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Difference to me means a variable of something that changes with other individuals.

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How does the process of dichotomization affect your understanding of difference?

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How does the process of dichotomization affect your understanding of difference?

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The process of dichotomization is simply broken down into one thing: Us vs. Them. People naturally find differences between themselves and others and place them in categories of coinciding or not coinciding with themselves.

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What do you consider to be your master statuses?

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What do you consider to be your master statuses?

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I think my Master statuses are my race (black) and my gender (woman). They shape how people see me, who I am, what I do, and even how I think.

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Of those master statuses, which do you consider to be stigmatized statuses and which are privileged?

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Of those master statuses, which do you consider to be stigmatized statuses and which are privileged?

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I think both of my master's statuses are stigmatized. I get discriminated against for being black, discriminated against for being a woman, and discriminated against for being a black woman. Malcolm X once said, "The most disrespected person in America is the black woman". Yet with all the struggles (and joys) of being a black woman, there are still things I'm privileged with. For instance, I'm a student who has the capability to obtain high education. I'm a daughter and granddaughter to a loving and supportive family. My father was military so I have access to free education. Although I definitely have my share of marginalization, I am also privileged as well.

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MALCOLM X  THE MOST DISRESPECTED PERSON IN AMERICA IS THE BLACK WOMAN

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In your life, how have you experienced your stigmatized statuses and your privileged statuses? How have these experiences influenced your understanding of difference?

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In your life, how have you experienced your stigmatized statuses and your privileged statuses? How have these experiences influenced your understanding of difference?

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In my life, I was taught very early about everything I would face going through life as a black woman. Sometimes it's small things such as being perceived to be angry or rude if I'm not overly friendly, which does take its toll. I can be perceived to be ghetto based on my name, or how I dress on a certain day. Although white women the same age as me can wear bright hair colors and be seen as just "free-spirited", if I chose to do the same it's messy. Even the way my hair naturally grows from my head is considered unprofessional. If I walk too slowly or too fast in a store, they might think I'm a thief due to my skin color. Due to my body's capability to produce children, jobs may see me as unreliable. It also sometimes affects how I see myself. Sometimes it's hard to remember that I'm just as capable of succeeding in life as people more privileged than I am due to the number of times I experienced such stigmatization.

I have also experienced privilege as well. For example, since the military pays for my college I don't have any student loans. When I get my degrees, I won't have to worry about paying anything off I can just focus on my future. Even though I'm a black girl, I am a lighter-toned black girl and that's more palatable to people which is also a privilege. I am also cis-gendered and straight.

My life experiences taught me about differences because I've always lived my life being the "other" until I got to college and realized that I do have some privileges.

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How will your experiences and understanding of difference impact your work as a social worker?

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How will your experiences and understanding of difference impact your work as a social worker?

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I think my experiences of knowing what it's like to be different and the problems that come along with it will be especially useful when it comes to my work as a social worker. I think also knowing that because everyone is different that just because I experience things one way doesn't always mean that someone in similar circumstances will have the same outcomes as I did. For instance, although African American and Arabic people are both marginalized groups in America and both groups experience racism, each experiences it differently.

Another thing is how certain events in history, such as the Civil Rights Movement,  9/11, or even the passing of Obergefell v. Hodges can change the way that certain communities are looked at. In the text, there is a section called "Friendly Foreigner to Enemy Race" that speaks on this phenomenon. For instance, the 9/11 attack completely shifted how Americans looked at not only Middle Eastern people but also created a hatred for the entire Islamic religion. As social workers, it is up to us to bypass our own biases for the interest of our clients.

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Rosenblum, K.E., & Travis, T.C. (2016). The Meaning of Difference: American Constructions of

Race, Sex and Gender, Social Class, and Sexual Orientation.  Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Callender, K. A. (2015). Understanding antigay bias from a cognitive-affective-behavioral perspective. Journal of Homosexuality, 62(6), 782–803. https://doi-org.proxy.library.vcu.edu/10.1080/00918369.2014.998965

De Cecco, J. P., & Figliulo, M. C. (1978). Methodology for studying discrimination based on sexual orientation and social sex-role stereotypes. Journal of Homosexuality, 3(3), 235–241.

Admin. (2020, March 10). What is master status with example? MassInitiative. Retrieved September 19, 2022, from https://massinitiative.org/what-is-master-status-with-example/

X, M. (2016). Malcolm X The Most Disrespected Person In America Is The Black Woman. YouTube. YouTube. Retrieved September 19, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_q_Z9A0RuQ.