https://padlet.com/erin_moynihan/u9q4qaj0hzo1 by Erin Moynihan en-us 2018-12-10 15:50:35 UTC 2026-01-19 08:32:56 UTC hello@padlet.com erin_moynihan https://padlet.com/erin_moynihan/u9q4qaj0hzo1/wish/313450261 This article intends to define and discuss what white privilege actually is. The conclusion is drawn that white privilege is not a racist idea, but rather a concept that has developed in modern times as a result of our nation's history. It spans from simple things like first aid kits only including Band-Aids that match white people's skin tone, to more complex and serious things like the ability to accumulate wealth and live a quality life. White privilege is something that I personally have not been aware of in my daily life, but after reading this article, I have realized the many ways that the color of my skin determines how I fit into society; in subtle ways, I am able to feel more comfortable, more safe, more welcomed. This idea that race can control not only society's perception of someone, but also how likely someone is to feel accepted in society is dangerous and unfortunately relevant in today's world. We are struggling as a nation to reach equality in all aspects of life, especially with race. This article addresses an issue that is crucial to understand if we are to tackle racism- white privilege is a real occurrence that is alarmingly disregarded and has a profound negative effect on racial minorities. ]]> 2018-12-11 15:39:31 UTC https://padlet.com/erin_moynihan/u9q4qaj0hzo1/wish/313450261 erin_moynihan https://padlet.com/erin_moynihan/u9q4qaj0hzo1/wish/313452037 In this TED talk by Chimamanda Adichie, the danger of a single story is addressed. She discusses both how common and how dangerous it truly is to base your opinion of a place off of one story or one piece of information you have about it. This limited knowledge creates generalizations, stereotypes, and overall false judgments. Even if these consequences are unintended, they are harmful. Ignorance is not bliss in this situation; it is extremely important to educate yourself thoroughly about places that you will be exposed to in any way, whether it's visiting the places or interacting with people from them. This talk that Chimamanda gives is structured to support the ideas it contains. By telling her own stories from her home country Nigeria, her home continent Africa, her time in college in the United States, and her time traveling to other parts of the world, Chimamanda builds a strong case for her point that a single story is dangerous. As she gives the audience more and more information about the experiences of her life and her background, she makes clear the power that stories hold. She tells of the complexity of African life that not many westerners understand, the ignorance of her well-meaning roommate in college who immediately pitied her because of where she came from, and how she realized that she herself had in fact taken part in the reliance on one story, relating to Mexican immigrants. She learned that Mexicans are not just immigrants trying desperately to get into the United States to sell drugs and steal jobs- they are real people with real culture, religion, language, and so much more. She communicates her message effectively that we must expand our knowledge of foreign places to fully understand and respect them throughout the talk. ]]> 2018-12-11 15:42:06 UTC https://padlet.com/erin_moynihan/u9q4qaj0hzo1/wish/313452037 erin_moynihan https://padlet.com/erin_moynihan/u9q4qaj0hzo1/wish/314116982 This poem by Maya Angelou represents oppressed groups in society. The bird that is stuck in his cage symbolizes racial minorities that are trapped within the boundaries that society creates around them. In the article What is White Privilege, Really? white privilege is described as a social concept that limits the opportunities of black people and expands them for white people. This is the cage. 
The caged bird that has his "wings clipped" and "feet tied" are the black people that are unable to experience the freedom that white people do due to the white privilege that they undoubtedly have. The bird inside the cage is prevented from reaching the worms, the sky, the trees, and the streams that the free bird can; all he can do is sing of freedom. This represents how black people who are limited by white privilege and other racial limitations in society can use their voice to enact change. ]]> 2018-12-13 03:26:35 UTC https://padlet.com/erin_moynihan/u9q4qaj0hzo1/wish/314116982 erin_moynihan https://padlet.com/erin_moynihan/u9q4qaj0hzo1/wish/314117279 This short story by Jamaica Kincaid tells of the demands given to a young girl as she grows up. There is advice, in a way, but mostly it is teaching the girl to become a "lady"": a woman who society does not perceive as "the slut [they are] so bent on becoming." The girl is told how to do many things, from how to smile at someone she doesn't like, to how to sweep a whole house, to how to iron her father's khaki shorts. She is also told not to squat to play marbles because she is not a boy. This idea that girls are taught to act differently from boys starting at a young age is the foundation for unequal treatment and opportunities between men and women in society. In Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, a woman named Janie's story is told through three of her marriages. In each, she learns something different about equality, love, and the power that she holds within herself. Like the girl described in Kincaid's writing, Janie is taught by her grandmother, Nanny, at a young age that she must do certain things as a girl to be considered successful. Nanny tells Janie that she must marry a man to be comfortable in her life. Janie later finds that this is not true- she must harness her inner strength and her own independence to feel comfortable and at peace in her life. She does this and so much more by the end of the novel, showing that girls can step out of the boundaries often created around them when they are young and accomplish anything they wish to.]]