The document outlines the history of anti-Semitism from 3000 BCE to the early 20th century. It describes how Jews were oppressed through forced migrations, loss of citizenship, exclusion, segregation, expulsions, and extermination. Stereotypes of Jews as wandering outsiders, money-lovers, ritual murderers, and members of an inferior race emerged and anti-Semitism took on religious, economic, political, and racial dimensions. Themes included Jews being oppressed for not converting religions and for their perceived economic and political power.

1. Challenging
Anti-Semitism
Lane County Human Resources
Instructor: tova stabin,
tovastabin@gmail.com

2. I. How to get the most out of
trainings
II. Introductions

3. III. Who are the Jews?
a. Slideshow
b. Facts and Statistics

4. IV. Framework For Oppression:
* Defining Anti-Semitism
* How Anti-Semitism Fits Into A "Framework Of Oppression”
* Anti-Semitic Hot Spots

5. V. Characteristics of Stereotypes
VI. Stereotypes of Jews

6. VII. Break

7. VIII. Origins And Recurrent Patterns
Of Anti-Semitism in History,
3000 BCE To early 20th Century

8. IX. What’s Going On Historically?
Cycles of Oppression: Patterns and Themes
Reviewing Stereotypes

9. X. Who are the Jews? Slideshow –
A Second Look
XI. I’m Going to Write Myself a Letter
XII. Wrap Up and Evaluations

10. Guidelines for Getting the Most Out of Trainings
•The purpose of these guidelines is to honor the dignity, respect, diversity, and
worth of everyone in the classroom
•Treat everyone with respect. Assume the best.
•Sarcasm, verbal attacks, and other negative exchanges are counter
productive to learning.
•Learning is about BOTH sharing and active listening. Help this to happen
by monitoring yourself so there is a balance of everyone having space to
speak and the opportunity to listen.
•It's important to listen to people from "targeted" groups about their own
oppression – they're the experts. This does NOT mean, however, that
they represent everyone from their group.
•Raise comments and questions in ways that promote learning, rather
than defensiveness.
•Keep the discussion and comments on topic. There are always wider
areas to talk about, but to get the most from this material, it's important to
stay focused.
•If important off topics ideas come up, jot them down and bring them up
with colleagues and friends at a later date, or contact the trainer/instructor
for something you think should be added to the discussion next time.
•It's okay to respectfully disagree and then move on. The purpose of the
dialog and discussion is not to reach consensus, but to explore particular
diversity materials

11. WHO ARE THE JEWS?

66. IV. Framework For Oppression:
 Defining Anti-Semitism
 How Anti-Semitism Fits Into A "Framework Of Oppression”
 Anti-Semitic Hot Spots

67. Antisemitism is the systematic discrimination (denial of access) against,
denigration, or oppression of Jews, Judaism, and the cultural, intellectual,
and religious heritage of the Jewish people.
History of term:
 Ancient: Semitic refered to family of languages from the Middle East area
including Hebrew, Aramaic, Tegre, Ge’ez, Phoenician and others.
 Modern:
Anti-Semitic “created" by Wilhelm Marr to replace German word
Judenhass (Jew-hatred) with a less "vulgar” and more "scientific" term
Introduced into the political vocabulary in 1879 by the founding
of the "League of Anti-Semites,” the first to create a popular political
movement based on anti-Semitism.

69. Power and Privilege
 Not all members of a dominant group are more powerful than all
members of the subordinate group.
 Being member of a dominant group carries certain privileges – e.g.,
your culture is the “norm.”
 Being member of subordinate group you experience social sanctions.
Having experiences of “other” enables us to work in coalitions.
"The Sum Total Of These Identity Differences Is Not Additive,
But Interactive."

