3. TERMS LIST 2
1. Ableism: A pervasive system of discrimination and exclusion that
oppresses people who have mental, emotional, and physical
disabilities.
2. Ally: A person who supports marginalized, silenced, or less
privileged groups without actually being a member of those groups.
This person will often directly confront and challenge biphobia,
homophobia, heterosexism, racism, transphobia and other systems
of oppression.
3. Binary Gender (Gender Binary): A system that defines and makes
room for two and only two distinct, natural and opposite genders
(i.e. male and female). These two genders are defined in opposition
to each other, such that masculinity and femininity are seen as
mutually exclusive. In this system, there is no room for any
ambiguity or intermingling of gender traits.
4. 4. Classism: Bias based on social or economic class.
5. Critical Consciousness: a process of continuous self-reflection and action
to discover and uncover how we continue to be shaped by societal
assumptions and power dynamics: an essential tool to help us to
recognize, understand and work to change the social forces that shape
our societies an ourselves.
6. Cultural Appropriation: The adoption of cultural elements not in one’s
own culture, without full knowledge of or respect for its value within the
original culture.
7. Cultural Oppression: Social norms, roles, rituals, language, music, and
art that reflect and reinforce the belief that one social group is superior
to anther.
8. Dominance: The systematic attitudes and actions of prejudice,
superiority, and self- righteousness of one group (a non-target group) in
relation to another (a target group). Internalized dominance includes the
inability of a group or individual to see privilege as a member of the non-
target group.
5. GROUP DISCUSSION: DOES PASSING
Reinforce the social construct? Disrupt the social construct?
6. Passing scholar, Leo Spitzer writes that passing was “by and large a
personal solution to discrimination and exclusion. It was an action
that, when accomplished successfully, generally divorced its
individual practitioners from others in the subordinated group,
and in no way challenged the ideology of racism or the system in
which it was rooted. Indeed, because individuals responding to
marginality through . . . passing could be viewed as either
conscious or unwitting accomplices in their own victimization—as
persons consenting to the continuing maintenance of existing
inequalities and exclusionary ideologies—it is certainly
understandable why they often elicited such scathing criticism
from their contemporaries” (Qtd. in Kennedy 11-12)
REINFORCEMENT OF SOCIAL CONSTRUCT
7. • “Passing, however, does pose at least some challenge to racist
regimes. That is why they typically try to prevent it. Fleeing
bondage by passing may have been an individualistic response
to the tyranny of slavery but it did free human beings and
helped to belie the canard that slaves were actually content
with their lot. The successful performance of “white man’s
work” by a passing Negro upset racist claims that blacks are
categorically incapable of doing such work. The extent of the
disturbance is severely limited by the practical necessity of
keeping the passing secret. But under some circumstances a
limited disturbance is about all that can be accomplished”
(Kennedy 12).
DISRUPTION OF SOCIAL CONSTRUCT
9. THE PROMPT:
Do you agree with Pickens's position on racial
passing?
If yes, why?
If no, why not?
In his essay “Racial Segregation,” William Pickens asserts, "If passing for
white will get a fellow better accommodations on the train, better seats
in the theatre, immunity from insults in public places, and may even save
his life from a mob, only idiots would fail to seize the advantages of
passing, at least occasionally if not permanently" (3)
Write an essay of four to six pages arguing for or against racial passing.
Use support from four of the texts we have read so far, our discussions,
and your own insights. Remember to format your essay in MLA style.
10. YOUR THESIS
Your refined thesis will be your position on
racial passing: Do you agree with Pickens or
not? Why or why not? You may refer to
Pickens or not in your thesis. You may forecast
your reasons in your thesis, or you may refer
to a broader theme and provide your reasons
in the body of your essay. In either case, your
thesis should suggest how and why your
opinion is important.
11. WRITE A WORKING THESIS
YOU CAN USE THESE AS MODELS OR EXAMPLES
Racial passing is a personal decision, and people should seize the
opportunity if they can in order to defeat racism and discrimination.
Passing is a selfish act that reinforces hierarchy in society, and it should
be avoided despite the opportunities it offers the individual.
While racial passing for personal safety is a necessary and
acceptable behavior, passing in general violates
community norms and reinforces the social construct
of racism.
While full time passing violates familial and
community connections and should be avoided, the
wise person will pass part time to take advantage of
the benefits it can reap, including the opportunities to
escape racism and oppression.
12. REFER TO YOUR FREECASH CHART. WHAT ARE YOUR “REASONS” FOR
AGREEING OR DISAGREEING WITH THE ACT OF PASSING? YOUR REASONS
SHOULD CONNECT TO YOUR THESIS. EACH ONE SHOULD BE A TOPIC FOR AT
LEAST ONE BODY PARAGRAPH. SOME REASONS WILL REQUIRE MULTIPLE
PARAGRAPH EXPLANATIONS.
Consider your best support for your assertion.
This will likely be from your brainstorming using
FREECASH.
Find textual evidence to support your position.
Explain how your examples support your
thesis.
You can also use outside sources if you would
like to, but they are not necessary for this paper.
13. BUILDING BODY PARAGRAPHS
• Topic Sentence: This is reason #1 that you agree or disagree.
This sentence should clearly support your thesis.
• Textual Evidence: This is an example from one of the texts that
we read.
• Explanation/Analysis: This is where you explain how your
example supports your topic sentence. You can also draw
conclusion from inferences.
