I find the prevalence of assumptions in all aspects of society very interesting. The formation and preservation of common assumptions is how we make laws, policies and rules for the world. We form ethical frameworks due to our world-views that often turn our potentially false assumptions into unwavering beliefs. We base these rules off of what we think is normal, but what is normal in one culture may be abnormal in another.
One harmful assumption Dr. Bezio talks about in Podcast Episode 3 is that many people assume women should police their own bodies because men cannot. This assumption leads to the idea that women are to blame for being sexualized and should dress certain ways and act certain ways. These ideas contribute to the normalization of rape culture, sexual harassment, victim blaming, and sl*t shaming. I’ve gotten in trouble multiple times in elementary, middle and highschool for wearing clothing that was “distracting” to my male classmates. My female guidance counselor would call me down to the office when I was in violation of the dress code and either make me change or send me home. I’d argue that me being taken out of class to change or leave school altogether is way more distracting and interrupting to my education than my revealed shoulders are to the boys in my class. (Maybe if the school had reliable air conditioning and I wasn’t forced to wear tank tops on hot June days, this wouldn’t have been a problem but that’s another issue lol). Also why are we sexualizing literal elementary and middle schoolers? I think that is the universal example that all girls in this country experience in school while growing up, and it just shows how harmful these assumptions about girls and women can be.
Another harmful assumption that I found interesting was pertaining to marijuana laws. Marijuana was made illegal as a tactic to discriminate against minorities in America. The readings about immigration and access to medications/drug restrictions are also flooded with examples of the harmful effects that assumptions make. Assumptions exist in all parts of life, similar to stereotypes and biases, which I ~assume~ is why we are discussing these topics at the same time.
I resonated with the statement Dr. Bezio made at the end of the podcast that asks us what do we really know versus what we think we know? We often justify stereotypes, biases, and assumptions by declaring the truth in them. But in reality, we cannot state any of these assumptions as universal facts.
I think that Dr.Bezio’s state meant really makes you think about what is actually your own opinion, and what is actually just the result of what society has taught us. That society includes parents, friends, teachers, classmates, the media and so much more.
I also wrote down that quote from Dr. Bezio in my notes. I think it is a highly important question, that we should be asking ourselves frequently. College has been the first place that I’ve really dove into conversations about stereotypes (in an educational system). I am highly shocked that we aren’t taught topics like this in high school or younger. When I heard that quote, it made me think, ‘wow – we should all be taught from a very young age.’ I felt that if we were all raised to ask ourselves this kind of question, we may be on the way to a more inclusive society.