70. How the Norm Stays in Power
Norm is standard:
Nose jobs, name changes, xmas=American; 12 step program,
use of the word church
Erasure, lies, devaluation:
People in power know little about oppressed – who knows Jewish
history except holocaust; If Jews are so powerful, why doesn’t
everyone know about Jewish history, holidays, etc. ; Lies –
Jews didn’t resist holocaust;
No knowledge leads to stereotypes:
Stingy, powerful, conspirators
Divine right/inherent superiority:
Jews won’t go to heaven
Blame victim:
If you didn’t act so Jewish; if you had resisted; if didn’t kill Christ
Threat of violence:
Swastika, pogroms
Limited access:
Let a few “in”, so can’t complain –if you were good enough, you’d
succeed (different for different targeted groups)

71. Antisemetic Hot Spots
1. The Middle East
2. Jews and Money
3. Jews take up “too much space” on the oppression scale
4. Antisemitism intersection with sexism, racism, classism
5. Anti-choice and conservative forces use holocaust
imagery against Jews.
6. Black/Jewish relations
7. Imagery since 9 – 11.

72. Examples of Anti-Semitism in the U.S.
 Incidents
of harassment in 2004 up by 27% (over
2003) with 1,177 incidents.
 Acts of vandalism increase to 644 incidents,
compared to 628 in 2003.
 64.3% of religious hate crimes in U.S. in 2006 were
directed towards Jews.
Examples of Anti-Semitism Locally
 ‘08: Spencer Butte Middle School targeted with Jewish
and other hate graffitti
 ‘07: Ahavas Torah vandalized
‘02: Rocks with swatzikas thrown through windows of
Temple Beth Israel during services
 ’94: Drive by shooting of Temple Beth Israel

73. Examples of Global Antisemitism
 2006 International Study showed the highest number of
physical, verbal, and visual manifestations of reported
anti-Semitism since 2000.
 Particularly rose in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada,
France, New Zealand, South Africa, Switzerland, and the
United Kingdom.
 Incidents include “terrorism,” physical attacks, abuse,
Intimidation, property damage, cemetery desecration
Incidents at sporting events, e.g., soccer matches.

74. Ariel Sharon shown watching on the sidelines as an Israeli
plane crashes into the World Trade Center, which spells
the words “the peace” - Qatar
“In a word, American Public Debate belongs to
the Jews, and its no exaggeration to say that
[US Media] are the voices of the Jews”. - Korea

77. Blood Libel Myths
Jewish man impaling an infant on a
spear - Bahrain
Star of David Impaling children Venezuela

78. WHAT IS A STEREOTYPE?
The arbitrary assigning of habits, abilities, traits or
expectations to person or group of people on basis of
their group membership regardless of their attributes
as individuals

80. VII. Break

81. VIII. Origins And Recurrent Patterns Of
Anti-Semitism in History, 3000 BCE To
early 20th Century

82. Questions to think about while listening
to history:
1. What are the sources for stereotypes we listed?
2. What are the emergent themes, patterns of
oppression, and Jewish responses?

83. Ancient Era: 2000 B.C.E. to 400 B.C.E.
B.C.E. 2000-1100: Wanderings in Canaan. Leave Canaan for Egypt
due to famine. Enslaved in Egypt. Exodus of Jews from Egypt and
wanderings in Sinai. Settle in Canaan.
B.C.E. 1100-800: Independence period. Hebrew monarchy
established.
B.C.E. 800-700: Assyrians conquer Israel. Jews in Israel taken
captive and dispersed. End of Israelites.
B.C.E. 600 – 500: Babylonian conquest. Fall of kingdom of Judah.
Temple destroyed. Jews dispersed. Many deported to Babylonia.
Jews in Babylonia codify laws and keep culture alive.
B.C.E. 500 – 400: Persian domination. Some Jews allowed to return
to Jerusalem. Jews in Diaspora pay “temple tax” to Jerusalem.
Temple rebuilt.
Jews oppressed for:
Oppressed via:
-being a rival national and
- forced migrations
religious group
- dispersions (Diaspora)

