Race
Race has always been a prevalent issue that I have been painfully aware of since I was old enough to remember. I am bi-racial, my mom is white, and my dad is black, and my race was always a topic of discussion because I have been different than the peers I have grown up around. Since my time at Longwood, I have been aware of how my racial background has affected me, but not how it affects others. My personal interest has been in the disproportionate representation of African Americans within the criminal justice system. It was not until I was a criminal justice major that I realized how high the levels of racial disparities in incarceration were. I feel as if daily I am hearing and learning how black defendants are filling American jails faster than white defendants.
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Open in new tab Class
Before attending Longwood, I did not pay attention to class status or the opportunities that are paired with what class an individual belongs to. I grew up in the middle class and have moved up to the upper-middle class over the years due to my parent’s accomplishments. I did not consider class by any means until I took Sociology of the Welfare State and Social Policy (SOCL 275). In this class, my viewpoints changed on how policies affect individuals and families, as well as how these policies shape family structure and decisions. I found how welfare policies, such as TEFAP mentioned in my white paper for this course, are created and changed and how different Americans view different aspects of the welfare state. My views have now changed because I am aware of the opportunities and experiences that go along with class and the assistance types that are available for individuals who qualify for welfare.
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Gender
Gender is a social construct that the boundaries of are being expanded daily. Before attending Longwood, and in relation to criminal justice, I only knew of the male gender being the primary perpetrators of crime. In my Gender and Crime course (CRIM 323) I learned that this is true, but female perpetrators are often overlooked in their crimes and under prosecuted for more violent acts that they may commit. The paper I chose for this course was an overview of child sexual abuse and I learned about how much gender affects crime. Females have been excluded from the discussion of crime altogether. Males are argued to be the most likely to offend even though females have the fastest-growing incarceration rate. Throughout the work completed in this course, I have learned about gender stereotypes in crime, perpetrator typology, and that there is a convergence in female and male offending.
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Sexuality
Human sexuality was a course that I was hesitant on taking at Longwood because of my lack of knowledge, at the time, on the subject. I knew about heterosexuals, homosexuals, bisexuals, and bits and pieces about the LGBTQ+ community and what they stood for. Other than that, I was ignorant of the topic and how important knowing about sexuality is. In my Human Sexuality course (SOCL 495) I learned how to define and distinguish between sexual behavior, identity orientation, and fluidity, discuss sexual violence, and describe the nature and variety of sexual behaviors among humans. I demonstrated this in a paper I wrote for the course on contraceptives.
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I see my changing views about issues related to inequality potentially affecting my career by improving my understanding and bettering how I may assist individuals who may be facing these types of inequalities. Victim Advocates, my ultimate career goal, is to emotionally assist and provide services for victims of crime. Statistics show, found through my Gender and Crime course, that many individuals who are victims of crime face some sort of inequality. Being an individual of privilege going into a career path that is heavily involved with inequality, I think it is of the utmost importance that I understand and have up-to-date views of inequality. Having so would allow me to be able to assist victims through the individualized needs of their specific cases.