Dismantling discrimination
|
|
|
x
|
|
|
|
In the previous chapter we discussed discrimination and how to recognise it. In this chapter you will learn perspectives and concrete tools that can help you dismantle discrimination in your own work. Once more we turn towards our own self: this time to become aware of what we actually think and believe. Only by self-awareness can we actually build, plan and implement inclusiveness in youth work.
The key to self-awareness is recognising the journey we have already taken in life and the changes in ourselves we have made over time. In building our self-awareness we will become more aware of the beliefs we carry. While beliefs are what we hold strongly to and see as true (much like values discussed in the chapter Me - building capacity from inside out), they can, and do, evolve over time. Inclusive youth work asks us to be open to having our beliefs challenged.
The way we see, understand, and interpret something will look different to everyone in the room and it is important to listen to these other perceptions. When gathering self-awareness, we slowly but surely build awareness of our own perceptions and how they are different to others. Similarly, we need to be as conscious as possible of the assumptions we bring into our spaces and to understand that we often fill gaps of uncertainty with assumptions, and these may not be true.
How we see the world is subject to the limited number of experiences each individual has in life as well as the amount of information they may have about any given topic. Together we can learn more and grow in our understanding of the different perspectives. Perceptions become lenses or filters through which we see ourselves and others. In time, lenses change. Such changes occur due to many reasons. Some lenses are kept because they are verified by experiences, and they provide us with a sense of orientation. Some lenses are left behind because they are no longer useful, or they become outdated. Some are changed because of an encounter.
We also bring expectations with us into our youth work settings. The more we learn to listen, hear and understand, the more we know where and when to enhance inclusion in our practice. To be inclusive we need to be aware of the expectations we place on young people from minorities and marginalised identities and the burden our expectations could place on them.
A useful way to think about all the things that make up who we are and how we view the world and other people is to think of the word FRAME, which can mean the metaphorical glasses that we all wear.
Here are some examples of the parts that make up our FRAME:
History/ancestral heritage
Family
Religion
Values
Age
Gender
Sexual orientation
Language
Nation/region
Ethnicity
Culture/cultural traditions
Physical abilities
Economic class
Profession
Neighbourhood we grew up in
Neighbourhood we live in now
Prejudice refers to the preconceived ideas or prejudgments that we have about an individual or certain groups of people.
We all have prejudices, whether we are aware of them or not. Prejudice is a cognitive mechanism that helps us categorise and describe people and in trying to predict behaviour based on simplifications. These simplifications are prejudices. Prejudices also affect how we interpret our interactions with other people and what we remember about these interactions. We remember more easily the interactions that reinforce our prejudices. The prejudices that we hold are often the result of years of socialisation from the moment we were born – by our parents, teachers, the news, TV programmes, advertisements and authorities, among others. The life experiences that we have, whether by choice or those we did not have any control over, also play a role in determining our prejudices. In other words, our prejudices stem from the worldview that we hold – in essence, the metaphorical glasses that we all wear which frame and filter how we see the world. Because of this, the prejudiced thoughts that we have often come almost automatically as they operate on an unconscious level. They are also often based on the visual cues we take in when we see another person. We tend to have more negative prejudices about people that are socially far away from what could be called “the people like us”.
While we may not always recognise the prejudices that we hold, they can lead to acts of discrimination, such as excluding someone. Prejudices can lead to discrimination, whether or not they are recognised, but at least when we are aware of our prejudices, it is possible to look at them critically and maybe decide how much we let them drive our actions.
Microaggression: a comment or action that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalised group in everyday interactions.
Prejudices can become visible as microaggressions. Microaggressions may not seem like such a big deal to those from a majority group. However, for those who are subjected to microaggressions, it is like having to deal with multiple mosquito bites throughout the day. Microaggressions and other acts of discrimination can be quite small experiences, but these experiences accumulate and cause long-term stress.