Issues of race, class and gender are at the center stage of America’s history and foundation. To a great extent, these issues have influenced the type of society and culture that describes the US in the current age. A deep analysis of these three issues indicates an interconnection that has surpassed history and time. Issues of race, which are deeply rooted in slavery have and continue to influence class and gender in the American society (Wheatly, 1773). Slavery led to the demarcation of individuals as determined by their race and further influenced the subdivision of the US into economic classes to a great extent. Gender issues are present even when considering one’s race or class. All three issues have influenced and continue to influence one another in immeasurable ways. Nonetheless, these issues are great indicators of inequality in the American society.
Slide #3-Systematic Racism
The systemic racism, which can be traced back to the 19 th century, experienced by African Americans as well as other minority races remains one of the biggest challenges facing American society now. Social, economic, and educational disparities in the US institutions were inherited from the slave era as the abolishment of slavery did not provide equal opportunities for African Americans. White, upper-class Americans passed what is known as the “Jim Crow” laws, which led to the further disenfranchisement of African Americans through the segregation of transportation, public facilities, workplaces, and schools in addition to the implementation of poll taxes and literacy tests which prevented African Americans from voting (Hodson, 2016). Jim Crow laws were supported by the legal and political systems to prevent African Americans from mixing with whites in public settings like stores, restaurants, swimming pools, to even extended to the use of sidewalks. The immigrant experience in the US is also characterized by systemic discrimination (Lange 1938). Latinos and other minority groups in America continue to experience systemic racism as they do not have equal access to opportunities and necessary resources.
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Slide #4-Slavery and Effects on Racism
Hodson (2016), who recognizes race as a social construct, further identifies its roots in slavery. Racism resulted in immense economic injustices for minority groups and its effects can be felt among these groups in the current age. As the US became an industrialized nation, there was explosion of economic growth, however, the progress made as a result of this economic growth had lasting consequences. The population had become more stratified, hence the concept of social class. Social class is a broad classification based on an individual’s income, education, and access to essential resources and opportunities. The US has a distinct class system, and there is a great deal of wealth inequality between individuals at the top and those at the bottom. America’s inequality can be seen in the social classes, though this is not a new occurrence given the country’s history of racism and slavery. Historians describe this concept as intersectionality, to which shows that America’s inequality does not only end with race as it spreads throughout many other aspects of society. The American Dream, often blamed for the glaring disparities between the upper and lower classes, links individual effort with success by justifying the unequal distribution of goods, services, and opportunities. The racism that persisted both immediately as well as long after the abolition of slavery in the United States influenced the development and advancement of class and gender differentiation. Rural white elites used racism as a strategy to influence poor whites into overlooking actions that undermined their economic potential (Roediger, 2014). In addition to distracting from the real problems of class, this type of weaponized racism led the poor, lower-class whites to believe that they were better than blacks and therefore economically stable. Nonetheless, their economic position was far below the white elites and, at times, only slightly above than black Americans (Roediger, 2014). Even so, such actions by the upper-class whites helped foster the white superiority ideology which further promoted racism while overlooking the problematic separation by economic class within the white community. Further, poor women from all races were laborers in the fields but poor black women also labored in the houses of well-off white women and often earned far less than white female and black male counterparts for their labor.
Slide #5-Social Dominance
Wealthy, upper-class white males advanced a society that ensured their social dominance over poor whites, minority races, and women – which extended even to their own female relatives. Gender issues, however, surpassed the separation of class within the white community. One could easily see racial differentiation in how issues of gender where handled - especially by the white community. Both the elite white women and poor or working-class white women were protected by their community from black men. It is why in the 1950s and 1960s, black men would encounter severe consequences including being lynched by the white men for being thought to have looked at a white woman inappropriately (Snyder, 2015). In such instances, issues of social class did not matter within the white community. Race was of far more concern when it pertained to matters of gender - particularly when considering white womanhood.
Slide #6- Gender Inequalities
Women from all races experienced gender inequality and the sexual separation of labor regardless of their race (deToqueville, 1840). Capitalistic male workers and unionists have worked to keep women in subordinate positions while furthering their positions as leaders, wage earners and employers (deToqueville, 1840). Men and women operated in different spheres. Women were expected to operate and remain in the private sphere which revolved around domestic duties and have often been unpaid and devalued. Men operated in the public sphere, which includes politics, paid work, and activities outside of the home.
Some women, especially from the elite class, use the labor of lower class white-women or women of minority races to relieve some of the burden of their own domestic duties (Locke and Wright, 2017). Domestic work ensures that social classes are in close proximity with one another as women from lower-class backgrounds relieve their upper-class counterparts from the more vigorous and unpleasant domestic duties. Women from poor backgrounds and minority races are forced to assume tasks considered by the higher status women as distasteful or beneath them.
