Of Race (non-White), LGBT and Women

An ongoing expansion of The US Problem

All three have been oppressed for hundreds of years and are just now finding some glimmer of hope. We have a virtual caste system based not on the individual but the way they look’

Race

Since its beginning, associating ethnic backgrounds as an outside group in the US is the most profound among darker-skinned people. These associated labels are prejudiced and, at its worst, enslavement.

Once a label sticks, the group is divided as lower beings. The funny thing is how labels are applied. I work with what I thought was an “African-American” because he is Black and had immigrated from Africa. It turns out I was wrong; one is only “African-American” if enslavement, in the US, is in their background.

And yet I am sure that he would be subject to the same treatment as any other Black man. One should only use Ethnic background, skin color, or the like should only as a description, which leaves us with only White, Black, Latino, Arabic, and Asian.

Only a description of their skin color or facial features, not of the individual as there are several sub-groups if you know more about that person, Korean vs. Chinese, for example, but just a quick look and Asian would suffice.

Skin color tells you nothing about the person. Lastly, if someone does choose to be associated with a specific ethnicity, much better to be American first, so American with an association, like “American with a. Cuban heritage”, or ‘American with an African heritage.”

These labels celebrate being American and a cultural heritage, which is not only a better description, it belongs to the owner. This new branding can be especially important when understanding another’s point-of-view, especially when there are numerous subgroups, such as tribal or country backgrounds.

Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, and Transgender

A strange case as looks alone, despite some popular media distortions, not something you can immediately tell on sight. And I cannot imagine what rationale one would use to designate them as inferior in any way; they live, work, think and love in all the same ways as anyone, just not like some would consider “normal.”

Not a sickness and not a choice, just the way they are, so I vote to let them live a full and fruitful life. Prominent historical figures are Lesbian, Gay, and Bi-sexual, Transgender once that was a workable option. They have ruled countries, made significant breakthroughs in Science and the Arts, only to be shunned, worse punished.

Perhaps the most famous example was Alan Turning, a brilliant mathematician that led his team to break the Nazi Enigma Code and is credited for shortening WWII by two years. Upon the discovery, he was gay, which was illegal at that time in England, given the option of chemical castration or prison. He died at the age of 41 from cyanide poisoning, which may have been suicide or accidental exposure, debated to this day.

Posthumously pardoned in 2013, and the “Turning Law” was passed in 2017, making his “crime” a crime no longer. While there is a much wider acceptance of one’s orientation in today’s world, it has been a long time coming, and it still has its issues.

No longer can you be fired for it, but you may have trouble finding work. The US military enacted “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in 1993, but if found out, you could still be facing discharge until 2011, when the Joint Chiefs lifted the ban.

As for same-sex couples adopting children, what is the difference if it is a loving home? Sexual orientation is not taught; it is just the way a person is. As a side note, sexual orientation has nothing to do with couple commitment, so all for same-sex marriage. On the other hand, if one is apt to never settle on one partner, that’s OK, but I would recommend you not have children.

Women

And perhaps the least obvious, but in many ways as oppressive, maybe worse is out treatment of women. They earn less, are expected to do more, and have generations of fighting for their rights. In the US, the Women’s Rights movement started in 1848. Before this, they were as close to virtual enslavement.

They could not own land, vote, sign legal documents, make a wage, or file physical abuse complaints against their husbands. The right to vote came with the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920, but that did not solve many other problems.

They could not open a checking account until the 1960s, not to mention have their own credit card, own land, and filing for divorce from the women’s side was nearly impossible.

Divorce terms were at the mercy of the husband. Funny enough, this was not always the case in what is now the United States; within most of the native tribes, the families tended to be matriarchal, and in many tribes selected women as the Chief, except for times of war, in which case there were two chiefs, the Home Chief and the War Chief. Although not explicitly barred from fighting, the tribes saw women as the nurturers and were, therefore, best left to keep peace at home. They could also dissolve unions in the case of spousal abuse or neglect. The plight of the woman has often been under-recognized.

Common Issues

All three of our oppressed samples have in common — harassment. Be it racial or orientation slurs or unwanted sexual advances, so slow down on the harassment.

Do this in your personal dealings and, most especially, at work. As you learn more about diverse peoples, learn what makes them feel good and bad. Avoid the bad just out of common courtesy, if nothing else. Not that I recommend avoiding all conversation a stay ultra-politically correct; just listen and learn and apply.

As you get to know them better, you will also know what is fair game to tease with and what is not, making for friendlier and productive relationships. There are, of course, the obvious slurs for each group, Do not use the n-word, make references to swimming the Rio Grande, words such as pansy or dike, and as long as I am on the subject, dwarfs prefer little people, not midgets.

With women, the lines are a bit hazier. I think it is OK to comment on them looking nice; just leave it there, don’t go down the rabbit hole of adding sexual comments. Above all, show some kindness and respect to everyone you meet; you’ll do much better. “To get along in this world, you have to be very smart or very pleasant, I prefer pleasant.” — Elwood Dowd from the play/movie ‘Harvey.’

Potential Plan

First is to look at people as individuals, not groups; I would recommend that you chat with three to four people not in “your group” to expand your knowledge of different cultures and appreciate that we work and play with individuals.

Never give away your Culture to be American. Please keep your cultural roots; just expand to consider those of others as well; you will end up learning quite a bit about others and yourself. As for me, I would dearly love to find a talented software engineer that is a Black Lesbian Wiccan to put on my software team, which is currently led by a White, very conservative Christian. Naturally, talent comes first, but different ways of looking at problems and solutions is always a bonus.

Conclusion

In the end, we must accept people as people no matter their skin color, sexual orientation, or sex. Power and dominance are the most likely culprits, those who have power want to keep it, and for centuries, this has been accomplished by segregation in form or another.

So in the case of the US, it leads to old White men having their cake and eating it too.

A quick story to help bring this into focus, as I was thinking one day, I wonder how far back in time I could go and still be comfortable? I was looking at it as a straight technology, running water, plentiful food, etc. Upon asking the same question of a Black co-worker, his first response was, “Can I be White?” His answer made me consider things differently. You can fill in Black with any of the groups mentioned above and quickly realize that it is more a social question than a technology question. Something we should all ponder next time you think you are in no way racist or bigoted.