As a white woman, I've had numerous people make false assumptions about me, or, false first impressions. I was able to really get a deeper understanding why this was happening when I taught a course in Race and Ethnic Relations at a community college.
In fact, it happened so much that I decided to purposely do a social experiment. As a Sociologist I've read a lot of social research and there is one piece of research in particular that was done on first impressions and how far OFF peoples impressions can be of someone (see research links on the Psychology of First Impressions below).
Misjudging people based on what they look like, their skin color, their dress, their body language--happens all the time. And while most people are unconscious of it, it is a human phenomena that occurs with some of the most educated folks, as well.
People also tend to "judge a book by its cover, despite being a gem. And even when that book is a gem, people are still resistant to reading it.
Upon teaching a Race and Ethic relations class I implemented a social experiment on the first day of class where I asked the students to write on a piece of paper their first impression of me.
Upon reading the responses, it became clear to me why I felt discriminated against based on what I looked like,
which is white, european, blue eyes, blonde hair, tall, athletic.
And while we all have to acknowledge the ways in which we have been priveleged and discriminated against (or oppressed) I found that while I had received some priveleges for being beautiful in the "american definition," I surely had experienced a lot of social oppression as a woman, as well.
However, I am totally cognizant of the fact that my standpoint as a lower middle class white woman, is quite different from an African American woman, a hispanic woman, an asian woman, native american woman, and middle eastern woman (particularly single mothers).
I have been fortunate to be enlightened by some of the most brilliant Black Feminist Sociologists, such as Patricia Hill Collins, Angela Davies, Bell Hooks, Paula Gunn Allen, and so many more...etc.
Your social oppression as a white woman is valid but it becomes small when you truly listen to the voices of minorities (both male and female) and have the humility to really educate yourself about their particular intersection of race/class/gender issues.
Most Americans are aware of Racism and talk all PC about it, but they fail to really do the deep dive into the micro and macro systems of social oppression.
I am happy to see so many people take this current George Floyd riots of police brutality as an opportunity to further educate themselves about the subtle and blatant forms of discrimination in the United States and globally.
It is quite humbling, to say the least, when you devote massive amounts of finances and time into a sociological education, only to be falsely dismissed for being unqualified to teach the class on the first day because of your "looks."
People fail to realize how often white women are discriminated against, particularly in education and politics.
In fact, even though I dressed professional, my looks were a deterrent for some people.
Some of the false assumption made were that I was:
1) Priveleged (despite growing up in poverty)
2) That I was unintelligent (despite being a 4.0 student)
3) How could I be teaching a race and ethnicity class as a white, priveleged woman?
SEXISM IN MEDICAL:
I have since devoted five years of my life working in the trenches of Southern Oregon doing medical social work for severely marginalized people--those with physical and mental disabilities, minorities, the elderly, and single mothers.
Working in the field, I still come up against discrimination in the medical field and even with patients who have a lot of pride, wounded egos, defense mechanisms, and distrust of authority figures.
People make the false assumption that because I work in the medical field, that I am not to be trusted because I am apart of the "system", which means I must support big Pharma and all that "evil shit." As a bridger of allopathic and alternative health, I am trying to heal the gap as I witness a lack of understanding from pragmatic scientists and extreme health advocates.
I can't believe how many people, outside of the medical system, make so many grand generalizations that the medical system is totally corrupted by big pharma (which is partially true) but fails to see all the enlightened light workers in the system who get it and are proposing solutions for change.
There are a lot of problems in medical systems, but there are systems that are working too.
I have also observed that people are really triggered by beauty and I totally understand why.
Not only has beauty been used and exploited by the commercial industry to sell products, it has been used by the fashion and cosmetic industry to instill and reinforce homogenized images of beauty that most women with fuller figures don't fall in to.
A Sociologist and author by the name of Naomi Wolf documents how the The Beauty Myth has been incredibly damaging for women's self esteem.
( For more information read The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women)
People are socially conditioned that beauty is power. If I have beauty perhaps I can have more opportunities in life.
If I am beautiful perhaps I will be noticed and accepted.
And while beautiful people can tend to get some opportunities that other people wouldn't, they are discriminated against more than people realize.
I am grateful for the opportunities I manifested with my job to dampen my physical beauty and really shine my light from within.
I don't wear make-up and I dress casual when I work with under-priveleged people.
I have found that it helps people to feel more safe with me and build rapport quicker. If I lead with my heart and not my looks, it really helps.
And I never introduce myself by telling someone how many degrees I have. People have been very wounded by power relations, particularly if they are socially oppressed.
Some of the best personal growth has occurred for me by getting out of my comfort zone and humbling myself
to meet people as an equal , totally in my heart and present.
For more information about the Beauty Myth, read Naomi's book:
https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Myth-Images-Agai…/…/0060512180
Social Research on first impressions:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/…/the-psychology-first-impr…
And here are some personal blog entries about poverty/racism/sexism
on a micro and macro level:
Researchers identify four facial features that drive our early judgments.