If I Can't See It, Is Discrimination Even Real? | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

If I Can't See It, Is Discrimination Even Real?

Discrimination is not a) easy or b) ending.

13
If I Can't See It, Is Discrimination Even Real?
Religion News

When was the last time you faced discrimination?

A simple enough question, right? Although, maybe not. Some of us will be hard pressed to find an answer, and others of us have libraries full of examples. Discrimination is a very singular experience of prejudice that is blindly ever-present to some and elusive as the dark side of the Moon to others.

No matter if it is a part of your experience, discrimination affects us all, and it is a hungry, hungry beast that stops for no man, woman, or child. It is as invasive as nutria in the swamps of south Louisiana and just as destructive. It is inbred into society through a disregard for the existence of structural violence. If we don't face prejudice everyday--if we are not made to think about the color of our skin, the religion we practice, the gender of the person we love, the gender we identify with, the circumstance of our life, or the money in our possession everyday--we can dismiss it. By dismissing and forgetting about our destructive nature of prejudice, our society has become one of extreme neglect for those we push to the wayside.

My heart rages for the trans-girl in Alabama who falls so fast and so far into a pit of self-hate and depression. For the young woman who is taunted and assaulted for wearing hijab. For the young man who is served injustice in a courtroom due to color of his skin. For the mother of five living in poverty without any support. For the man who cannot hold a job after unwillingly surrendering his mental health to the country that left with nothing. For the aging father who's children can't find the time to care for the man who gave them life. For the couple who has to jump through hoops to give a child a loving home with two dads. For the victim of sexual violence who is asked "What were you wearing?" For the Hispanic woman making sixty cents to the white man's dollar for the same job, and for too many other things.

Call me a social justice warrior. Label me as some girl who doesn't know her place. Give me any name you would like, but that won't change my anger. I am angry because I am forced to be. I am enraged because my world does not allow me to be anything but. I am angry because I have to question whether or not it is even worth it to challenge all of the ways this world is broken.

I have no easy-on-the-heart ending because discrimination is not a) easy or b) ending.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
girl with a hat

This is for the girls who have dealt with an emotionally, mentally, physically or verbally abusive father.

The ones who have grown up with a false lens of what love is and how relationships should be. The ones who have cried themselves to sleep wondering why he hurts you and your family so much. This is for all the girls who fall in love with broken boys that carry baggage bigger than their own, thinking it's their job to heal them because you watched your mother do the same.

Keep Reading...Show less
Blair Waldorf Quote
"DESTINY IS FOR LOSERS. IT'S JUST A STUPID EXCUSE TO WAIT FOR THINGS TO HAPPEN INSTEAD OF MAKING THEM HAPPEN." - BLAIR WALDORF.

The world stopped in 2012 when our beloved show "Gossip Girl" ended. For six straight years, we would all tune in every Monday at 9:00 p.m. to see Upper Eastside royalty in the form of a Burberry headband clad Blair Waldorf. Blair was the big sister that we all loved to hate. How could we ever forget the epic showdowns between her and her frenemy Serena Van Der Woodsen? Or the time she banished Georgina Sparks to a Christian summer camp? How about that time when she and her girls took down Bart Bass? Blair is life. She's taught us how to dress, how to be ambitious, and most importantly, how to throw the perfect shade.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

11 Moments Every College Freshman Has Experienced

Because we made it, and because high school seniors deserve to know what they're getting themselves into

392
too tired to care

We've all been there. From move-in day to the first finals week in college, your first term is an adventure from start to finish. In honor of college decisions coming out recently, I want to recap some of the most common experiences college freshmen experience.

1. The awkward hellos on move-in day.

You're moving your stuff onto your floor, and you will encounter people you don't know yet in the hallway. They live on your floor, so you'll awkwardly smile and maybe introduce yourself. As you walk away, you will wonder if they will ever speak to you again, but don't worry, there's a good chance that you will make some great friends on your floor!

Keep Reading...Show less
laptop
Unsplash

The college years are a time for personal growth and success. Everyone comes in with expectations about how their life is supposed to turn out and envision the future. We all freak out when things don't go exactly as planned or when our expectations are unmet. As time goes on, we realize that the uncertainty of college is what makes it great. Here are some helpful reminders about life in college.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Lessons I Learned My Freshman Year

The first year of college opens your eyes to so many new experiences.

69
johnson hall
Samantha Sigsworth

Recently I completed my freshman year of college, and boy, what an experience. It was a completely new learning environment and I can't believe how much I learned. In an effort to save time, here are the ten biggest lessons I learned from my first year of college.

1. Everyone is in the same boat

For me, the scariest part of starting school was that I was alone, that I wouldn't be able to make any friends and that I would stick out. Despite being told time and time again that everyone had these same feelings, it didn't really click until the first day when I saw all the other freshman looking as uneasy and uncomfortable as me. Therefore, I cannot stress this enough, everyone is feeling as nervous as you.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments