Subordinate Group

Racism, sexism, and classism are the subordinate groups I identify with they all coincide
together Im a black poor working class female. Being a part of these identity groups make me
feel a little helpless and sometimes unimportant to other groups particularly the groups dominant
or more privileged than me. The poor working class compared to the rich upper class is
definitely a powerless group. I feel somewhat powerless because almost every scenario that I can
think of the rich get richer and the poor stays poor. There never seems like a great legitimate way
for a poor working class person to get rich and stay rich, unless you become famous and stay
famous throughout your lifetime which isnt that realistic for majority of the poor. Throughout
history women are known for being the caregiver, keeping the house clean, taking care of the
children, and caring for her husband. In todays society women have taking on more dominant
roles and proven that there more than housewives but I feel as though we still go unnoticed. If
the woman is the sole provider for the family and the man stays home society says that incorrect
thats not how things are supposed to be, I feel like a women dont get full credit for all their
efforts. Black people are loud and scary, women are weak and fragile, poor people are peasants
are some of the numerous stereotypical phrases I hear all the time.

Growing up in South Florida I was told many times by strangers and family members that
a little black girl like myself would end up pregnant by 16 and would be a high school dropout.
So when my mother decided to move further north of Florida everyone assumed that it was
because I was pregnant and my mother was trying hide the pregnancy. I couldnt quite
comprehend back then everything that was going on but I think I grasp it more now and that
small scenario plays a huge role in my life. Today I constantly tell myself how important
education is and how I need to strive to be better than what people expect of me, also I tell
myself that education and marriage comes before a child. That was my first real experience with
racism and being stereotyped but it definitely wasnt my last. In high school I was interested in
band but I was particularly interest in being a part of the drum line, I was told that the drum line
was majority a guys section and that I should look into being a dancer or a flag girl, only guys
were on the drum line. That absolutely crushed me I felt as though I could beat a drum as good
as any male. The joy I get out of being a part of each one of these subordinate groups is the unity
amongst us and the fact that they are subordinate they are always uplifting each other. Which is
also a part of the struggle because all we really have is each other and the dominant groups are
less than likely to help uplift us to a dominant position.

Dominant Group
Ableism, Ageism, and Heterosexism are 3 of the more dominant groups I identify with I
am an able-bodied, heterosexual, young adult. Even though the young adult is not a high
privileged group it is dominate over the older adult, the disabled and the lesbian gay man group
are subordinated compared to me. I believe that the groups I identify as being dominant with are
powerful because they are more noticeable and more common in todays society. The young
adult are known as the future leaders of America, the able-bodied people are the ones who are

working and paying taxes to take care of the disabled, and heterosexuals are more accepted than
homosexuals and tend to get more recognition and benefits in a marriage. I think the government
is the main institution that helps exert these powers because they set guidelines that we have to
follow, yet school and families play a great role as well because thats where we learn the most.
The fact that Im able to work and can provide for myself and my family and the fact that I can
apply for marriage in any state without being judged or turned away because of my sexual
orientation are definitely some privileges of being in these dominant groups.

Being a part of these dominant groups always have me thinking how the subordinate
groups may feel. Yet it does make me more grateful in life that I have opportunities to do things
that there may not have the chance to do. Being that Im a young adult and able bodied
individual I have more of a positive outcome of educational and jobs benefits than the older adult
or the disabled. While being more privileged than these other groups seem like a good thing its
also something I struggle with being that I would like all individuals to be somewhat equal and
compared on the same levels. I would like to see the dominant-subordinate relationship change
its name a little I dont know why the words dominant and subordinate seem so powerful but
they do. Maybe changing it to a measure of privilege than a level of privilege would help.

Reflection
After completing this assignment I discovered that I may have some hidden emotions
about power and how people of power treat people without the same power. It helped me
understand that dominate and subordinate groups are actually real and are a part of everyday
society, no matter how much of denial I like to be in. Ive always known that there were power
differences between all types of social groups but this assignment sort of educated me on how
intense or powerless a societal group can be. Dealing with the natural tendency to resist
awareness of the way people are being oppressed is not an easy task because everyone should be
aware of ways that they are being oppressed or oppressing others. So we can start filling in the
gap between the dominant and subordinate groups which is something I would like to see
change. Though that change would have to start with us as a society we will have to get the
power levels out of our head and get everyone on an equal playing field until that happens the
dominant- subordinate society levels will stay the same.