"Isms"

“Biases and assumptions, micro-aggressions, and ignorance of experiences… are communicated daily” (Arrendondo, 2008).  These micro-aggressions or “isms” in one’s life can have two varying effects on interactions.  The effects can be positive, as one would not like others to share or experience feelings of hurt, or the effects can be negative where the individual carries the hurt feelings and transfers those feelings on others, as if they are the cause of the sightedness.

Looking back I have come into contact with many “isms”, religion-ism, sexism and gender-ism.  I was always the kid who “didn’t know when to celebrate American holidays such as Christmas or Easter; I was the woman who advanced in the all male world of television because of my attractiveness and I was the singe parent who “needed a man” to raise her children in an emotionally positive environment.   I was made to feel less than worthy as a woman, in adequate as a parent and ashamed of my religious beliefs.  I never stood up for myself assuring myself that the comments were not intended to be hurtful.  I never spoke up because deep down I knew the truth about myself—I was strong and capable.  Ironically before the course work I had not considered “isms” as something really inappropriate and I too engaged in “isms” with friends, feeling we were just joking with one another. 

Information and definitions of terms gives an eye opening awareness, awareness that “isms” are hurtful.  The harmful effects of these multicultural misconceptions are what keep me mindful as I meet and work with different communities of families.  As I meet and talk with parents, a small voice in the back of my head runs through lines of “isms’ I heard directed at me—it’s like an actor rehearsing lines, the only difference is that those lines are not shared with the individuals I am speaking with.  Instead, I ask questions to get to know the individuals so as to achieve “multicultural competency…to know oneself as a cultural being, to be knowledgeable about the cultural worldview of others” (Arrendondo, 2008).  It is through this deeper kind of insight that I can empathize with the children and families I encounter; we have the potential of having a shared experience and we can provide each other comfort for the injustice of “isms”.  I hope to on some level understand where people come from and have the ability to “suspend judgment and promote conciliatory relations” (Arrendondo, 2008).  In addition to this sense of community, I can translate my experiences into the classroom, making sure the environment “is…culturally consistent for the children and families” (Derman-Sparks, & Olsen Edwards, 2010, pg. 43), ensuring transparency of all who attend the program.  This transparency I hope will empower the children and families to be able to speak up and be proud of who they are especially in the face of “isms”. 

I hope to be a catalyst that promotes a change in attitudes towards multicultural and diverse communities; I want my impact to be positive.  As I move forward I certainly understand that I will encounter not only opposition but I will encounter “isms’ in my daily life, however that is part of the journey and there has to be an avenue for complex issues to be observed and disagreements to be had with how we all feel. 

“Each person’s development as an anti-bias educator has it’s own pattern, pace and timetable. The key is to keep…committed.  (Derman-Sparks, et al., 2010, pg. 30). 

Resources

Arrendondo, P. (2008).  Using Professional Leadership to Promote Multicultural Understanding and Social Justice.  Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology. 2(1), 13-17.

Derman-Sparks, L., & Olsen Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).