By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The scenarios are probably familiar to many people.
A man of Latino heritage is complimented on speaking English so well – even though he was raised in America.
An African-American woman is told she is pretty for such a dark-skinned girl.
A Muslim man is called “Bin Laden” in a joking manner.
A gay couple holding hands in public is accused of “flaunting” their relationship.
Or someone reacts to something they dislike by saying, “that’s so gay.”
Though you may not make those type of statements, the question is, do you stand up against them when they occur?
Bowling Green State University uses the “iSTAND” program to help teach people to become “active bystanders” and not stand by quietly when discriminatory statements are made. The goal is to make BGSU a safe environment for diversity.
“Disagreeing is OK, but we do it in a respectful manner,” said Maureen Doyle, one of the “iSTAND” leaders.
The program, led by student leaders, first brushes up on definitions for the participants.
Discrimination is prejudice plus the power to oppress people. Internalized oppression occurs when the people being discriminated against start to believe the prejudicial feelings against them.
Even small acts – micro-aggressions – add to the discrimination. And every time someone hears discriminatory statements and fails to stand up to them, they are adding to the problem.
“Sometimes not doing anything is doing something, and that can be a problem,” Doyle said. She quoted Ben Franklin, saying “As we must account for every idle word, so must we account for every idle silence.”
The “iSTAND” program was born out of the Not In Our Town initiative, which began a few years ago in response to racist acts in the Bowling Green community. The acronym stands for Stop, Think, Act, Nurture and Develop.
“In our society we are surrounded with language and behavior that has developed through a history of stereotypes and prejudices,” according to the BGSU description of the program. The “iSTAND” Advocacy Training program was created by the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Center for Leadership to help teach participants practical skills for addressing micro aggressions in society and to stand up and advocate for others.
Even those people not offended by comments should stand up for the victim and to the aggressor. “If you don’t, who’s going to?” Doyle asked.
“Typically, people don’t realize they are being offensive,” Doyle said.
“It can be very intimidating and very awkward to say something to people they don’t know,” she said. But if they don’t stand up to offensive comments, then the cycle of those type of statements is allowed to continue unchallenged.
“It’s a tough world out there sometimes,” Doyle said.
“Somebody has to take the stand and speak up,” said Beau Mourer, another student leader of the program.
The “iSTAND” program tries to teach people to be allies or advocates, not bystanders.
A bystander is someone who observes a conflict or unacceptable behavior, and knows that the behavior is destructive or likely to make a bad situation worse. The bystander effect is a social psychological phenomenon that refers to cases in which individuals do not offer help to a victim when other people are present. The bystanders do not get involved, even though they know the situation is wrong. They leave it up to someone else.
The “iSTAND” program gives people the courage and skills to speak out against the discrimination, and stand up for those being verbally oppressed. The presentations take 75 minutes to complete. Anyone wanting to request an “iSTAND” presentation on campus or in the community, can contact the Center for Leadership.
