The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

 

 

           I remember an incident once where I witnessed a form of bias and prejudice. I and a couple of my friends and relatives were out celebrating our friend's birthday, upon this celebration we decided to go to this particular restaurant to eat. After we were seated by the lady that greeted us in the front, a waiter came moments later and asked what kind of drinks would we like. everyone gave the waiter their desired drink of choice, except one of our male friends at the table. with a stale face, he replied, " I don't want this faggot serving me a drink". Everyone at the table was astonished. the waiter, surprisingly kept a smile on his face and stated that he would have our drinks out shortly and walked away.

 

           The biases and prejudice in this incident diminished equity, due to the fact that our male friend did not want to be served by our waiter, simply because he was a homosexual male, was judged by his physical appearance and feminine accent. Because our waiter happened to be in relations with those of the same sex as his own, he was not treated equally as others and publicly humiliated by the comment that our friend directed towards him.

 

This incident made me feel very embarrassed and sorry for the young man that waited on our table and for my friend, to find that he had such a bias perspective towards homosexual men, and last for myself for unknowingly being involved with a person as such. I never thought that I had been friends with anyone who was so judgmental.

 

My friend would have had to be the one to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity. because of the fact that we as humans are different, non are the same, meaning different sexual orientations as well. My friend's perspective and attitude towards homosexuals would have to be changed, and he must learn to accept people as they are and treat them as human beings.