I. Who are you?
Poll class and write on board.
a. identity =
how you measure who you are in relation to others, rank, valuable characteristics,
power
b. race, sex,
physical status, class and sexual orientation
II. When A meets
B , what tells them how to act towards each other?
a. What do they have to assess? Power, expectations
b. What signs indicate whether someone
has more, less or equal power?
III. Who is at the top?
Race Gender Physical Class Sexual
Status
Orientation
White Male Healthy Rich
Heterosexual
&
Young
People Females Older People, Poor, Gay, Bisexual,
of Color People with Homeless Transgendered
Disabilities,
Children
Discourse:
Racism Sexism Able-bodyism Eliteism Heterosexism
Ageism Homoprejudice
IV What is the price for being at the top?
a. What do we gain and what do others
lose? (unearned
privilege, unequal distribution of resources)
b. What do we lose? (blindness to the
suffering of others, justice)
c. Example: Gays.
What do we gain as hets by the social idea that we are superior?
V Feeling bad, guilty, sorry, is not
the answer.
a. Pity demeans the victims, sees them
as damaged.
b. See it for what it is. All the forces at work in
our society.
c. See all human beings as whole in spite
of their suffering. Accept what they
teach us.
d. Those at the top need humility,
compassion, consideration.
VI This system was constructed over hundreds
of years, but is maintained today by many forces
a. Should counselors challenge and
deconstruct this oppressive social system?
b. Should counselors challenge and
deconstruct clients’ social identities?
1. When yes?
(When it is part of their dilemna)
2. When no?
(When doing so might harm them)