Tag: socialization

Creating Social Change One Person at a Time

Creating Social Change One Person at a Time

Posted on by Kella Hanna-Wayne

Do you remember a time when you were a child and an adult in your life changed something in you for the rest of your life? Maybe they were the only person who believed in your ability to achieve your dreams. Maybe they taught you kindness and compassion towards the people you found difficult to forgive. Maybe they saw you for who you were and reflected you as good and valuable when no one else had before. Even just a small word of encouragement can be important enough to us at that age that we remember it for decades. That person that helped you probably has no idea that they affected you so much, even if that impact lasted a lifetime. What if you could be that person for someone else? 

What if you could be that person for dozens of people? Or hundreds? Imagine the reverberations of your actions throughout the world as each of those people carry that change with them through life.  

Hiding Behind "Good Intentions": Why Good Intent Does Not Erase Oppressive Impact

Hiding Behind “Good Intentions”: Why Good Intent Does Not Erase Oppressive Impact

Posted on by Kella Hanna-Wayne

CN: general discussion of oppressive social dynamics, brief discussion of misgendering We’re all familiar with the people who tell you outright that they hold hateful opinions towards oppressed groups. But for every blatantly malicious bigot, there are 10 people who “meant well” or “didn’t mean it like that” or “had good intentions” when they said or did something that actually had a harmful effect on a member of an oppressed group. You have probably been …Read More

Power Dynamics Part 2: Privilege and Power

Power Dynamics Part 2: Privilege and Power

Posted on by Kella Hanna-Wayne

CN: discussion of 45, Brock turner, Kavanaugh, sexual assault, erasure of Native American history, racism, ableism, poverty, the manifestations of oppression. Mention of sexism, genocide, police corruption, and rape culture. Have you ever thought something like, Why am I so frustrated that this guy on the internet who I’ve never met doesn’t think that sexism exists? Why didn’t he listen to me when I told him about the time someone was sexist to me? Did …Read More

Why I Argue with People on the Internet

Why I Argue with People on the Internet

Posted on by Kella Hanna-Wayne

I argue with people on the internet a lot. It’s a hobby that’s not for the faint of heart and the majority of people I talk to don’t have a clear understanding of why I do it. A lot of them think it’s for shallow reasons, like needing to be right or looking for something to be angry about. “YELLING AT PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING,” a person on the internet yelled at me.

A Men’s Guide to the Me Too Movement

A Men’s Guide to the Me Too Movement

Posted on by Kella Hanna-Wayne

I’ve noticed some men seem a little lost as news of the Me Too movement pours in. Why are so many celebrities getting outed as perpetrators of sexual assault and was what they did really that bad? What behavior is expected of men going forward? Why is what happened with Ansari such a big deal? Isn’t this all going a little too far? This article is for you.

Everyone's A Little Bit Racist, and Sexist, and…

Everyone’s A Little Bit Racist, and Sexist, and…

Posted on by Kella Hanna-Wayne

If you were to make an off-color comment to me and defend yourself by saying that you don’t have a racist/sexist/classist bone in your body, or that you are “colorblind” your response would give me an important piece of information about you. Because as the song goes, everyone’s a little bit racist.

Explaining Privilege Part 3: The Scrutiny of Oppressed Groups

Explaining Privilege Part 3: The Scrutiny of Oppressed Groups

Posted on by Kella Hanna-Wayne

We often talk about privilege in terms of the positives, the benefits you receive: Resources, freedom, trust, and benefit of the doubt are extremely common ones. But what about the flip side? The opposite of privileged groups receiving the benefit of the doubt is the scrutiny of oppressed groups. 

Explaining Privilege Part 2: The Cycle of Reinforcement

Explaining Privilege Part 2: The Cycle of Reinforcement

Posted on by Kella Hanna-Wayne

In the second part of the Explaining Privilege series, I talk about how the socialization of marginalized and privileged groups reinforce the blindspots of privileged groups, which in turn causes a cycle that deprioritizes the needs of marginalized people.