Reflection On Power, Privilege, And Oppression

Reflecting on class readings and discussions on power, privilege, and oppression, gave me an opportunity to re-evaluate my Bio psychosocial (BPS) from many different angles; particularly when analyzing the different experiences, and approaches expressed by other classmates. I found that power, privilege and oppression played a huge part in the development of my clients as well as in my own development as a man and professional in the human services field. I also found many challenges that existed with the approach to clients within the different agencies I’ve worked throughout my career; manly with being able to identify the issues experiences by each client, to properly assess how they are currently functioning as adults in todays’ society. In reviewing my individual BPS and how it relates to these factors and my own agency experience, I found that oppression, in particular, played a huge role in my own personal development. Looking at things through an anti oppressive lens, I was not aware of how profound macro-level and micro forces have affected my life and how they’ve also influenced how I’ve affected the lives of the clients I serve.

One of my first experiences with oppression was while growing up in the mid 80’s during the onset of the AIDS epidemic. During that time, I was becoming more aware of my sexual orientation and how being an African American homosexual male during that time was socially unaccepted, even more so than it is today. I experienced cruelty on many levels, from growing up in a household filled with women, who insisted on calling me a sissy, to dealing with many situations where it was implied that I wasn’t a strong enough man. This was my first experience with Anti- heterosexism, another form o...

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...m casual to problematic. No matter how often or how little I consumed it was the causing problem in my life at work, school, home, and relationships. I do not remember what promoted my recovery process, but I knew that I had to change.

Now sober for a decade. I see things clearly now. When writing this summary, I’m able to view things with a new set of eyes allowing me to see how an Anti Oppressive lens looks and feel like especially experiencing it first hand. Sobriety is the greatest gift I ever gave myself. Sobriety for me is about discipline and definitely a new way of life, and with this new out look on life there is a chance to do things different not just my academic education by my life experiences and help less fortunate individual still caught in the grip of oppression. I believe that every moment of everyday holds limitless possibility for change.