Multicultural Class Reflection

As I reflect upon this class’ learnings, I am aware that I was profoundly moved by this multicultural class and it had affected me both personally and professionally. At the beginning of the semester, I had my own emotional reactions of guilt, anger, and defensiveness, like other White people described in the class text; I felt as if Sue and Sue were blaming White males for every issue that oppressed individuals have had. However, as the semester went on I was able to look inward at myself and try to analyze why I felt angry, defensive, and guilty. I soon learned that as a White male that I had certain power and privileges that I never thought I had that differs greatly from people of color and women and I truly felt guilty and angry for not realizing it. Because of this my defensiveness dropped and I was soon able to emphasize with the stories of the people that have been oppressed that are different than I. By looking inward, I was able to identify the White male attitudes that I had and was able to open my mind to the world view of those that are oppressed. I found it almost shocking that I did …show more content…
Hence, I must remain open to new experiences, ideas, and cultures, so that I can continue to mature, understand, and empathize with my fellow inhabitants of Earth. As a White man that is afforded many privileges and sources of power, I must advocate for those that do not have the same benefits that I do in society. I must also educate a society and make people aware of these issues, especially in a country that just elected a president that demonstrates that he has very little true awareness of societal oppression and aggression against the marginalized. I am very grateful for this class for lifting the veil of denial from my eyes and helping me become more prepared to help all my clients and