Anti-Oppression

1. Anti-Oppression Presented By: Faye Roberts Compiled By: Faye Roberts & Phianna Lee Fall 2013

2. OVERVIEW • Objectives • Ground Rules • AOP Video (Zero Clip) • What does “Anti-Oppression” mean? • Exploring Power and Privilege • Prejudice, “-isms”, and Oppression • Placing the “-isms” • Being an Ally • Reflections/Questions? • Resources

3. OBJECTIVES • The training must be participatory • Reflect our values of the agency • Carried forward into our programs in our Conversation sessions, mentorships and events • Build on the knowledge sharing of our newcomers to our volunteers and beyond in to the community • To identify the knowledge, skills and attitudes our volunteers have to communicate across cultural boundaries • To put the values of respect and diversity into practice in our everyday lives

4. GROUND RULES • Share knowledge • Be open • Show respect • Listen to each other • One person speaks at a time • Honest with feedback • Give feedback in writing • BE YOURSELF!!!

5. VALUES TO REMEMBER…

6. AOP VIDEO • Zero http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOMbySJTKpg

7. What does “Anti-Oppression” mean?

9. APPLY PHYSICAL LABELS (Faye’s Reference) Distribute the following materials or Post-it Labels: • 4 strings to tie feet together/to chair • 5 strings to tie arms to together/to chair • 3 pairs of 1-sided covered/blurred up glasses • 4 gloves with foam/bead stuffings for 1 or 2 hand(s) • Ask 4 people to speak in home language to communicate with others speaking English • Ask 2 people to express themselves in ways other than talking (“muted/dumb”) • Ask 3 people to wear ear plugs/headphones *** Be OPPRESSED for about 10 minutes & check-in with certain individuals for group discussion ***

10. Anti-Oppression (AOP) • http://www.tdsb.on.ca/wwwdocuments/programs/gender_based_violence_prevention__gbvp_/docs/Part%205%20-%20Examining%20Power,%20Privilege%20and%20Oppression.pdf • Oppression: a pattern/system of inequality that gives power & privileges to members of 1group of people at the expense of another • AOP:making your views of the world large enough to INCLUDE everyone • Look for ways to make connections among different people’s struggles • Find ways to think about how issues affect different people in different ways • Recognize connections & relationships among different forms of oppression

11. Exploring your Identity • Identity: group of characteristics that make up who they are for being “unique” & “different” • Characteristic: distinguishing feature/quality (e.g. person of colour, book lover, sibling) • People may share characteristics, but no 2 identities are exactly the same • How do the different parts of your identity give you power?

12. GROUP ACTIVITY People: Entire group, prepared facilitator Tools: Markers, construction/origami papers, magazines (optional), scissors, glue Time: 45 minutes • Appreciate power of individuals & group, when understand aspects of your identity & others • No 2 identities are alike • Share thoughts on “identity” meaning & create working definition on board/flip-chart paper • Compare group’s definitions to above • Ask 5 participants to name aspects of their own identity (e.g. runner, tall, transgender, daughter, etc.)

13. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS • Where do identities come from? • How do the different parts of your identity give you power? • How is your identity different from the ways people might perceive you? • Which aspects of your identity are easily visible to others? Which aspects are less visible? • In what ways is your identity made up of more than one layer? • What are some of these layers? • Which aspects of your identity are easiest to share in social gatherings? Why do you think this is the case?

14. Exploring Power and Privilege

15. What does “power” mean to you?

16. POWER…

17. GROUP ACTIVITY People: Entire group, facilitator Tools: 4 pieces of flip-chart paper, blank papers, Post-it notes Time: 45 minutes How does power fit into a discussion/activity on anti-oppression? [4 or more participants = effective] • Use post-it notes to answer “What gives you power?” • Flip-chart: “What Gives Us Power?” – ask to read notes & have 2 volunteers group post-its by similarities

18. What is Power? • Ability to get what you want • Groups & individuals both pursue & exert power • Individual level:people find power within themselves in different ways • What makes 1 person feel powerful may not make someone else feel same way (e.g. 1 person might find power in being tall, while another person might feel being tall diminishes his/her ability to get what they want)

19. GROUP DISCUSSION • In what ways and from what sources do people get power? • What are some examples of power that comes from external sources (power from outside of one’s self) and from internal sources (finding power within oneself)? • Do some people get power from both internal and external sources? Explain. • Within your group, what were the most common responses to the question of what gives people power?