85. Greco-Roman Era: 334-63 B.C.E.
B.C.E. 334-322: Greeks defeat Persians. Jews under Grecian influence.
Greco-Roman period begins.
B.C.E. 300 – 200: Hebrew Scriptures translated into Greek.
Foundations for Christianity are set.
B.C.E.168-4: Macabbean revolt. Independent Jewish state
reestablished.
B.C.E.63: Palestine conquered by Romans. Jews brought to Rome.
Jews oppressed for:
Oppressed via:
-preserving religious and
-enslavement
cultural differences
-non-citizenship
-not assimilating
-special taxation
-rebelling
-confiscation of property
-rules against proselytizing &
conversion
-murder

87. STEREOTYPES AND THEMES
 Wandering Jews
 Jews as other, permanent aliens, foreigners, etc.
 Jews in Diaspora maintain culture by codifying the
law, so important for them to read and write, Jews as
educated
 Roots of stereotypes of Jews as cosmopolitan,
international connections, involved in business when
they become traders and merchants internationally
during Greek and Roman era
Themes: Forced Migration, Oppressed for being rival
national group (when in Canaan)

88. Beginning of Christianity. Religious Anti-Semitism: 100-600 C.E.
C.E. – Jesus Born
1-100: Pontius Pilate procurator of Judea. Christ crucified by Romans.
70 CE – 200: Fifty thousand Jews in Rome, several synagogues,
community organizations, most Jews are peddlers or merchants.
Jewish peddlers follow Roman armies North into France, western
Germany and establish Jewish communities there. Jews move into Spain
when Rome conquered Spain.
100 –200: Jewish rebellions. Jews dispersed through empire. Palestine
destroyed and rendered off-limits to Jews.
300-400: Emperor Constantine converts to Christianity. Beginning of Holy
Roman Empire. New Testament canonized. First laws limiting rights of
non-Christians.
400-600: Christianity spread throughout empire. Papacy established.
Jews only non-Christians in Christian Empire.
Jews oppressed for:
Oppressed Via:
-not converting
-labels: Christ killers, evil, devils
-“past sins;” deicide
-wandering Jew as Jewish archetype
-loss of citizenship
-loss of rights to practice religion

89. STEREOTYPES AND THEMES
 Jews Having Horns And Tails
 Jews as Devil Worshippers
 Jews People To Be Hated And Feared (reason for not
Converting)
 TREND: When Emperor Constantine converted and
makes Christianity official Roman religion, these ideas
about Jews are backed by power of the state
Jews in Christian state – low status leads to easy
scapegoating

90. Beginning of Economic Anti-Semitism: 500-1500 C.E. (Medieval Period)
500-650: Forced conversions in Spain and France
500-800: Jews invited to settle in France, Italy, and Germany. Organized
mercantile establishments and become Europe’s (pre-capitalist) middle
class.
900-1100: Jews invited to England with William the Conqueror. Expanded
moneylending activities.
1040-1350: Crusades: Thousands of “heathen” Jews killed along the
crusader’s rote to Palestine. Jews burned alive in their temples.
1100-1300: First ritual murder and Host-desecration and blood libels.
First burning of Talmud. Jews banished from England.
1215:Council of Lateran (Spain) orders Jews to wear a distinctive sign,
yellow Jewish badges (Yellow stood for “racial disgrace.”)
1348 – 1354 – Bubonic Plague – Jews blamed for starting international
conspiracy to poison Christians throughout Europe. Thousands of Jews
murdered to “save” others or for revenge.
1300-1500:Jews expelled from France (1400). Banished from Spain and
Portugal. Persecutions increasingly are economically motivated.

