Briefly explain the concept of oppression by isms and its implications; include examples to clarify your answer.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Oppression by isms refers to social injustice experienced by individuals because of their membership in a group that is defined by an ideology of ism, such as sexism, racism, ageism, heterosexism, and other isms. In the United States, individuals belonging to such groups have different realities than members of the majority group. For example, majority group members often enjoy unearned advantages while those with minority group membership find themselves in disadvantageous positions. Based on the conclusion of the President Clinton’s Advisory Board to the President’s Initiative on Race as indicated in the text, racism is the most divisive force in the United States. The text further indicate that the presence of racism and other isms is the reason American democratic society has an unjust side that denies members of minority groups access to resources, wealth, and opportunities. An example is that White people benefit from White-skin privileges that provide access to resources and exempt them from oppression that members of minority group do not. However, White people may experience oppression because of reasons other than being white, such as sexism, classism, and ageism. Such oppression operates at different levels, including individual and societal levels exposing marginalized people to discrimination and victimization.