20. FLOWER OF POWER

21. FLOWER OF POWER • http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/courses/csafety/mod2/las.htm • The Flower of Power is intended to get us thinking about dominant groups in society and our individual places of privilege. • Are most of your petals on the inside? • Are most of your petals on the outside? • Are your petals evenly mixed across inside and outside? • Which petals do you think reflect the experience of most people in our society? • Which petals do you think reflect marginalization or oppression?

22. PRIVILEGE…

23. GROUP ACTIVITY • What does ‘privilege’ mean? • Create working definition for ‘privilege’ • Create your own personal “privilege web” on piece of paper • Write “privilege” in middle, circle it, create a web of responses/other ideas around it • Ask group to write in its web “Ways That We Have Privilege in Our Society” • If participants not comfortable with responses, will not have to share their web with the group • Many different sources of privilege in our society— speaking English, being able-bodied, male, etc. • Share their webs & have the option to pass OR • Collect all webs, give 5-min break for group to leave room while you post webs anonymously on the wall for a “gallery walk” to walk quietly around & view everyone’s webs

24. What is Privilege? • Special advantage/right that a person is born into/acquires during their lifetime • Not available to everyonein society • Privilege & Power closely related: privilege often givesa person/group power OVER others

25. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS • In what situations and contexts are you most aware of your own privilege? • In what situations and contexts are you most aware of your own power? • What is the difference between privilege and power? • Whether consciously or unconsciously, how have you used your privilege, both as an individual and as a member of various groups? • How do you acknowledge that you have privilege or that you don’t have privilege? • How do you feel talking about power and privilege? Why?

26. Prejudice, “-Isms, and Oppression

27. WHAT DOES “PREJUDICE” AND “OPPRESSION” MEAN TO YOU? • Create working definitions • Ensure “power” is included in definition of “oppression” • Discuss why it is so important to include it

28. PREJUDICE…

29. GROUP ACTIVITY People: Entire group, prepared facilitator(s) Tools: Flip-chart papers, scrap papers, pens Time: 15 minutes • Write down 1 example of oppression & 1prejudiced belief they were raised with & how they came tobelieve that idea • Share examples & beliefs in small groups • This is a safe space, but may be a challenging activity because people may feel guilty for some of the privileges that they have • Guiltis a common reaction as people come to terms with their privileges • Beyond feeling guilt, must recognize our ability to do something to ensure that we do not use our privilege over others

30. What is prejudice? • An attitude/belief about another person/group based on stereotypes instead of reason/experience • A woman—who in our society does not have as much power as a man—can be prejudiced against men (eg. may think all men are weak – not true, but woman’s prejudice belief about men!) • Reverse situation, think about a man who believes all women were weak = sexism

32. EXERCISES ON STEREOTYPES! FIRST THOUGHTS • Refer to “The Diversity Training Activity Book” on pg. 59-63 + handouts + worksheets FIRST AND LASTING THOUGHTS • Refer to pg. 259 – 261 + worksheets

33. OPPRESSION…

34. GROUP ACTIVITY • Brainstorm as whole group, possible definitions for term “ism”, NOT types of “isms”; but a working definition • Important that “power” be included in this definition • Use the definition of “isms” to better understand how oppression takes place • Make list of all types of “isms”, define each & brainstorm examples on flip-chart paper • Ask the group who has the power in each of the “isms” & in each of their examples

35. What is oppression? • A pattern/system of inequality that gives power & privileges to members of one group of people at the expense of another • Oppression is based on power and privilege— while prejudice is based on stereotypes • Involves the oppressor & oppressed • Following activity helps group members understand connections & differences between prejudice & oppression

