This week I attended a star service training. At my training were different people in different departments of Fleet and Family Services for the Department of the Navy and Air-force. One gentleman was talking about how he receives good service from Filipino. He continued by saying they will hold clothes for him as he shops and go above and beyond that he fills he needs to tip them. He said that they still think they need to serve everyone. Well this was taken many different ways by many different people in my class.
This incident diminished equity because he was not seeing people as equals he was pointing out differences and talking as if he was better then a different race. He was also stereotyping a whole race because of the biases he had.
This incident made me feel uncomfortable and all I could think of was this class. I also had one of my employees from my center with me who is Filipino and I could tell she was mad because of the comment and that made me feel sympathy for her and that, that man’s comment should have never been said.
The man who spoke could have given the example without generalizing and putting down an entire race.
Amy-
ReplyDeleteHow discouraging for you and especially your co-worker! I think that those of us in this class are all beginning to see these types of incidents in new ways and, though we may not be able to change them all, we can begin to make small changes in the way we interact and defend others.
Thank you for sharing your experience.
Katherine
Amy
ReplyDeleteI would be uncomfortable too. This class has successfully raised our awareness to microaggressions, microinvalidations, isms, and equity. Just curious.... did anyone say anything after he made his comments?