Internalized Dominance

For chapters 6 and 7 in Sensoy and DiAngelo, I posed this question:

If there are so many examples of oppression through sexism as we read, then why is this oppression of women understood as "invisible" in our society?

 I think our society, in general, has a hard time facing issues that run so deep. Rather, we pretend there is not a problem and move forward. In a way, I think it roots in the fact that we don't always acknowledge sexism relating to our behavior. Sexism may be engrained within people's experiences being raised, in which case it is something they first have to acknowledge exists. Sensoy and DeAngelo reference back to chapter 3 with the concept of a fish moving in a water current. If the water is moving with the fish towards its destination, it may seem effortless to him and he may not acknowledge how much further the flow of water is accelerating him. At the same time, a fish going against the current is going to be working much harder and still not getting as far. On one hand, we have a privileged fish who may not even notice the other fish going against the current, and on the other hand, the fish going against the current is giving its all to reach the same goals. This demonstrates the challenges of women trying to "get to the top" on a professional level amidst other existing privileges. As we know "Privilege is socially constructed to benefit members of the dominant group." (Sensoy and DiAngelo, pg.81) While it is possible for women to reach the same goals as men in 2020, it is a more strenuous process. This is due to internalized dominance and internalized oppression. However, because these topics are internalized, they are not always addressed, making them invisible to our society, as we are creatures of habit. 

I chose this graphic as a reminder of the power that women can have to be known leaders in their communities. Let us keep swimming with everything we have until we reach the top. Let us make our presence known and heard until we have defeated this internalized and invisible male dominance in our society.

Reading: Sensoy and DiAngelo: Is Everyone Really Equal? Second edition, 2017 Columbia University, chapter 6 and 7

image: https://www.commpro.biz/women-language-and-power/