Help! Help! I'm Being Repressed!

            Over the years, our idea of an oppressive society has evolved to be some sort of 1984 Big Brother totalitarian state. 

But I digress when society actually forgoes something that loud in favor of subtlety. An oppressive society does not need to look like a totalitarian state in order to oppress its people. An oppressive society can systematically oppress its people using a system known as the four I’s of oppression; Ideological, Institutional, Interpersonal, and Internal.

            First, Ideological is any oppressive system where a group is motivated by a core set of ideas, values, and beliefs; ideas that said group is superior to another, and therefore, has the right to control. The idea gets elaborated in many ways as Ideological oppression formed the –isms. There are twelve in total such as Sexism, Heterosexism, Cisgenderism, Classism, Racism, Colorism, Ableism, Lookism, Sizeism, Ageism, Nativism, and Colonialism.

            Elaborating on the ideological nature of each idea, sexism is the idea that one gender is superior than the other. Heterosexism is a subcategory and is defined as people having a sexual relationships exclusively with a member of the opposite sex. Cisgenderism is when a person who does not identify with their assigned gender role are then forced to accept it, less they suffer social consequences. 





Classism involves social hierarchy where the wealthy and powerful oppress the poor and insignificant.   



 Racism could easily be described as disliking others of color, however, that’s Colorism. Racsim is simply one racial group being treated differently from another. Ableism is the social pattern of disabled people being treated differently to an unnecessary degree. Lookism is where people whose bodies and faces may be treated differently if they do match the ideal norm. Sizeism is where people whose bodies fit social ideals are treated differently than those who do not. Ageism is when people who have a certain chronological age are treated differently to an unnecessary degree than those who do not. Nativism is the idea of people born in a certain country are treated differently than those who immigrated. And lastly, Colonialism is similar to Nativism, however, the benefits usually go to the group identified as the most powerful, most likely the invading country.

Society likes to believe we're evolved because we're human, and thus different from animals. Humans, however, are a form of animal, and the -isms allows us to intertwine ideas of evolution and natural selection in our society. Humans have an intense desire to know that they are special, that some are superior than others, and the -isms gives us gratification for such a complex.

            Second, Institutional oppression works as an extension of Ideological oppression as it reinforce itself through institutions and systems. This works by having a group or a member of an ideological group work or in control of a major institution of society such as legal systems, police, education, hiring practices, housing, media, and politics. For example, racism might reinforce itself through the police in the form of racial profiling as one out of four African American men are thrown in jail or on probation. The same could be said for outspoken members of the LBGT community being rejected from the US Military with its “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy a few years back. Openly gay soldiers were prohibited from serving their country and thus had to hide their sexuality. Education also serves as a factor. When a child grows up with a higher quality education, the more likely that child will be aware of its environment, and thus, see the strings manipulating it. However, if a child is given a poor education, the more likely it will grow up subservient to society because it's ignorant, it can't think for itself. 

Children of the Westboro Baptist Church are victims of their parents' ideology. Growing up indoctrinated and facing the consequences of their actions.

         Third, Interpersonal oppression is how members of society oppress one another. The most blatant form is how one group, assured of their own superiority, are then individually allowed to personally mistreat, abuse, and inflict harm against a targeted/oppressed group. Prime examples could be hate crimes such as white people inflicting violence onto a group of blacks, straight and/or fundamentalist people against members of the LGBT community, and domestic abuse between a husband and his wife. However, violence is not the only form of Interpersonal oppression, but it can come in the form of passive aggressive conduct such as racist or sexist jokes, perpetuating stereotypes, harassment, threats, minimizing another group’s thinking, etc. Nonetheless, there are instances where members of a dominant group are not consciously aware of their oppressive conduct, which lastly brings us to Internalization.

            Internalization is when society internalizes its oppressive ideology. They’ve come to accept the idea that the oppressed are inferior, the ideology reflected in institutions, the mistreatment given interpersonally from members of the dominant group. They’ve come to internalize the negative messages about themselves. Internalization thus leaves society looking pretty pessimistic as a black person would always expect to be arrested; the rich giving to the rich and none to the poor; a gay couple having their civil rights denied. It leaves one feeling helpless or powerless to change their situation.

            To combat the systems of oppression, one needs to build bridges with members of the oppressed. Stand united and undo the internalized beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors that perpetuate such a state. Treat one another with kindness and respect, learn and share your experiences with others, brighten someone’s day. Tell them it gets better.