Diversity & U.S. Politics
Mike W. Hansen
December 16th, 2011
Marilyn Frye Abstract
Oppression is an elusive concept that can sometime be hard to decipher. Situations in which this
happens are complex, and intertwined with many factors making it hard to really recognize what it is
and what to do about it. In the paper "Oppression" Marilyn Frye goes into better detail on what it really
means to say that a person or group is being oppressed, pinpointing what is and what isn’t apart of this
conundrum.
Oppression is often mistaken to include any and all human experience of limitation or suffering
no matter the cause, degree or consequence. To deny someone that what they are saying or
experiencing is inaccurate you are perceived to be insensitive implying that they never suffer or have no
feelings. Because of this many people are silenced before they even begin. This is a falsehood that is
easy to fall into and believe. If an individual is going through rough times, controversial experiences, or
having any number of emotions does not mean they are being oppressed. Contrary to popular belief, it
is possible to deny that a person or group is experiencing oppression without denying that they have
feelings.
So what is oppression?
"The root of the word "oppression" is the element "press". Something oppressed is caught
between or among forces and barriers which are so related to each other that jointly they restrain,
restrict or prevent its motion or mobility (mold. Immobilize. Reduce)." - Marilyn Frye
The concept of oppression carries with it connotations of negativity and a condescending behavior. It is
an act which is performed upon an individual or group dependent upon details that they have no control
over, things such as their ethnicity, gender, and even social class. This problem runs hand in hand with
racism, and can be seen within the social structure and institutions we have today. This illusions is an
idea that was created, run, and still maintained by those in power who are continually striving to keep
themselves at the top by essentially turning people against themselves. It gives them unfair advantages
while the rest of the mass's stew in turmoil and controversy.
An example of this is the double bind, which can present itself in many situations throughout
your lifetime. Take for instance the example of a women’s sexuality. If a women is sexually active they
are looked down upon by others within society, she is perceived as a whore, unprincipled, or being
loose. This punishment presents itself through criticism, snide full remarks, embarrassing situations,
being perceived by men as easy bait, and scorned by other female friends. While on the other hand if
this same women refrains from sexual activity she is labeled by others as being uptight, frigid, closed
minded, and a tease, whom are constantly being persuaded by men to "relax" and "let your hair down".
This abstinence from sex can be seen as abnormal and thus prevent her from being popular, or even
accepted among others. This female is in a lose-lose situation. She is being prevented from progressing
forward at the same pace as others merely because she is a female, something she had no control over.
This is something that a white male would never experience or have to deal with. According to this
situation women can be seen as being oppressed. Let me elaborate on another such instance: It is often
an expectation that those who are miserable, sad, or struggling must maintain a smile and be cheerful.
by doing this you are signaling that there is nothing to take note of, that you are perfectly happy with
your situation and thus become invisible. On the other hand anything other than the best of attitude
puts you at risk of being perceived as a mean, bitter, angry person which can be detrimental to your
livelihood. Who would want to associate and be around or work with such a person? Those qualities are
associated and believed to result in violent behavior such as beatings, murders, and rape. In this
example, those that are within this bind have no correct path to take, they are pressed between beliefs
created by others and are left with no right decision; it is a situation in which everyone loses.
"The experience of oppressed people is that the living of one’s life is confined and
shaped
by forces and barriers which are not accidental or occasional and hence avoidable, but are
systematically related to each other in such a way as to catch one between and among them and restrict
or penalize motion in any directions. It is the experience of being caged in all avenues, every direction is
blocked or booby trapped." - Marilyn Frye
There is another great example that Marilyn points out which offers another perspective and an
important fact to take note of on this subject. Imagine a bird cage, if you to take a moment and inspect
one of the individual wires, up and down, you would not be able to see any reason why the bird would
be unable to just fly around the wire and continue on its way. And if you were to take the time and
myopically inspect every single wire in the cage, you would still be unable to see why the bird stays
caged in. There is no physical property that each wire contains that prevents the bird from leaving as it
pleases. But when you take a moment to step back and look at the cage not on a microscopic level,
rather a macroscopic level, you become aware that there are many wires placed together. These wires
act as a network of systematic related barriers none of which would hinder is progress into the world on
its own but together confine the bird as if it were a solid wall.
This example helps individuals to realize that the active relations in oppression can be hard to
see and recognize. Often we look and take each situation on an individual basis, but in this instance you
must look at what is going on from a different/wider perspective. Yes the examples mentioned earlier of
the double binds are very situational and have many outside factors and exceptions that may lead you
to believe that the barriers of oppression do not exist. But take a moment and also realize that even
though the individual case can be disregarded and ignored, on a much bigger scale the barriers that
prevent one person or group from proceeded while having no effect on others can still exist, and are
very relevant to millions of people. This changes how we must strive to lead our lives and participate in
the competition of success. We are always trying to progress forward to something bigger and better.
Oppression prevents people from receiving equal opportunities and rights that aid us on our quest, that
as one human being of millions, we deserve.