Discrete Discrimination

            Roosevelt University’s core values surround social justice. As a person who believes in equal rights and acceptance for all, I take great pride in my school, my city, and myself for being in such an environment. But sometimes, even in a safe place like Roosevelt (where we are free to be you and me), I can still feel the pressure of the outside world’s ignorance.

            So you can imagine my surprise when one of my own peers made an offensive remark regarding gays and lesbians. The remark wasn’t overtly offensive, rather insensitive and ignorant. 

I’d imagine that people attending university would have a better sense of right and wrong. Actually, I’m not even sure that it’s a matter of right or wrong, but a matter of morality.

Most of my life I have been made to feel that I over exaggerate issues (of the offensive variety.) My family has always made remarks like “Oh, you can’t say anything to her, can you?!” For a long time, I really did believe that I was overly sensitive and just one of those girls who could flip that bitch switch with a simple racist comment.

 Now that I am older with a bit of education under my belt, I see that my instinct to react to these sorts of comments isn’t because I’m overly sensitive, but because it is the right thing to do.

We have a heavy sense of discrimination lingering in the air. It’s something that some swear up and down does not exist any more, but obviously it exists.

When I heard the comment that my peer made, I felt heat in my face. It wasn’t so much out of anger, but embarrassment.

You know, that feeling when you’re so embarrassed for the person that you feel embarrassed yourself?

After a bit of thought, however, I did feel anger. I felt angry that we are in an institution of higher learning that still manages to house someone who would make such a comment.

The comment itself wasn’t so horribly offensive; in fact, it slipped right by without anyone reacting. But for me, that’s what the issue is.

It’s the little remarks that people think are okay to make. It’s the fact that this fellow student even had that thought in her head. Had she not learned anything about equal rights and discrimination on her academic journey?

Whatever the case may be, I bit my tongue and didn’t express my concern of the comment.

Did I make the right choice? Should I have called her out? Will she make a comment like that again?

I’m not sure of the answer, but I do know it was another lovely day living with discrete discrimination.