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| Relating
‘Women of Color’ to Gender Bias in Today’s
Classrooms
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Relating ‘Women of Color’ to Gender Bias in Today’s
Classrooms
The term ‘women of color’ basically refers to
1970s, the epoch when the struggle for racial equality within
the US was not fully won and the position of women remained
still deprived. In fact, this term still remains relevant
even nowadays since different spheres of human life are affected
by gender biases and what is more important this problem exists
even in the sphere of education and affects dramatically practically
every classroom. This is why it is extremely important to
trace gender biases related to ‘women of color’
in order not simply to better understand the essence of the
problem but also to find possible solutions of the currently
existing problem.
It is not a secret that originally the term ‘women of
color’ was associated with non-white women of the US,
including not only African American women, but also Asian
American, Native American, Hispanic American, i.e. women representing
different racial and ethnic groups. At the same time, such
a categorization of non-white women into ‘women of color’
symbolized the unity of women representing discriminated ethnic
and racial minorities in their struggle for their civil rights
and equal opportunities compared to the rest of the American
society of that epoch.
At the same time, it is necessary to clearly realize that
this was not simply a part of racial movement against racial
discrimination but it was also a feminist movement for the
rights and opportunities of non-white women living in America
and having American citizenship. In this respect, it is worthy
to note that women of color represent a variety of ethnic
groups which are really different from white community. It
should be pointed out that the development of feminist movement
in the US led by white women did not make all women really
equal since women of color were really different from white
women, their needs, preferences, interests, values, etc. could
be and were different. This is why the development of women
of color concept and movement also symbolized the struggle
of feminists representing different non-white races in their
striving for better life, equal rights and higher opportunities.
Unfortunately, despite the fact that women of color have been
active since 1970s their position in American society still
remains quite arguable and deprived. Probably, it is most
obvious in the sphere of education since the dominance of
traditional biases typical for conservative part of American
society are still significant and play an important role in
the contemporary classrooms which are still white and male
dominated.
In such a situation, it is necessary to analyze what actually
prevents women of color from the possibility to really feel
equal to other members of American society and do not feel
deprived. On analyzing this problem, it is getting to be obvious
that the root of the problem of the discriminated position
of women of color may be found in basic forms of gender bias
that are currently present in the curriculum.
First of all, it is necessary to underlined that historically
women of color remained in the shadow and their role in American
history and their place in American society were traditionally
underestimated. Unfortunately, the situation has not changed
dramatically for better even now and this is why it is possible
to speak about such a form of gender bias as the invisibility
of women of color which are not sufficiently presented in
textbooks and learning materials and what is more there is
not enough information about them and their contribution in
the development of the US.
Secondly, gender bias affects even human language and nowadays
it is still possible to speak about linguistic bias which
results in the wide use of language affected by masculine
oriented words, such as caveman, forefather, etc. In such
a way, language is getting to be gender overshadowed in which
traditional masculine terms dominate in the language that
is quite discriminating for women of color, as well as for
women at large. This is a particularly serious problem in
classrooms deprived of newest textbooks and materials.
Naturally, it is also necessary to remember about stereotypes
that still dominates in society and which to a certain extent
defines the attitude to women and, consequently shapes certain
beliefs and wrong public image of women of color. As a result,
often the role and behavior of girls is strictly regulated
by such stereotypes which as a rule imply that they should
be passive and dependent and there is practically no room
for women in color self-realization and alternative directions
where they could apply their knowledge, skills and abilities,
such as science, or sport.
Furthermore, it should be pointed out that often classrooms
as well as educational process are imbalanced and affected
by male dominance. Practically, it means that textbooks are
basically focused on male achievements to the extent that
males turn to be practically the main contributors to the
development of the mankind (another example of linguistic
bias). For instance, there is little visual representation
of women in color as well as women at large, while there are
amply of portraits and images of male scientists in textbooks.
Another serious gender bias relating to women’s in color
position in the contemporary classrooms is unreality which
basically results in the interpretation of some arguable facts
in such a way that they would not really raise the problem
but remained practically untouched and soon forgotten. As
a result, such arguable points are simply omitted than really
discussed as serious problems.
Also, there remains the problem of fragmentation in the contemporary
classrooms when the position and contribution of women in
color in the development of the US and American society remains
not fully covered and fragmentized. Consequently, students
cannot fully realize the problem and analyze it objectively
but are basically acquainted with its one-sided variant, for
instance, the development of feminism which is traditionally
presented from female perspective without discussions of its
profound effect on society at large, including males.
Finally, there is a cosmetic bias which illusionary represents
the role of women and their contribution in the development
of science for instance but in actuality, there is little
consistent information about their scientific work and its
effects on science. In other words, this bias leads to the
use of women in order to create an illusory impression of
the equality of male and female, including women of color,
but in actuality the latter are rather used to create a positive
image of a textbook, for instance, than to really get students
acquainted with their works and contribution.
Thus, it is possible to conclude that regardless all positive
changes that have occurred in American society the problem
of numerous gender bias related to the position of women of
color in American society and American history is still relevant
and what is more important the gender bias persists in classrooms.
Consequently, the situation in the society would hardly be
changed until the situation in classrooms remained unchanged.
Bibliography:
1. Collins, P. H. 2000. Black Feminist Thought. New York and
London: Routledge.
2. Tatum, B. 1993. Racial identity development and relational
theory: The case of Black women in White communities. Wellesley,
MA: Stone Center for Research on Women.
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