> 2018-12-13 03:29:12 UTC https://padlet.com/erin_moynihan/u9q4qaj0hzo1/wish/314117279 erin_moynihan https://padlet.com/erin_moynihan/u9q4qaj0hzo1/wish/314117651 This article describes what has happened in America since the 9/11 attacks. Ever since the Muslim terrorist organization al-Qaeda attacked the twin towers on September 11th, 2001, many Americans have had a contorted view of South Asians, Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, and Arabs. From prejudice from the American public to official executive actions from President Trump like the Muslim Travel Ban, patriotism has come to be linked with racism. Many Americans believe that because a group of radical Islamic terrorists were responsible for the 9/11 attacks that all Muslims are terrorists that hate the United States. Of course, this is just not true. As Chimamanda Adichie discusses in her TED talk, it is very dangerous to base one's opinion of a place or group of people based on limited information. For most Americans, the only thing they know about Muslims is that a group of them attacked their country. To truly understand Muslims, Americans must educate themselves about their culture, religion, language, and much more. ]]> 2018-12-13 03:32:49 UTC https://padlet.com/erin_moynihan/u9q4qaj0hzo1/wish/314117651 erin_moynihan https://padlet.com/erin_moynihan/u9q4qaj0hzo1/wish/315207491 For a long time, women have been viewed as less skilled at math and science than men. This sexist stereotype has lead to a significant imbalance of men and women in science and technology fields, as this article, "Women in science a small but growing minority", discusses: "[women] constitute 16 percent of all scientists and engineers employed in the United States." This staggering statistic is mind blowing to me- how can women in science still be such an overwhelming minority? Although their numbers are rising and progress is being made, there is still a lot of work to do concerning the attitudes people hold about women and how their abilities in general compare to men's. In Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, Janie is subject to many limitations in her life because she is a woman. She is mistreated by her second husband Joe especially, when he forces her to talk, dress, and act conservatively. She is subject to societal restrictions as well, when the townspeople around her doubt her abilities and criticize her every life choice. Unequal opportunities for women, as shown in this article discussing the lack of women in science and technology fields, is still a very present problem in today's world. ]]> 2018-12-17 15:38:41 UTC https://padlet.com/erin_moynihan/u9q4qaj0hzo1/wish/315207491 erin_moynihan https://padlet.com/erin_moynihan/u9q4qaj0hzo1/wish/315208674 One would think that an all-girls school would be an empowering place for young girls to learn and discover the importance of women's rights. However, at an all-girls school that Angie Young attended for her high school years, nothing was further from the truth. The school she attended never uttered the word "feminism." In fact, there was no emphasis on the student body being girls whatsoever. There wasn't even an emphasis on them being teenagers- they were left to struggle through the problems of their adolescence alone. Without proper support and encouragement given to them when they were young, many girls at Angie's school were lead down a path that turned them into exactly what they thought they were capable of being: "the country club wives of America." As in Jamaica Kincaid's Girl, the girls at Angie's school were not given the guidance they needed. 
Like the girl in the story, the girls where steered towards society's ideal future for them. They were controlled, pressured, and diminished. If girls are to become successful women who are granted the same respect as men, they need to be taught at a young age that this is possible. Girls must be made aware of their potential and encouraged to pursue it. ]]> 2018-12-17 15:40:48 UTC https://padlet.com/erin_moynihan/u9q4qaj0hzo1/wish/315208674 erin_moynihan https://padlet.com/erin_moynihan/u9q4qaj0hzo1/wish/315209018 The feelings of community and belonging are what help people  overcome adversity. Feeling like the people around you understand you and support you is what gets you through your own problems. Similarly, when people come together and acknowledge each others' capabilities, society is able to progress as a whole. But somehow today, many people still fail to recognize the power women hold. After reading "Women in science a small but growing minority" and "Insidious oppression: all-girls education without feminist vision", it is clear that society fails to both accept and harness the strength and "resiliency" of women. As Rupi Kaur writes, the only way society-both men and women- can move forward, is if we recognize the power that every individual posseses. ]]> 2018-12-17 15:41:24 UTC https://padlet.com/erin_moynihan/u9q4qaj0hzo1/wish/315209018 erin_moynihan https://padlet.com/erin_moynihan/u9q4qaj0hzo1/wish/315209092 Modern Family is an ABC show that has been running for almost a decade. It follows the lives of the Pritchett families, all struggling with "modern" family problems. The show has been watched and supported by Americans for a long time, but recently it has been criticized for promoting sexist ideas. Many examples of underlying sexism can be found in the show, involving the portrayal of women as sex figures only valued for their bodies and as the disrespected "nag" of the family. Popular shows like this that encourage gender stereotypes put in the minds of their watchers that these kinds of ideas are acceptable. They are promoting sexism. How is society supposed to overcome inequality and recognize how "resilient and striking" women are, when it is constantly exposed to sexist ideas associated with comical, positive attitudes? It cannot. Sexism is not a punch line; it's real, it's dangerous, and it's going to keep progressing unless we stop romanticizing it and start fighting it. ]]> 2018-12-17 15:41:35 UTC https://padlet.com/erin_moynihan/u9q4qaj0hzo1/wish/315209092 erin_moynihan https://padlet.com/erin_moynihan/u9q4qaj0hzo1/wish/315209162 Representation is key for bringing attention to any minority or oppressed group in society. Without proper representation, people go unnoticed and therefore are not valued as they deserve to be. Patricia Arquette spoke at the 2015 Oscars about the lack of representation of women in Hollywood: "Women helm only 6% of film projects and are outnumbered 4 to 1 in on screen representation." On average, actresses are also payed considerably less than actors, as Jennifer Lawrence was in America Hustle. Just as there is a lack of representation of women in science and technology fields, there is a lack of representation of women on screen. This pattern must be broken. Women who go through the same education as men, complete the same amount of work as men, and display the same level of skill as men, should be respected and represented just as much as men. There is no excuse for this glaring inequality in the workforce. ]]> 2018-12-17 15:41:44 UTC https://padlet.com/erin_moynihan/u9q4qaj0hzo1/wish/315209162