Subordinate Racial and Ethnic Groups
It is wrong to hold prejudices against other racial or ethnic groups as there is no subordinate race. What is referred to as ‘subordinate race’ is a tool that those who feel are superior to others use to stay in power and further their agendas.
Perception of other Groups as informed by Chapter Reading
The current U.S population still remains predominantly white. Top on the hierarchy of the racial pyramid would be the Caucasian male followed closely in second place by the Caucasian female. Most white people rarely think about their being white or the privileges it bestows upon them, especially so for the Caucasian white female ( Schaefer, 2015 ). The only disadvantage the Caucasian female might have as compared to her Caucasian male counterpart is her gender. Compared to the other races, both the male and the female gender, she is considered more superior in the racial hierarchy and is only subordinate to her male counterpart.
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The Caucasian female in today’s U.S would probably reside in a good pleasant neighborhood afforded with all the necessary amenities. She could probably walk into any store and receive prompt and excellent service just because of the color of her skin. The Caucasian female has a higher chance of acquiring a bank loan as compared to her other counterparts from races that are deemed to be inferior( Kindle & Delavega, 2018 ). The probability of her being stopped and frisked by law enforcement agents on suspicion of carrying a weapon or drugs is highly unlikely.
She probably receives a higher salary as compared to her fellow female colleagues tasked with the same responsibilities and having the same qualifications. With that salary she is afforded access to better education for her kids, healthcare and other social services as compared to other female counterparts from different races ( Schaefer, 2015 ). The Caucasian female is almost never subjected to racial profiling and is hardly ever suspected of being involved in illegal activities just because of the color of her skin.
The Caucasian female lives in a rarified existence and is probably unaware of the many advantages she has due to the color of her skin and at times even if she is aware of these advantages takes them for granted or simply refuses to acknowledge them.
With the advances made in technology especially with regard to the exchange of information on a global scale acts of racism and discrimination have reduced but that does not mean that they still do not occur. The creation of awareness has fostered the need for change and the fight against racism and discrimination has received even more champions determined to achieve its objectives, key being a ‘color-blind’ world where all people are treated equally ( Kindle & Delavega, 2018 ).This exchange of information has enabled people all over the world from different races and ethnic backgrounds to gain a different perspective from their own in terms of culture and ethnic differences. The Caucasian female having gained a different perspective would no longer tolerate a system of inequality in a society that favors a dominant race as it aggravates social problems and fails to use all the resources provided by all the individuals in the society.
With this newfound perspective, she would criticize the capitalist economic systems and fight for equal pay for all members of the societies regardless of race and discourage the payment of low wages that benefit the dominant ruling masses ( Schaefer, 2015 ). In the practice of this new perspective, she would propose that law enforcement officers are trained not to use only skin color as a basis for racial profiling and to do away with stereotyping as statistics have shown that such stereotyping is not always accurate.
The Caucasian female would learn to tolerate and accept people from all races and ethnic backgrounds through equal status and co-operative tasks that will encourage to them to appreciate and respect each other’s differences and abilities as individuals.
Change of Positions
To champion the fight against racism and discrimination the Caucasian female should try and imagine what her life would be like if she were one of these subordinate races and the steps or actions she would take to champion this cause as a minority. The Caucasian female would no longer enjoy most of the privileges bestowed upon her because of the color of her skin were she of a subordinate race ( Kindle & Delavega, 2018 ). She would probably not be able to access the best facilities or amenities awarded to those deemed to be superior. She would probably be subjected to racial profiling, get passed over for a promotion because she was not from a dominant ethnic group; she would probably be the victim of acts of discrimination and racism in her day to day life as are a majority of the people deemed to be in the subordinate racial groups.
The Caucasian female should it be that she suddenly was a member of these subordinate racial groups would probably take a stand and actively take part in the fight against racism and discrimination ( Schaefer, 2015 ). She would probably be more careful about her image and actions, especially in public due to the stereotype that confers certain behaviors and mannerisms to an entire race, especially if that racial group is deemed inferior.
In summary, the Caucasian female, if she were to be a member of a subordinate race, would have to teach her children to recognize acts of discrimination or racism perpetrated against them. They would look for the appropriate action to take if such an event would occur and the best way to protect themselves from such heinous acts.
References
Kindle, P. A., & Delavega, E. (2018). Increasing Awareness of White Privilege among Social Work Students. Multicultural Education , 26 (1), 24-30.
Schaefer, R. T. (2015). Sociology in Modules Loose Leaf 3/e . McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
