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OPINION
06
KANSAN.COM
Students must take steps toward understanding social justice issues
Before moving to Kansas, I lived in the south. I never had a problem fitting in or having people ask me where I was from because of my last name, Gomez, which is often automatically associated with Mexican descent.
When I moved to Kansas there were kids at my school who'd always tease me for being Mexican and being a "Gomez." But I'm not Mexican — I'm Spanish as well as English. Spanish and Mexican descents are
from different countries and different continents. Just because I'm not considered "white" or a majority, neither I, nor any other person, should be teased. Maybe the problem is that people don't know any better because they've never been taught about cultures besides their own.
We don't realize it, but creating our own truths, scenarios or automatic opinions can end up being harmful or offensive to another person. Another problem is that most of the time, our own truths are not the full truth.
We need to be more aware of the issues within social justice and the potential harm of them. What we need is cultural competency understanding other cultures and types of people by looking through a different lens than the normal one we use every day.
Students usually want to feel a
sense of belonging and presence on their university campus and not have to worry about what people will think of them based on cultural or ideological differences. They come to college to seek those lifelong friendships they've heard about and to create memories with those people. When we get to campus, sometimes we look at people too closely rather than critically.
For example, two people are walking on Jayhawk Boulevard to class one man, one woman. In your mind you may ask yourself: "Are they a couple? Are they just friends? Are they going to study together for a class?" In your head, you've already constructed your own story of their relationship. (or even strangership) because you don't see through multiple lenses.
The argument is diversity versus social justice — and equality versus equity. Equality is where everyone
gets the same thing: for example, everyone gets a pair of shoes that are the same type and same size. The problem is, not everyone needs the same thing — what they need is their own shoe for their own size, because not everyone is the same.
That's where equity comes in. Equity is the quality of being fair and just. Since everyone isn't in need of the same thing, we must adapt to their needs and find their access to them.
Diversity is being aware, tolerating, celebrating and accepting different things. But social justice should be the focus. Social justice contains the privilege versus oppression theory, where we base things automatically off the answers to questions like the following: Where'd you come from?
- What high school did you go to?
- What was your motivation and obligation to do what you do?
- What was your household type?
- What activities did you participate in?
But the thing is, why do the answers to these questions matter?
The truth is, they shouldn't. Who we are is who we are, and how we got there isn't important. Our privileges are unasked for, unearned and invisible. We'll never understand our own privilege because we always have them.
We need to be reminded of the importance of thinking critically and to always stop and think, "What's missing?" KU is such a large, diverse university, and that should be embraced.
Jessica Gomez is a senior from Baldwin City majoring in journalism and global studies.
Ask Anissa: Do I follow my parents' rules when they seem unreasonable?
Q: I'm a sophomore, and I live under my parents' ruling. This year I wanted to get an apartment instead of living in the dorms, but they told me if I did they'd stop paying for my college and possibly take away my car, all because they're afraid I'm going to have my boyfriend in my room. This summer, I haven't been able to see him much because they don't want us getting "too comfortable." What do I do?
A: College is the perfect breeding ground for developing a complicated relationship with the humans we call "mom and dad." You're on your own in college, doing what you want, on your own time, with whomever you want. But for the most part, parents still pay for food, gas, housing and sometimes even our fun stuff like that Wheel pizza that you "absolutely needed to have or else you would die" at 1 in the
morning.
On the other hand, boyfriends provide cuddles, forehead kisses and oftentimes free meals that come with an excuse to get dressed up. But through personal experience, boyfriends may come and go, but your parents have been there for you since day one. If your boyfriend can fully support you and all of your financial needs, then you can live wherever you want. Until then, respect your parents' decision.
Life is better when you are on good terms with your parents. Like I said, whether we want to admit it or not, most students wouldn't even
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be at the University if it wasn't for the financial and emotional support our "parentals" provide. Once the semester starts back up and you have your freedom back, you and your boyfriend can see each other whenever you please. Plus, if you two really care about each other, it shouldn't matter where your spend time together, but that you are together at all.
The summer right before my freshman year of college, my parents made the executive decision to not allow me to take my car. Their reasoning was that I would be seven hours from home, and everything
I needed was on campus anyway.
I was livid — I had been driving for almost three years at that point. How could they possibly make me go back to the stone age of walking and asking for rides? But after going through my freshman year of college without a car, I ended up thanking them. There were times where a car would have been nice, but in the big picture, not having one was what was best for me.
'That's the cool, yet also annoying, thing about parents: oftentimes they can see what is better for us way before we can. Bite the bullet and follow your parents' rules. No
Anissa Fritz is a junior from Dallas studying journalism and sociology.
guy is worth risking losing your tuition, your car and your parents' trust. And if he is the right guy for you, I'm sure he will understand and support you respecting your parents.
Text your questions to Anissa at 913-701-7UDK (7835) with the hashtag #AskAnissa