Blog: The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

Blog: The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

One memory that I have where I experienced bias,  was about four months ago when I had to meet my friend's parents, who had not been told much of anything positive about me, on top of the fact that he and I had decided not to date while sharing a house, for the kids sake.  We were set on the couch and each of three members set in front of us in a chair and they drilled us.  His parents did not offer us anything to drink, the kids were not offered a snack, they made comments to stair of trouble, and then when I tried to answer they cut me off and said never mind.  They treated my family and I like second class citizen, and the a sad thing was I had more going for me than their son, who's only strengths were routine work, and watching movies. 

After this happen, it really changed the whole dynamics of our friendship, and it diminished equity, because in their eyesight I would never be good for their son.  Since then, they have not come to visit, nor do they ask about us.

This incident brought up feelings of inadequacy, because they took the fact that I was temporarily displaced, as I was a user, a deadbeat, and a disappointment for their son; whom honestly seem to not care about life at all, or much of anything beside work and movies.

The things that I would have changed to make that a greater opportunity for equity, is he should have told

them more about me, than I am a mother of 4 with no job.  He could have made our first meeting in public and

not in either's home quarters.  I should have made it known that I am strong and independent and that despite

what they think, I am a survivor.  After all, they did not even know that I had been to college, when in reality, I

had more education than their son.  What it all boils down too, is that people deserve some respect despite

what we feel about them, and it should not matter what titles one has, in regards to how they are treated.