93. Beginning of Economic Anti-Semitism: 500-1500 C.E.
(Medieval Period)
Jews oppressed for:
- not converting
- ritual murder and desecration
of host
- causing Bubonic plague
Oppressed via:
-forced conversions
-exclusion
- segregation (Badges)
- economic oppression
- expulsion
- extermination

94. STEREOTYPES AND THEMES
 Weak, intellectual – forced not to live on land
 Periodic expulsions, confiscation of land, portable possessions,
"portable" religion - wandering Jew, always foreigners
 Jews as moneylenders and tax collector - sinful money-living,
shrewd, misers, etc., church says lending money is evil
 Usurers, bribers, misers – Jews need money to bribe people in power
to escape oppressive regimes, portable wealth – can take with them, so
can always leave; not allowed to own land
Economic resentment and religious and cultural prejudice combine
for anti-Jewish violence.

95. Beginning of Economic AND Political Anti-Semitism: 1350-1750 C.E.
1300-1400: Jews banished from England
1390: Rioting against Jews in Spain: 100,000 murdered, 100,000 convert,
100,000 flee to Muslim lands
1400: Jews banished from France; Spanish “blood purity” (limpieza de
sangre) codes lock former Jews and their descendants from access to
educational, economic, and political privilege
1478: Spanish Inquisition
1492: Jews banished form Spain and Portugal
1556:Jews confined to ghettoes in Italy, Germany, and Central Europe.
1550-1700: Jews readmitted to England, Holland, and France. Settle in
Russia.
1648-1655: 100,000 Jews massacred in Poland.
Jews oppressed for:
-non-conversion
- “past sins”
- economic forces and cycles
Oppressed via:
-restrictive economic roles
- forced conversions
- extermination and massacres
- expulsions
- segregation: ghettos, Pale

96. STEREOTYPES AND THEMES
 Jews considered morally dangerous
 Jews forced to stick together (Ghettos) – clannish
 Jews restricted professions – money stereotypes
 Jews stand in the way of others success - their role
as “native” middle-class
 Being Jewish is “in their blood” – so doesn’t matter if
they convert; start of racial implications
 Jews are heathens (Crusaders)

98. Age of “Enlightenment”: Economic and Political AntiSemitism and Beginning of Racial Anti-Semitism: 1750- 1905
1750: Russian “Pale of Settlement” established
1787: French revolution bestows French citizenship on Jews
1821: Russian military conscription laws.
1840: Damascus Affair (Syria). Introduces blood libel myth to Arab world.
1850-1900: Pogroms in Russia. “ In “enlightened” Western Europe, many
Jews become members of literary, financial, and political elites.
1866: Jews majority population in Jerusalem
1880’s: Mass Jewish emigration from Russia and Eastern Europe to the U.S.,
Western Europe, and Palestine; mass exodus from Yemen to Palestine
1881 – 1905: –Alexander III in Russia institutes May Laws against Jews
1890’s: Anti-Semitism becomes more politicized. Dreyfus Affair in France.
Beginnings of Communism, Zionism, the Bund
1905: Protocols of Zion forged and circulated in Russia.

99. Age of “Enlightenment”: Economic and Political AntiSemitism and Beginning of Racial Anti-Semitism:
1750- 1905
Jews oppressed for:
-alleged economic and political power
- “past sins”
- Being members of inferior race
Oppressed via:
In Western Europe:
-racist anti-Semetic theories
- political affiliations right & left
- discrimination & quotas
In Eastern Europe:
- restricted areas of settlement
- restricted rights & economic
opportunities
- conscription into army
- pogroms/assaults/massacre

100. STEREOTYPES AND THEMES
 Jews given rights and then taken away – economic times
good, Jews “okay,” economics bad, Jews oppressed more
 Jews assimilate, but are still othered and scapegoated
 Jews told they have special rights
 Secret international plot by Jews (Protocols of Zion)
 “Racial” stereotypes –big noses, skin color and hair and
eyes, size of forehead, etc.

