action in the hiring practices of businesses across the country. Resumes were sent to 1,600 employers, varying between some with Asian and Black groups in their prior experience. Those with 'whitewashed' resumes often got hired more than those showing their true identity. This truly appalled me to read, as the study was conducted extremely thoroughly.

However I have an issue with White Privilege. While I do admit that the notion does have merit in some forms, it leads others to place the blame on White people for their misfortune. This does nothing to help solve the issue. While it is acceptable to recognize this problem, placing blame on an abstract concept or group does nothing to help. The best solution is to tackle where the issue stems from and solve them on an individual basis. Similarities can also be drawn to Male Privilege.