• Other Evidence: This could be from another primary text or a
secondary text.
• Explanation/Analysis: This is where you explain how your
example supports your topic sentence. You can also draw
conclusion from inferences.
• Transition: This section moves your reader from your first body
paragraph to your second body paragraph.
14. INTRODUCTIONS
You never get a second chance to make a first impression. The
opening paragraph of your paper will provide your readers with
their initial impressions of your argument, your writing style, and
the overall quality of your work. A vague, disorganized, error-filled,
off-the-wall, or boring introduction will probably create a negative
impression. On the other hand, a concise, engaging, and well-
written introduction will start your readers off thinking highly of
you, your analytical skills, your writing, and your paper.
15. START BY THINKING ABOUT THE QUESTION YOU
ARE TRYING TO ANSWER:
In his essay “Racial Segregation,” William Pickens asserts, "If passing for white will
get a fellow better accommodations on the train, better seats in the theatre,
immunity from insults in public places, and may even save his life from a mob,
only idiots would fail to seize the advantages of passing, at least occasionally if
not permanently" (3)
Write an essay of four to six pages arguing for or against racial passing. Use
support from four of the texts we have read so far, our discussions, and your own
insights. Remember to format your essay in MLA style.
Your entire essay will be a response to this question, and
your introduction is the first step toward that end. Your
direct answer to the assigned question will be your thesis,
and your thesis will be included in your introduction, so it is a
good idea to use the question as a jumping off point.
16. OPEN WITH AN ATTENTION GRABBER. CONSIDER THESE
OPTIONS:
• A provocative quotation: Consider a line or two from one of the
texts we read. Then give some background about passing.
• An intriguing example of passing: Provide a situation or two in
which a person might be inclined to pass.
• A puzzling scenario: Imagine a scene that makes a reader consider
the consequences or benefits of passing.
• A vivid and perhaps unexpected anecdote: Open with a short
story about a successful or failed passing attempt.
• Find common ground with your reader: Offer a contemporary
example of passing (maybe a humorous one, even) and then
explain the more reasons for passing in this earlier time period.
17. o Avoid statements like "In this paper, I will
argue that racial passing destabilizes the
social construction of race and is therefore
beneficial to society."
o While this sentence points toward your main
argument, it isn't especially interesting. It
might be more effective to say what you
mean in a declarative sentence: “Racial
passing destabilizes the social construction of
race and is therefore beneficial to society."
o It is much more convincing to tell your
readers that than to tell them that you are
going to say that it does. Assert your main
argument confidently. After all, you can't
expect your reader to believe it if it doesn't
sound like you believe it!
18. INTRODUCTIONS TO AVOID
1. The restated question introduction: Twists the question to take up space in
the introduction.
2. The place holder introduction: Offers several vague sentences that don’t really
say much.
3. The Webster's Dictionary introduction. This introduction begins by giving the
dictionary definition of one or more of the words in the assigned question.
4. The "dawn of man" introduction. This kind of introduction generally makes
broad, sweeping statements about the relevance of this topic since the
beginning of time.
5. The book report introduction. This introduction gives the name and author of
the book you are writing about, tells what the book is about, and offers other
basic facts about the book.
19. • An intriguing example of
passing: Provide a situation
or two in which a person
might be inclined to pass.
• A provocative quotation:
Consider a line or two from
one of the texts we read.
• A puzzling scenario: Imagine
a scene that makes a reader
consider the consequences
or benefits of passing.
• A vivid and perhaps
unexpected anecdote: Open
with a short story about a
successful or failed passing
attempt.
• Find common ground with
your reader: Offer a
contemporary example of
passing (maybe a humorous
one, even) and then explain
the more reasons for passing
in this earlier time period.
LET’S TRY TO WRITE AN INTRODUCTION OR TWO
20. POSSIBLE OUTLINE
Introduction:
Thesis: This will likely be near the end of your introduction
Multiple Body Paragraphs supporting your thesis: The topic sentences of your body
paragraphs (probably situated fairly early in the paragraph) should connect directly to
your thesis. You should use the following rhetorical strategies to support your topic
sentence:
define (describe and/or characterize unfamiliar terms, situations, or events)
classify (briefly distinguish between types: full time versus part time or kinds of
passing)
exemplify (provide examples from primary or secondary texts)
analyze (explore and/or evaluate, particularly in terms of the connections of the
examples to your reasons or thesis)
explain (give details about) the connection between your example and your
assertions.
conclude (provide a logical conclusion for your readers)
Transition (prepare your reader for the next paragraph.
Counterargument: Anticipate your readers questions or doubts. We will discuss this in
our next class.
Conclusion: We will discuss this in our next class.
21. WRITINGSketch out a rough outline.
Intro: What kind?
Thesis: Write out a working thesis or your refined thesis
Body 1: One of your strongest arguments supporting your
thesis.
support/example
Body 2: A second paragraph explaining your first reason.
Body 3: Another reason
support/example
Body 3: Another reason
support/example
Body 4:One of your strongest arguments supporting
your thesis.
support/example
Body and so on!
Counterargument:
Conclusion:
22. HOMEWORK
• Read: Begin Stone Butch Blues
(pages 1-65)
• Post #9: Post Draft: Introduction,
Thesis, at least three body
paragraphs (with topic sentences,
cited evidence, and explanation)
• Study: Vocab/Terms
