Step 4: Think about issues related to race, class, gender, disability, sexuality.  How has your thinking changed regarding these issues from when you first started to taking classes related to inequality to today?  You will want a paragraph that addresses each of the five areas above.  Your paragraphs should discuss how your views have changed and incorporate concepts that you have learned that have helped to change your views.  You should also refer to the papers you wrote that deal with these issues. (5 paragraphs)

Since enrolling in sociology courses, I have been exposed to the many faults within our society in regard to race, class, sexuality and disability. I learned that race is a social aspect that has been a relevant concept for over 50 years in America. I never gave much thought about my race until I came to college, but I was enlightened about how influential it is in one’s life. Race doesn’t stop at determining the physical characteristics of a person but also the opportunities and challenges they may face in society. Much of the inequality found in the word is the result of racism that has been proven to be generational due the ever-evolving cycle of civil rights movements such as Black Lives Matter. I learned in my race and racisms course that having a “color-blind” mindset can be just as detrimental because it disregards the fact that certain races face inequality and discrimination from the systems that are established. It’s very frustrating to always hear stories of police brutality against young African Americans and black people being harassed by racist “Karens.” How many more social movements will it take to see the change the world so desperately needs? 

My sociology theory class analyzed the many theories constructed by sociologists such as Karl Marx and Max Weber. Each theorist discussed the aspects of social class and the economic inequality found in our everyday lives. I wasn’t too aware of the idea of class considering I grew up very fortunate. However, it made me realize how fortunate I am and that being in a lower class is the reality of many. It makes it difficult to afford essentials, pay bills, and provide for children who need nurturing environments. There is also a disproportionate amount of wealth distributed among people in our country that increases each day due to capitalism. Creating wealth as an African American can be a challenge due to red lining, and the incarceration disparity, the wealth gap.  

Gender has recently been a hot topic among Gen-Z and Millennials. People are now using pronouns more often and are creating new ones such as “demon/demons” and “frog/frogs.” Prior to taking my inequality and difference class I didn’t consider my gender to have any effect on the opportunities I would have in life. One of the first things I learned was that gender is a social concept that isn’t the same as sex. Gender can be defined in whatever way a person feels while sex is biological. There are many stereotypes involved with gender such as women are expected to be nurturing, caring, and soft while men are expected to be the opposite: tough, strong, and “manly.” There is also pay, life expectancy, and anatomy differences between men and women. There is also a debate as to whether transgender individuals should play with cis-gender athletes which can be a controversial topic.  

Over the years, people with disabilities have been subjected to unfair prejudice and inequality. The models for the identification and treatment of impairments as well as their causes have emerged, producing beneficial solutions, as I discovered in my sociology of disabilities course. Prior to enrolling in the course, I was eager to increase my understanding of handicaps so that I could better understand how discrimination against individuals with disabilities affects them. I can now support and advocate for anyone with a handicap, regardless of how it manifests, as a result of attending the course by being an ally. I now notice if buildings follow accessibility guidelines and I have a changed mindset that anyone can develop a handicap considering we all age and there is a possibility of experiencing traumatic accidents at any given time.  

Finally, sexuality wasn’t a concept I often considered due to my own sexuality of being heterosexual. After taking differences and inequalities with Dr. Riden I was educated on how sexuality lies on a spectrum that ranges between homosexuality and heterosexuality. There is a current dispute between whether children should be exposed to drag queens and other endeavors related to gender and sexuality. Personally, I believe that parents should be responsible for what their child would be educated about. In the past there have been many acts of civil rights movements related to sexuality. Thankfully there have been steps taken to ensure that same sex marriage is legal, queer families can adopt children, and various sexualities are more accepted.  

Step 5:  How do you see your changing views about issues related to inequality potentially affecting your career? (1 paragraph)

Upon graduating college I plan to begin my career in education. Over the past three years as a sociology major I have become aware of how our society is in desperate need of positive change in mindset and behavior. I believe the best way to combat any future chaos is to start at the root by educating the future: our children. Some children come from families that are less fortunate and as a way to set a good example I plan to teach my students how to share and care for one another no matter our differences. As I states before racism is a generational concept that can be prevented by teaching children that no race is inferior to one’s own. I don’t plan to teach much about gender and sexuality out of respect of parent’s wishes. However I don’t want to ignore the fact that some children have parents that are homosexual so I would like to explain to my students that everyone’s family doesn’t always look the same but the important part is that they love us very much. I want to create a safe learning environment that doesn’t avoid relevant topics such as race because there’s no benefit in withholding information that has years of struggle and history tied to it. Hopefully they will be motivated in the future to never stop fighting for what they believe in. My students wont only be the next generation but the next revolution.