101. Cultural, Religious, Economic, Political, and Racial AntiSemitism: 1880 – mid 20th century
Europe, Russia, United States:
1880-1980s: Major Jewish emigration to Palestine/Israel and US
1919: Paris Peace Conference. Germany humiliated.
1921: Austria expels 73,000 of the 100,000 Jews of Galacia
(rest too sick or old to leave)
1933-1935: Nazi rise to power.
1935: Nuremberg laws: "The law for the protection of German blood and
honor" – 2,000 laws enacted against Jews
1934 – 1945: U.S. only agreed to accept around 1000 refugee children.
1938: Kristallnacht (Germany) - nation-wide pogrom by German
government. 50,000 Jews arrested and taken to concentration camps, 500
synagogues destroyed and Jewish community of Germany forced to pay
one billion Reich marks ($4,000,000) for the damage

102. Cultural, Religious, Economic, Political, and Racial AntiSemitism: 1880 – mid 20th century
1940: construction of Auschwitz started
1942: Death camps begin operation.
1943: Warsaw Ghetto Uprising; Treblinka Uprising
1942-1945: Nazis murder 12 million. Six million Jews exterminated
1948 – present: Series of publications denying and excusing
Holocaust and claiming Jews paid the price for still not accepting
Jesus. Rise in Eastern European expressions of anti-Semitism.
1953: In Russia, Jewish doctors imprisoned on false charges of
poisoning Stalin.
1961: Eichman trail
1968 - Polish government outlaws Jewish language and institutions

104. Accumulating Historical Factors
Religious
Religious and economic
Religious and economic and racial
Religious and economic and racial and political
Combination of factors – e.g., accused of Christ killers
(religious), exploiters (economic); inferior genetically
(racial); Zionism is racism (political)

106. Sample Origins of Stereotypes - review
STEREOTYPE: Christ killers, have horns, baby-killers, picky eaters,
strange, devil
ORIGIN: charges of deicide, equating Jews with devil; religious
practices seen as bizarre and different
STEREOTYPE: rich, cheap, shrewd, wimpy men, sly business people,
comedians, doctors, intellectuals
ORIGIN: middle ages – Jews work as money-lenders; Jews barred from
physical work such as farming, so enter open occupations such as
entertainers, small businesses
STEREOTYPE: big noses, short, fat
ORIGIN: racist ideology of Germany
STEREOTYPE: clannish
ORIGIN: hostile world, so stick together, preserve culture

107. Understanding Diversity:
What Can I Do?
Instructor: tova stabin, tovastabin@gmail.com

108. Guidelines for Getting the Most Out of Trainings
The purpose of these guidelines is to honor the dignity, respect, diversity, and
worth of everyone in the classroom
Treat everyone with respect. Assume the best.
Learning is about BOTH sharing and active listening. Help this to
happen by monitoring yourself so there is a balance of everyone having
space to speak and the opportunity to listen.
It's important to listen to people from "targeted" groups about their own
oppression – they're the experts. This does NOT mean, however, that
they represent everyone from their group.
Raise comments and questions in ways that promote learning, rather
than defensiveness.
Keep the discussion and comments on topic. There are always wider
areas to talk about, but to get the most from this material, it's important
to stay focused.
If important off topics ideas come up, jot them down and bring them up
with colleagues and friends at a later date, or contact the
trainer/instructor for something you think should be added to the
discussion next time.
It's okay to respectfully disagree and then move on. The purpose of
the dialog and discussion is not to reach consensus, but to explore
particular diversity materials.

109. What’s on the Agenda?
I. Brief Intro ✔
II. Getting the Most Out Of A Training ✔
III. What’s on the Agenda. ✔
IV. What’s in a name?
V. Vision Test
VI. Exploring Stereotypes and Oppression
VII. Amen
VIII. Class Complexities
IX. Something Other Than Other
X. In the Office
XI. Challenging Isms
XII.Stereotype busters/Being an Ally
XIII.Final Thoughts
XIV. I’m going to write myself a letter

110. Vision Test
film and exercise

112. Stereotypes:
Assigning behaviors, abilities, habits or
expectations to persons or group of people on
basis of their group membership regardless of
who they are as individuals.
Stereotypes can sound negative OR positive –
e.g., saying Jews or Asians are smart is not a
compliment, it’s a stereotype that pre-judges
them and does not let them be an individual.