Slide #7-Social Constructs Favoring Gender Inequalities
Despite the separation of class, gender issues are somewhat similar across race in the current age. Men of all races enjoy socially constructed superiority over women (Locke and Wright, 2017). White men enjoy more leadership positions and employment opportunities than white women and this is the same for the black, Asian, Indian or Hispanic communities in the US. Even when white men enjoy more employment and leadership opportunities than Blacks or Latinos, the black men still experience better economic opportunities than their female counterparts. Therefore, despite the separation by class as determined by domestic work, women are economically disadvantaged than men across all races.
Slide #8-Gender, Class and Race Today
Currently, race, class and gender can be witnessed in the access to resources across the US. Women and minorities, including blacks, Indians and Latinos at a disadvantage with regard to resources like housing, education or employment (Redbook, 1957). Good housing was most accessible to white men and women while employment and leadership was accessible to white men. Even as major social progress has been made, there is still evidence of more men in employment and leadership positions than women. It’s been shown that, typically, white people have more access to critical resources such as education and career advancement opportunities than minority races – with upper-class white males having the greatest advantage, followed by upper-class females.
Slide #9-Conclusion
Race, class, and gender have influenced and continue to influence one another to varied degrees. Race and racism arose from the extensive history of slavery in the US. It has played key roles in issues of class and gender. The elite class, often slave owners, exercised their dominance over women and slaves. Even upper-class white women were under the dominance of the white male, however, not to same extent as slaves and minority races in general were. Women further demonstrated issues of class amongst themselves with elite white women exerting dominance over their own slaves and the poor-class women whom worked for them.
Slide #10- References
deToqueville, A. (1840). How Americans Understand the Equality of the Sexes. Retrieved from http://www.americanyawp.com/reader/the-market-revolution/alexis-de-toqueville-how-americans-understand-the-equality-of-the-sexes-1840/
Feke, R. (1741). Royall Family. [Painting]. Retrieved from http://www.americanyawp.com/reader/royall-family //
Fitzhugh, G. (1854). George Fitzhugh Argues that Slavery is Better than Liberty and Equality. Retrieved from http://www.americanyawp.com/reader/the-cotton-revolution/george-fitzhugh-argues-that-slavery-is-better-than-liberty-and-equality-1854/
Hodson, G. (2016). Race as a social construction. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/without-prejudice/201612/race-social-construction
Locke, J. and Wright, B. (Eds). (2017). “ Changes in gender and family life ,” “ Women’s rights in Antebellum America, ” “ Reconstruction and women . ” The American yawp . Retrieved from http://www.americanyawp.com
Redbook. (1957). In the Suburbs. [Film] Retrieved from
https://archive.org/details/IntheSub1957
Roediger, D. (2014). “Whiteness and race.” Bayor, R. (Ed.) Oxford handbook of immigration and ethnicity. New York: Oxford University Press.
Snyder, T. (2015). Women, race, and law in early America. In J. Butler (Ed.), Oxford research encyclopedia of American history. Retrieved from http://americanhistory.oxfordre.com/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199329175.001.0001/acrefore-9780199329175-e-12 .
Wheatly, Phyllis. (1773). On being brough from Africa
Retrieved from https://bcc-cuny.digication.com/ushistoryreader/Phillis_Wheatley_s_On_Being_Brought_From_Africa_to
Reflection
The course has helped bring insight into how issues of race, gender, and class are interconnected forming the American foundation and history. It has helped understand how these issues influence the American society and culture, in incorporating social constructs that devalue women while encouraging men's dominance. The study of gender inequality in the course has solidified my thoughts on the American employment sector, especially why men highly dominate high job ranks while women engage in low-level jobs. As a Latina woman, the course has assisted in learning how my gender and race play out in my life especially with gender inequality persisting in the current society, in which people view women as inferior beings that engage only in house duties.
The course has brought a clear understanding of the race issues in America, especially how they affect me as a Latina. Through the analysis of the race issues, my thoughts on resource allocation in the American society has been solidified on why whites are the only group of people advantaged with all critical resources such as education, and employment. Nonetheless the course has helped to understand racism issues contributing to minority groups lack of resources with many involved in the low-skill and unskilled type of jobs. The course has helped in the understanding of the relationship of race and development of various class subdivisions in the American society and the development of various neighborhoods with white living in high-class safe areas as minority groups live in low class residential environments which further segregates people. Therefore, the course has opened my eyes on the inequalities am likely to face in the American society as a woman and a Latino hence, a preparation in coping in the limiting environment.
