Understanding and Navigating Social Issues: Racism, Sexism, and Homosexuality

1. Module –The Isms

2. How to Navigate Tutorial • Click on hyperlinks within each slide first. • Click on to move to the next slide. • Click on to move to the previous slide. • Click on the icon to return to the index.

3. The Isms Tutorial Index • Lesson 7 – Racism is a thing of the past. • Lesson 8 - Male chivalry or just sexist? • Lesson 9 - That’s so gay! • References

4. Objective 1 Discuss the impact of racism, including color blind racism, internalized racism, and silent racism

5. Racism • “Attitude, action, or institutional arrangement that results in the subordination of another group based ostensibly upon group-linked physical characteristics” (Jones, 2002) • “A system of advantage based on race” defined by David Wellman, as quoted in Tatum (1997)

6. Defining Racism • Definition = racial prejudice (Racism, n.d.) • May defend racial advantage • May not possess overtly prejudiced attitudes • White Privilege Active Racism Passive Racism

7. Understanding Racism • Individual vs. Institutional • Layered Identities White Able-bodied Heterosexual Young Male

8. Color-Blind Racism • Abstract Liberalism • Meritocracy • Individualism • Naturalization • Biologination of Culture • Minimization of Racism

9. Internalized Racism • Can feel out of place, judged, or uncomfortable • Can question own thinking or judgment about racism • Can push toward dominant ideals, repel own • Can lead to feel embarrassed

10. Silent Racism • Feelings of superiority by dominant group • Stereotypical views about other groups Racist Non-Racist

11. Objective 2 Describe the myth of the “Model Minority.”

12. Racism / Asians • Not “White” and not “Black” • May not identify discrimination as racism • The Model Minority • Immigrants vs. Refugees • Multiple Family Households

13. Racism / Native Americans • Primary Education lacking • School Mascots controversy • Casino myths • Contemporary Issues • Higher unemployment • Lower school completion rates • Widespread domestic abuse • Widespread alcoholism

14. Racism / Latinos • Diversity • Reasons for migrating • Better jobs • Higher salaries • More opportunities

15. Racism / African Americans • 1954 – Brown v. Board of Education • 1957 – Desegregated Public Bus Transportation • 1960 – Civil Rights Act • 1965 – Affirmative Action • 1967 – Voting Rights Act • 1970 – Affirmative Action expanded

16. Sexism Definition • Attitude, action, or institutional arrangement that subordinates a person on the basis of his or her sex

17. Objective 3 Discuss the social construction of gender

18. Facts • In 1998 when a White man made $1.00… • A White women made 73 cents • A African American women made 63 cents • A Hispanic women made 54 cents

19. Terminology SEX GENDER Culture Gender Roles Gender Role Attitudes • Biology • Chromosomes • Hormones • Anatomy Example: Brain Lateralization

20. Gender Dimensions Agentic COMMUNAL Emotionality Expressiveness Talkativeness Awareness of others feelings • Aggressiveness • Dominance • Independence • Ambitiousness • Self-confidence

21. Objective 4 Describe the relationship between sexist attitudes and discrimination

22. Do sexist attitudes lead to discrimination? • Female leaders received more negative responses • Female leaders received fewer positive responses • More likely to occur when: • Male dominated roles • masculine style

23. Tough Guise • Growing up male… • G.I. Joe’s biceps in 1960’s = 15” • G.I. Joe’s biceps in 2000’s = 26 ½ ” • Masculine Gender Roles

24. Heterosexism Definition • Attitude, belief, value, or behavior that denies, denigrates, or stigmatizes non-heterosexual behavior or identity

25. Objective 5 Discuss the social construction of homosexuality

26. Historical Perspective • 19th Century – “sexual inverts” • Anyone that deviated from traditional gender scripts • 1948 – Kinsey • 1952 – Homosexuality defined as mental illness • 1957 –Hooker • 1973 – Homosexuality removed from DSM-III

27. Cross-Cultural Perspective • Sambians • Native-Americans (“two-spirits”) • Contemporary Acceptance • Sweden • South Africa • Spain • Canada

28. The Zeitgeist • Victorian American • Ancient Greece • Sexual Behavior • Masturbation • Sodomy • Adoption • Marriage

29. Objective 6 Identify individual characteristics that correlate with anti-gay attitudes

30. Anti-Gay Attitudes • Men • Traditional gender roles • Conservative attitude about sex • Believe it’s “caused” by social factors • Conservative religion • Racially prejudiced and authoritative • Few gay acquaintances or friends

31. Men and Anti-Gay Attitudes • Culture - adherence to gender roles • Psychodynamic – repression • Lesbianism – erotic

32. The Issues • Is sexual orientation a “minority group”? • Biological Research - choice? • Laws – other “choices” are protected • Religious Issues • Violation of “family values” or “God’s law” • Respect the family

33. References Bonilla- Silla, E.. (n.d.).Color-Blind Racism. In a Rothenberg, P. (Ed.), Race, Class, and Gender in the United States (pp. 131-138). New York: Worth. Jones, M. (2002).Social Psychology of Prejudice. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Kottak, C.P. & Kozaitis, K. (2008). On Being Different: Diversity and Multiculturalism in the North American Mainstream (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Osajima, K. (1993).Internalized Racism. In a Rothenberg, P. (Ed.), Race, Class, and Gender in the United States (pp. 138-143). New York: Worth. Racism. (n.d.) in Merriam-Webster Online. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com. Sethi, R.C. (1994). Smells Like Racism. In a Rothenberg, P. (Ed.), Race, Class, and Gender in the United States (pp. 143-154). New York: Worth. Tatum, B. D. (1997). Defining Racism: “Can We Talk?”. In a Rothenberg, P. (Ed.), Race, Class, and Gender in the United States (pp. 123 – 131). New York: Worth.