36. What are “isms”? • Prejudiced beliefs, behaviours and institutional practices by a group/person with power directed against specific groups of people • Prejudice + Power = Sexism, Racism, or any other “-isms” • Men in our society have more privilege than women: • In schools today, men’s sports often get more funding than women’s sports • Men often make more $$$ than women who do same job • If a man is a political figure, media often focuses on his opinions, while if a woman is a political figure = media often comments on her clothing, hair/ smile = both are sexism

37. EXAMPLES OF “-ISMS” Ageism Sexism Heterosexism Classism Ableism Racism Faithism Genderism Anti-Semitism • Discuss notion of reverse “isms” • Some people believe that reverse sexism/racism can occur; one must have power to oppress someoneelse • Explain why reverse sexism/racism cannot exist

38. What is the difference between a person being prejudiced and being racist?

39. PRIVILEGE + PREJUDICE Privilege is: • Being male • Being white • Being wealthy • Being able-bodied • Being a citizen (NOT a complete list of privileges people can have in our society) Prejudice is: • A woman believing that all men are sexist. • A person of color thinking that all white people are rich. • A wealthy person thinking all poor people are lazy

40. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS • Based on the list of “isms” that we generated during this activity, what can you conclude about power dynamics in our society? What groups have the most power and privilege in our society? What groups are oppressed? • How can groups and individuals work to challenge the distribution of power within our society? • How do you think prejudice can best be challenged? In your opinion, is it possible for people to overcome prejudiced beliefs? Why or why not?

41. Oppression Circles • Oppression takes different forms in different cultures, countries, communities, families and relationships • To fully understand how oppression works, examine oppression on all levels • What steps can you taketo help end oppression?

42. Oppression Circles People: Entire group, prepared facilitator Tools: One sheet of flip-chart paper Time: 10–20 minutes Explain what each circle means. How do you address oppression?

43. DEFINITIONS • Internalized oppression: process by which people who are targets of oppression begin to believe prejudices directed against them (e.g. Deaf man thinks he deserves to be treated poorly because he is deaf) • Individual oppression: occurs between people in 1-on-1 interactions (e.g. Landlord refuses to rent an apartment to prospective tenant because of tenant’s race, gender/sexual orientation) • Group oppression: oppression a person feels within group of people (e.g. group of friends makes plans to take trip together without recognizing that 1group member cannot afford to participate)

44. DEFINITIONS • Community oppression: oppression that 1 experiences within a community to which they belong (e.g. Lesbian attends a house of worship that preaches homosexuality is a sin) • Institutionalized oppression: when society gives privilege to 1 group at expense of another through use of language, media, education, religion, economics & laws (e.g. When person watches TV, he/she sees primarily white people as actors, anchors & talk-show hosts) Provide additional examples of each form of oppression

45. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS • What form of oppression do you see occur most frequently in society? • How and where does it take place? In which of the oppression circles does this behaviour fit? • How did thinking about oppressing someone else feel? • What steps can you take to help end oppression on each of the five levels addressed in this activity?

46. Placing the “-Isms”

47. Apply the “-isms” • Deepen your awareness of institutionalized oppression & ways in which all of us perpetuate forms of oppression every day! • Activity designed to give you an opportunity to learn more about institutionalized & individual oppression in today’s society

48. GROUP ACTIVITY People: Entire group, facilitator Tools: Flip-chart papers, Post-it notes Time: 25 minutes Create this diagram on flip-chart:

49. FORMS OF OPPRESSION • Some forms of oppression are obvious and public, while other forms are concealedand hidden • Institutionalized oppression: when society values & gives privilege to 1 group overanother through use of media, government, education, religion& laws • Individual oppression: when 1 person oppresses another person • Covert oppression: concealed, disguised/hidden activities • Overt oppression: public/obvious actions to everyone in society • Chart above enables us to see not only the different levels of oppression that occur in our society, but also different ways in which oppression occurs

50. GROUP ACTIVITY • Write down examples of oppression they have seen/heard about (contemporary & historical) on Post-it notes (1 act per note) • Place notes on chart in category that fits best • Discuss if each example of oppression has been placed in the correct section of chart