The Tragedy of Internalized Oppression
What does it feel like to be subhuman, to be not just invisible, but hated and feared? How does it feel when society labels you as stupid, as unworthy, as dangerous? This treatment breaks down the human psyche and plants a seed of self-deprecating thought and world view — the hate becomes internalized. My semester in the Inequality in America program from HECUA has taught me how dangerous and malicious racism is. Many understand racism as a violent act done by a white man in a white hood, but racism is much more complex. Internalized oppression is a phenomenon that perpetuates the structures of inequity and hate in our country by creating a subtle social system that teaches the oppressed and the oppressors alike that a minority group is rightfully discriminated against.
Lipsky (1977) defined internalized oppression as the “turning upon ourselves, upon our families, and upon our own people the distress patterns that result from the racism and oppression of the majority society” (p. 6). In racial terms this is expressed as minority groups believing they are inferior to the white majority. This belief happens without the marginalized group knowing, instead it reflects what they see and live every day (Baily, et al. 2011). These beliefs get so ingrained into marginalized groups that the behavior is normalized and used as a survival skill — appease the oppressors to avoid punishment. By accepting these negative connotations, people of color and other marginalized groups begin to internalize the belief of their own inferiority.
Internalized oppression is not just sad, but it is dangerous. Carter G. Woodson explains it best (disclaimer, this quote is a little sexist, but it means well) “if you can control a man’s thinking you don’t have to worry about his action. When you determine what a man shall think you do not have to concern yourself with what he will do. If you make a man feel inferior, you do not hace to compel him to accept an inferior status, for he will seek it for himself. If you make a man think he is justly an outcast, you do not have to order him to the back door. He will go without being told; and if there is no back door, his very nature will demand one.” How is this dangerous other than the obvious fact that it puts someone down? The danger here is that it perpetuates a system that is invisible. The oppressor believes that a group is stupid and treats them so. The oppressor limits how far they can go in school, gives them special tests, puts them in special schools to deal with their “stupidity,” and limits what jobs they can have. The oppressed, just as capable, now can’t get into college seeing they aren’t taught up to standards, they are only able to go into jobs requiring low education thusly don’t seek more education, again and again they are told they are stupid. Eventually, the oppressed believe they are stupid. They know less than the oppressors, they can’t do the jobs the oppressors do, they have internalized the belief they are stupid. Internalized oppression is a vicious cycle that is self-strengthening. Going back to the example above, now that the oppressed have internalized the belief they are stupid, the oppressors see they are right further enhancing their prejudices and beliefs. This, in turn, increases the pressure of internalized oppression. A cycle that rips families apart and scars communities for generations.
I was surprised when I asked a good friend of mine about this, and he said that he himself had played into the tokenization and internalization of oppression in African Americans and Muslim Americans. He described in high school how he would be forced to play the role of the funny black guy. I was disgusted when I heard that his ROTC instructor would single him out and make him explain to the whole group why a terrorist attack occurred because of him being Muslim. My friend told me that to him at the time it was uncomfortable, but he eventually began playing heavily into the roles forced on him. He lived this way, in a fake stage forcibly set for him for years until he got to college and was able to unlearn what his life had taught him. Psychologists and sociologists have identified that there are five dimensions to internalized oppression: (a) internalization of negative stereotypes (INS), (b) self-destructive behaviors (SDB), © devaluation of the African worldview and motifs (DAW), (d) belief in the biased representation of history (BRH), and (e) alteration of physical appearance (APA). Internalized oppression is a parasite, it infects people and drains their energy, their self-esteem, and their outlook, even their physical appearance. Just imagine what it would be like to believe that you cannot succeed, that you are not smart enough, that you are worth less than the person next to you. Imagine being ashamed of your family, of the clothes you wear. Imagine thinking racism was right.
Internalized oppression hurts, it destroys, and it is what keeps the system of oppression running smoothly in our country — are you a part of it? The answer is most likely yes. Even the best and most well-intentioned people are trapped in the system. Unwittingly taking part of racism is a shock to most, in fact its offensive. However, understanding that we all take part in a society that perpetuates racism is key to ending it once and for all. Changing society is hard, but if it starts with just changing yourself, that’s easy. Here is a good place to start: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie writes in her book Americanah, “If you don’t understand, ask questions. If you’re uncomfortable about asking questions, say you are uncomfortable about asking questions and then ask anyway. It’s easy to tell when a question is coming from a good place. Then listen some more. Sometimes people just want to feel heard. Here’s to possibilities of friendship and connection and understanding.”