113. Elements of Stereotypes
:
1. An element of truth in them:
People with dis/abilities are slow – lack of accessibility often means
things take longer to do.
2. Taken out of historical context
Historically, one one of only professions Jews allowed to be were
money lenders, now stereotype of Jews as controlling money and banks
3. Person or group doing stereotyping usually denies that their
group has that characteristic or re-labels the characteristic
positively when referring to their own group.
Men assertive and take initiative, Women are pushy and aggressive
4. Stereotypes CAN have tendency to become self-fulfilling
People are excluded and thus form their own tight knit
communities and then stereotyped that they keep to themselves and do not
want to assimilate and are “clannish.”

114. The first thing you do is to forget that
i'm Black.
Second, you must never forget that
i'm Black.
You should be able to dig Aretha,
but don't play her every time i come
over.
And if you decide to play Beethoven-don't tell me his life story. They made us
take music appreciation too.
-Pat Parker

115. We are multiple cultures and
identities
"The sum total of
these identity
differences is not
additive, but
interactive."

116. Oppression
Intentional vs. Unintentional Oppression
If an elephant stands on your foot, it still hurts
whether it’s on purpose or not.
Intent vs. Impact

117. Overt and covert oppression
Individual and Institutional oppression

118. How the Norm Stays in
Power
Norm is standard
Family Unit means heterosexual couple and children; black slang vs.
English; “holiday season” equals Christmas season
Erasure, lies, devaluation
People in power know little about oppressed – how much do people
know about the history of particular Native American Tribes, Muslim
celebrations, Deaf culture
No knowledge leads to stereotypes
Latinos are lazy vs. reality of how hard Latino migrant workers have to
work
Divine right/inherent superiority/biological
It’s part of a person’s genetic make-up, “who” they are
All girls like to do quiet art projects; All boys need to run around

119. How the Norm Stays in Power
Blame the victim
“You” would be more successful if you educated yourself, learned
to speak English, didn’t flaunt your lifestyle
Threat of violence
Hate graffiti on people’s homes – message is to keep quiet,
assimilate, don’t let people know who you are
Limit access to privileges, but let a few tokens is, so hard
to complain that you are being systematically oppressed
You can succeed just like Oprah Winfrey did if you put your mind to
it, made the right choices…

120. Something Other Than Other
film and exercise

121. Class Complexities
Exercise

122. Amen
film and exercise

123. In The Office
Exercise

124. Being an Ally
Challenging Oppressive Moments

125. I. Accepting A Challenge....
What Should I Do?
Because NONE of us can know everything, understand every
oppression, or be free of all prejudice-- we know it is likely that
someday someone will call us on something we say. And it is good
to be prepared.

126. Say someone tells you that you have just
made an able-ist comment.... SHOULD
YOU...
1) Do what is most common: argue or explain to the
speaker that (in spite of the comment you just
made) you are not ableist and they just must have
misunderstood you.
1) Assume the deer in headlights stance, bow your
head and vow never to show your face in public
again.
OR

127. 3)
• Take a DEEP BREATH, (Ask a question ONLY to clarify NOT
to argue.)
• LISTEN CAREFULLY (try to understand what it was that
you said or did that they are trying to call your attention to)
• THANK THEM (if you can do this genuinely -- remember it
probably wasn't easy or comfortable for them to tell you
that something you said or did was offensive.)
• Finally, and this may take some reflection first, do what
you can to TAKE ACTION: apologize, help change a policy,
better educate yourself or go away and think further about
what was said.

128. II. Challenging......... How Do I Do
It?
There are steps you can use when you hear, experience
or witness something homophobic, racist, ableist,
classist, fat phobic, anti-Semitic or otherwise
oppressive.

