Essay On Internalized Racism

In the science there are many forms of mental disorders. There are the ones that have to do with internal forces and others that occur due to outside forces. The case we looking at today were looking at a disorder is something that can be effected by both external forces but upheld by internalized ones. The idea of racism is something the world knows to well it has to do with discrimination of a whole people and can sometimes be a hindrance in our society. The formal definition of racism is, “the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.” What if it was a possibility for someone to hold those ideals inside themselves and see themselves as something less? This is the idea of internalized racism. Some of the symptoms that might occur from this disorder are a constant need to not of a different nationality. “Minorities suffering from internalized racism, may loathe the physical characteristics that make them racially distinct
such as skin color, hair texture or eye shape (Nittle).” These characteristics that make us unique are thus turned into something to hate about one’s self thus subject to change. American culture has a highly impossible beauty standard that most people can’t reach, especially those of color. For arguments sake we’ll discuss the struggles of women of color. For most of them it is hard to find a celebrity that looks like you because most are photo shopped into looking like someone else. This is a process called white washing, and it takes many different forms. The most prominent being the idea of straight long flowing hair. Media does this frequently to women of color to “anglicize” them or give them a purer appearance. “Media representations of these women have become increasingly, “whitewashed” over time, with lighter-colored, straighter hair, lighter makeup, colored contacts and often shrinking figures (Admin).” Media is a high cause of internalized racism. From my perspective racism can take some many different shapes but when it is internalized it hurts not only the person in question but those around them.
I suffered with this “disorder” for a number of years in high school. I didn’t like myself because I African American and I wanted nothing to do with the other black kids at my school because so were they. They were loud, obnoxious, rude and overall just awful people. At least that’s what I consistently thought. I know this wasn’t true for everyone there but it just made it easier to generalize the entire population in my school. I wasn’t like them so instead of admitting to myself that I was black I told everyone that I was “mixed”. This helped to alleviate my stress and it made me more approachable to my peers. To this day I don’t identify as African American but it’s not because I hate myself but instead because I don’t truly understand my
lineage. Media is bullying people to believe that in order to be seen as worth you have to be white, however, when you don’t fit that mold you tend to bully others for being the same as you. This bullying causes rifts to become forged between peoples of color and make them feel superior because of the varying stigma each ethnicity has attached to it. “For some minorities, the impetus to turn racism inward occurs when they see whites receiving privileges denied to people of color (Nittle).” White privilege exist and it is more than abundantly clear that it does. When compared to other disorders the internalized racism is similar to something like anorexia. Both share similar symptoms where the brain is tricked into thinking something is wrong with the patient but really there isn’t. the person in question want to be something else so they do whatever it takes to be the perfect specimen (as they see fit). These people are victimized and forced to be what everyone wants them to be. The parties may suffer from low self-esteem and because of such seek validation from everyone around them. Victims of racism tend to internalize their feelings which in turn causes them to create new ideas, beliefs and behaviors to pass as another race or “blend in” with white society. Bivens states, “Internalized racism is a systemic oppression in reaction to racism that has a life of its own (44).” This system is flawed and hurts not only the patient but those in the entire culture they are a part of. That’s why stereotypes exist they are there to perpetuate an idea that something a culture does is universal and pertains to everyone who identifies with it and this is a problem. By self-stereotyping one’s self it causes them to see themself as a caricature of a person instead of an individual. They become an inferior being in their minds which causes them to be less likely to be out going or lack the motivation to be a contributing member of society. They become accustomed to being the victim and thus at as the feel fit (Bivens 46). For example: the victim might deny themself privileges because they feel they don’t deserve it or haven’t earned it because of their internal struggle. In the dictionary, mental disorders are seen as, “a condition marked primarily by sufficient disorganization of personality, mind and emotions”, these conditions are only seen as irregular when they weaken a normal flow of the brains’ thinking. Internalized racism is a mental disorder in its own right because it impairs a person’s perception of themself. As previously stated it will often hinder and threaten the relationship a person has with peers. There are no medications out there suited to combat this disorder so, the only way to get “better” is to seek help or help yourself. The best solution to a problem like this is instead of looking at the negatives and wish you were something else is to look at the positives instead. With positive thinking a person can better themself inside and out so they start to appreciate everything they have to offer the world.