The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression
This week I experienced an opportunity in which I had hoped to create a moment of prejudice awareness with a family member. Having an understanding of her extreme biases, opinions, and extremely privileged attitude, she is someone that I have discontinued making efforts with to discuss issues of diversity and oppression. In light of this course, I chose to try again.
The opportunity presented itself when she posted false information about Canadian refugees on her Facebook account. In order to ensure that I had my information correct, I did a little research and then responded to her posting. Without any accusations, I attempted to open a conversation regarding this issue. Not surprisingly, I was shut down. I think what upset me the most about this incident was that she didn’t care that the information she was posting was false. It didn’t change how she felt and so in her eyes, it didn’t matter. In my mind, I questioned whether she was even aware of who Canadian refugees were and what the negative consequences of posting and reinforcing this information would be on this already marginalized group of people. Many people believe what they read on the Internet and having such false information circulating continues to oppress Canadian refugees by creating additional biases towards this group of people.
I chose not to respond because I knew that the Internet was not the place to have this conversation. From past experiences, I knew that she would take this as an opportunity to voice her biases and I was concerned that this would add to the already negative message that she had posted. I also knew that she was not interested in learning more about this situation. I was frustrated because this is a family member with whom I have a close relationship with and that regardless of my efforts to express another viewpoint, I will continue to be exposed to prejudices and biases without any regard to my own personal feelings or the effect that this attitude has on marginalized groups within our society. I am glad I made the attempt but have come to realize that regardless of how I present opportunities to discuss such biases in a safe environment, this is a situation in which this family member must be open and willing to listen and self reflect on her own thoughts and behaviours before any change will occur.
Early Childhood Studies 
Sandra,
Confronting family is especially difficult. While they have the right to their own thoughts, it is difficult when they share misinformation and bias on social media with others. I agree that entering into a heated discussion would only perpetuate the situation and give more fuel to her closed thinking. Unfortunately, I think at this point the only thing you can do is maintain the integrity of your own thoughts and behavior and just leave her to her own misguided ones.
Carol
This is so true Sandra,
I feel as being a member of a family that expresses their bias opinions about others without having knowledge or research are a reflection of us. All you can do is state the facts to her and hope that she listens. People have their own opinion about topics but when it effects someone’s character or demeans their culture, they should step back and put themselves in the shoes of others. Thanks for your post!
Greetings Sandra,
In regards to your experience with a prejudice family member, I would like to say that you handled it well. With respects to your family, I too can see how false information can have a detrimental effect upon existing bias towards a group of people. Herein, republishing information as such not only misinform the masses but further diminishes equity towards Canadian refugees who are not any different from another refugee of people. As we have learned despite the classification the difficulties experienced by those within the same class do not change. Therefore here response to Canadian refugees can be aimed at all other refugees.
Thanks for the discussion.