129. Say you need to interrupt someone who is
making a anti-Semitic comment... SHOULD
YOU...
1) Stand up and yell, "Your are an ignorant idiot," and then
proceed to send out a press release announcing you're
severing your friendship with them.
1) Do what can be common for those of us who were
taught to be polite above all else: delicately make a
vague reference to them thinking more carefully about
what they are saying (even though we know exactly
what they said or did, why it was offensive and have
ideas or knowledge about what they could do to begin
to remedy the situation.)
OR

130. 3)
• Take a deep BREATH. It takes some courage and presence to be
ready to challenge oppression because you know you will create
discomfort, even if the person you are interrupting or others in
the room may appreciate or benefit from it in the long run.
• NAME IT. Meaning tell them exactly what they just did and
name the oppression they contributed to ("I don’t feel
comfortable with what you said; I feel it was anti-Semitic..”)
• GIVE INFORMATION. Meaning, if you can, tell them why it was
offensive/ oppressive. ("When you assume that every house of
worship is a church, you invisibilize everyone who attends a
synagogue or mosque or other house of worship.)
• GIVE A DIRECTION. Tell the person what they could do and/or
learn about it. (“There’s a new beautiful synagogue in town. I
have to drop something off there – what if you came with me on
our lunch break and then you could see what a synagogue is
like.”)

131. III. Staying Safe
If you are a person of color hearing racist comments or a queer person
addressing homophobia or transphobia, or are from other targeted
groups, there are times when it is truly not safe to interrupt someone
who is being oppressive. Examples are:
• A workplace where you know you will lose your job if your boss or coworkers knew you were queer
• In a relationship where you are already a victim of violence
• In a bar or isolated place where you may already feel physically
unsafe.
If over and over we are forced to hear these sorts of comments or
experience this sort of oppression without being able to respond or
protect ourselves, it is important that we think about getting outside
support. Sometimes an oppressive environment can be overwhelming and
we need help insuring that we are not "internalizing" or actually believing
the negative things that devalue us as humans or make us feel.
Seek supportive friends, family members, group support, or ask others
for names of counselors experienced in dealing with racism, homophobia,
domestic violence or the issues you face.

132. Whose Job Is It?
At times, many of us who are by-standers or not members of the
group being targeted by an oppression have trouble embracing the
idea that it may actually be our job to speak up. We are hesitant to
create a conflict or make others uncomfortable. However, we need to
remember:
1)How hostile, oppressive or frightening it might feel to be a member
of the targeted group hearing these words or being affected by this
action
1)That there is virtually no way to avoid making someone
uncomfortable if you really are going to identify and address and
incident of racism, sexism, homophobia or oppression
2)That sometimes the only way we learn or change is by being pushed
out of our comfort zones so that we stop to evaluate why we are
uncomfortable or why someone we know or don't know considers our
action so significant that they would take the effort to challenge it.

133. STEREOTYPE BUSTERS
Exercise

134. Accepting A Challenge:
•BREATHE
•LISTEN
•(THANK THEM)
•TAKE ACTION
•GO AND THINK ABOUT IT
Challenging – How Do I Do It?
•BREATHE
•NAME IT (name the oppression the comment or
action perpetuates)
• GIVE INFORMATION (this may include how the
comment is oppressive or how it makes you feel)
•GIVE DIRECTION (what can the person do instead
or what should they remedy or never do again)

135. Internalizing Oppression
For Targeted Group:
Feel the need to figure out ways to pass
Embarrassment and anger at others in group for acting too much like group (e.g.,
shouldn't be "out" if you're LGBT – just live your life)
Excessive pressure to achieve and success
Changing self to be more like norm (straightening hair; excessive dieting)
Silence regarding your own oppression
about
For Non-Targeted Group:
Feelings of guilt, anger, frustration, fear, etc.
their experiences of others' oppression
Confusion about what to do about oppression
of others

136. Final Thoughts
I’m Going To Write
Myself A Letter