|
|
|
PREJUDICE-REDUCING
EXPERIENCE
Michael
BACKGROUND
Sex: male
Ethnicity:
Mexican-American
Born in:
San Diego, CA
Parents born in: Mexico
City, Mexico
|
 Having
grown up in a border town has allowed me to retain many of
my family's Mexican values while also taking in many of our
adopted country's values. As a child, I was continually
exposed to the cultures of both countries. I spent a great
deal of time in Tijuana with relatives while at the same
time I was brought up on this side of the border. I have
been able to see quite clearly the economic and educational
difference which the two countries afford their people.
Both my parents attended only grammar school in Mexico due
to the lack of money in the family. They came to this
country at a young age and immigrated in their early
twenties. Luckily, they encouraged me to succeed
academically.Prejudice- Destroying StoryMy classmates and I
were always very prejudice against gay people. Even though
we had never met a gay individual, we had an idea about what
a gay person was like. Our stereotypical gay had a certain
walk, wore womanly clothes, came on to any guy (in the case
of men) they encountered, and had a peculiar way of talking.
Our distorted view came from the gays that were portrayed in
movies. We were always calling each other gay, as a way to
put each other down. We took offense when anyone insinuated
we were gay. We were too macho to let ourselves be mistaken
for someone that was gay.My prejudice was destroyed, or
eroded, when I became friends with someone that was gay. I
met this individual in my math class in high school.
We sat near each other, and with time became friends. He
never made any advances toward me. He enjoyed the same types
of music, movies, and books as I did. When I found out he
was gay, I didn't believe it at first. I avoided him, but
later realized he was just like me except for his sexual
preference. I had never in my life (All 17 years!), thought
a gay person could act so "normal". He shattered my image of
what a gay person should look, say, and be like. We remained
classmates and friends up until he moved.I remember this
incident so clearly because of the extreme disgust and
hatred that my friends and I had for gays. As I now realize,
it is the same disgust and mindless prejudice people
sometimes have for other races including my own. If I can
dislike others I haven't even met or dealt with, others can
also do the same.
BACK
TO MENU
|
MICHAEL'S
PREJUDICE-ENFORCING EXPERIENCE
Top of Page
Home
| Power
of Teaching
| Believing
is Seeing
| Truth
or Consequences
| That
Was Fun
|
