If a black man with a graduate degree and a white man with a graduate degree were to go to the same job interview, who do you think would be offered the job? What if an employer only saw the resumes of a Latino male and a white male with the same qualifications, but he could tell the difference in their race based on their stereotypical names? Multiple studies (24) were run by Northwestern University, Harvard, and an Irish institute to figure out how racism affected who received what job. Messing with certain variables like geography, class, and unemployment rates in certain areas, the same outcome was seen: there is discrimination against hiring African Americans.
This hiring discrimination study took place for many years from 1989 through 2015 to see if there was any reduction in the discrimination against African Americans. The results showed that there was not much evidence fading out of the hiring discrimination over the long time period. Since the unemployment of blacks hasn’t changed much over the course of two decades, does it make sense that a lot has changed in relation to white and blacks and their income gaps?1
Even within the medical field, what students were (and sometimes still are, considering the recent textbook) learning is not accurate. To elaborate, a specific textbook published by Pearson displayed a chart that explained how responses to pain depended on culture. While yes, particular humans may react in certain ways in relation to others, the problem with the chart is that it is too general. For example, when it talks about Asians, it says that they are stoic, and those (Asians) who complain about pain have “poor social skills.” In other words, this nursing book is teaching nurses to group humans together based on culture/looks. What the textbook should be teaching the nursing students is that if the patient is complaining about pain, then the nurses should believe him/her. The patient knows what is happening with their body, not the nurse.
The nurse/doctor/medical professional is the one who listens to and diagnoses the patient based on the information and symptoms the patient relays to him/her. The chart in the book is inconsiderate toward those who may identify as a black Jew or an Asian Muslim, etc.2 We cannot teach people to be culturally and racially insensitive. There are enough issues in society as it is already. It is important to catch this misinformation so that we have public health professionals who are sensitive and not biased toward their patients.
It is important for people to be wary when they are learning racial/cultural things in the medical field and other professional fields. It is equally as important that our generation also realizes the racial bias in our society. It takes a bunch of people to make a difference, but maybe it could start with you.
WC: 520 Kendall Gasner
1 Lopez, German. "Study: Anti-Black Hiring Discrimination is as Prevalent Today as it was in 1989." Vox. September 18, 2017. Accessed November 23, 2017. https://www.vox.com/identities/2017/9/18/16307782/study-racism-jobs.
2 Whaley, Natelege. "Pearson Issues Apology for Publishing Racist Theories About Treating Pain in Nursing Textbook." Mic. October 19, 2017. Accessed November 23, 2017. https://mic.com/articles/185387/pearson-issues-apology-for-publishing-racist-theories-about-treating-pain-in-nursing-textbook#.mETbmMMwH.
It's sad that over 50 years after this act when into action that this discriminatory way of hiring is still taking place. I for one was named as a result of this practice according to my parents. My parents told me in high school as I was registering for high school that I was given my birth name for days like that so I could achieve to the best of my abilities and not be held back by my name. This is terrible to think that this had to cross my parents mind during the naming process because in all honesty what is in a name or a skin color? It does not tell what is in a person's heart, their work ethic, or any other intangible that makes people who they are. This line of race thinking portrayed in race thinking obviously is not new and will not go away easily, but the more instances like this are confronted, the more people interact with those that do no not look like them, the better our society will be when it comes to these forms of race relations. This is imperative especially in the medical field where a preconceived notion of a person in a medical book could cost someone their life.
ReplyDeleteGood post Kendall!Just like Bryce my parents told me one of the reasons why they gave me my name was because of the racial bias that constantly exist throughout America. I see the result of this all my life. Whether I am waiting in the lobby of some office for an interview or to see a doctor. The white lady calls my name with the biggest smile looks around, and the second she sees me stand up she backs up in shock and then quickly tries to pull herself together and keep her smile. It does not surprise me that many people still constantly looking toward these bias in trying to determine how a person acts or look. Even here at Rhodes it is abundantly clear, such as when someone asks me if I have a black name, that these type of stereotypes and bias are still an occurring situation and must be addressed.
ReplyDeleteThat's so interesting about the nursing book. When was that textbook published? Regardless, it's crazy how much the difference between ethnicity and culture can be so muddled in people's minds, causing them to conclude such generalities about an entire race of people (like you said, Asians all be stoic and having poor social skills, different races having different pain tolerances). Thanks for this, Kendall!
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