As an African-American female I have experienced and witnessed many instances of bias, prejudice, and oppression. Living in Louisiana doesn't help. Many people down here are still stuck in old ways. I can recall an experience of bias and prejudice earlier in the summer. My boyfriend and I went into a small family owned grocery store that sells cooked food for lunch. There were two white ladies in front of us and a white lady serving. She was very pleasant with them but when she got to us she acted as if she didn't want to serve us. An African-American lady came to help her and instead of sending her to the next customer, a white man, she went to him and sent the African-American lady to help us. We noticed immediately what she did and discussed it when we left the truck.
The white lady made it very obvious that she did not want to help us. She had one attitude when helping the customers of one race but a very nonchalant attitude when it came to helping us. Equity was diminished when she changed her attitude and did not serve us. We were not given equal service.
This incident brought up some very hurtful feelings. I hate that people still look at skin color and make a judgement. The color of my skin does not tell you who I am. Watching someone serve someone in a nice and pleasant manner then get to you and is completely different is very hurtful but is also a reminder that everyone is not over skin color.
Greater equity could have been achieved simply if the lady would have served us in the same manner as she did the previous customer. If the lady serving would have kept her nice and pleasant attitude this story would not have made my blog site.
I appreciated your statement, "The color of my skin does not tell you who I am"----in a different translation---"The ability of my hear does not tell you who I am" would be a better fit for me.
ReplyDeleteI share similar attitudes that you had experienced toward your skin. I had ones toward my ability to hear and speak. It always hurt, but we are allowed to speak up and fight for our rights.
I liked your comment regarding the color of your skin in relation to who you are as a person. I think people have a difficult time looking beyond any physical differences, whether skin color, gender, ability, etc., which hinders our unity as a society. These forms of microaggressions do produce hurtful and harmful affects for those who are targets of verbal and behavioral biases, prejudices, and oppression.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your experience!