[Jun 2016] Social GGRRAAACCEEESSS

I have always been someone who try to be mindful and sensitive to differences. But I think coming from a majority race in Singapore and having a generally homogeneous population (in comparison to London!), my worldview has been restricted. Ever since acquainting myself with London and Systemic Work, I see this view expanding, at the same time, I found myself ironically being more intolerance towards people with different (and perceived as prejudiced by me) views.

In the course of practice here, I found myself getting to appreciate a lot more the power of contexts and how different factors could have a bearing on one's life. Notwithstanding its critique, Social GGRRAAACCEEESSS somewhat had weaved itself into my life. In my professional life, I used that to be mindful of power differences and what that could mean for the clients I am seeing. In my personal life, I found myself subconsciously became more vocal about prejudices and discrimination. On a personal social media level, from sharing more of my personal trivial day to day happenings, I started clicking the share button to these days, I go into paragraphs relating my thoughts about the issues. On group chats with friends from back home, I found myself being less reserved about stating my mind and disagreeing with them when they say things which I thought was offensive.

I guess this increase in speaking up is a direct consequence of seeing how contexts had led to power differences and often, prejudices, if not, discrimination. Some of which were really nasty. While I think I remain open to people having different views on things, I no longer am able to remain silent as frequently as before when these differences were used to attack others. I found myself being more agitated as compared to before but at this moment, I am not apologetic for it. The lack of it previously had me kept quiet when I witnessed an act of prejudice even though I did not feel comfortable. Perhaps, the young people I had seen over the year gave me the courage to give a voice to my discomfort. Having seen so many of them having to put up with school bullying and how often, people around them let things slip makes me angry. And guilty. For I realised that I had been one of those who kept quiet when someone else was being bullied for who they are in terms of gender, ethnic, appearance, sexuality, etc. I do not as I settle into this new side of me more, will I have a different approach of expressing myself? For now, I will do it in my little way with people around me.

Xenophobic experiences by foreign workers in Singapore.

A case of child got killed in Taiwan and the Internet was
filled with negativity comments including threats
towards the perpetrator who was suffering from mental health.

How appearance matters

Majority privileges