Essentialism ideologies are the beliefs that certain categories or groups of people have intrinsic, or “natural”, characteristics or dispositions (Ferguson). These beliefs are encapsulated in society giving unspoken power to the “norm” enabling the belittlement of the “unnatural” groups. This central concept is what promotes systemic racism, sexism, homophobia, and heteronormativity. These social institutions are what allow for the reoccurrence of unjust treatment towards these “subordinate” groups in all sectors of society.
On the night of August 8th, nine years ago, seven individuals were confronted on a street corner with violent sexual propositions of which they decidedly declined, not imagining that their simple “no” would ensue a life changing physical altercation. These seven individuals self identify as African-American, lower class, lesbians, factors that may seem like non factors in a case of transparent sexual harassment gone awry, but unfortunately were evidently the only factors necessary to …show more content…
They were painted as a violent wolf pack of angry black lesbians set out to enforce their hypersexual thug rule (Out in the Night). The headlines embodied the aggressiveness and inhuman characteristics of black people, the hypersexual predator action of lesbians, and the unsophisticated gang centered life of the lower class. If any of the characteristics of these women had been different, the outcome for them would have been undeniably altered. If they had been white, cisgender, upper-class women, for example, they would have most definitely been the victims of a wild, rape-cultured, black man gone wild. The four women who did not accept plea deals were unjustly convicted with extraneous sentences because of their intersectional identities and the essentialist structure of the United States
On the night of August 8th, nine years ago, seven individuals were confronted on a street corner with violent sexual propositions of which they decidedly declined, not imagining that their simple “no” would ensue a life changing physical altercation. These seven individuals self identify as African-American, lower class, lesbians, factors that may seem like non factors in a case of transparent sexual harassment gone awry, but unfortunately were evidently the only factors necessary to …show more content…
They were painted as a violent wolf pack of angry black lesbians set out to enforce their hypersexual thug rule (Out in the Night). The headlines embodied the aggressiveness and inhuman characteristics of black people, the hypersexual predator action of lesbians, and the unsophisticated gang centered life of the lower class. If any of the characteristics of these women had been different, the outcome for them would have been undeniably altered. If they had been white, cisgender, upper-class women, for example, they would have most definitely been the victims of a wild, rape-cultured, black man gone wild. The four women who did not accept plea deals were unjustly convicted with extraneous sentences because of their intersectional identities and the essentialist structure of the United States