The headlines of last week’s news stories carried a similar theme: Australian’s are angry! Some of us were angry that Waleed Aly, an intelligent, articulate political and social commentator, has been nominated for the Gold Logie.
Some of us were angry about the University of Queensland campus’ ‘Gender Pay Gap Bake Sale’, where the idea was that each baked good would only cost you the proportion of $1 that you earn comparative to men (or, if you identify as a man, all baked goods would cost you $1). For example, for a woman of colour in the legal profession, a baked good at the stall would only cost you 55 cents.
The whole purpose of the event was to RAISE THE AWARENESS of pay parity. The outcome? Vitriol, abuse, rape and death threats on the public event page on FaceBook targeted at the female audience. Check out a sample of the comments below and what do you see? More anger:
- “Kill all women”
- “I’d punch a chick if she winked at me at the bake sale”
- “Females are f*cking scum, they should be put down as babies”
- “I want to rape these feminists with their f*cking baked goods”.
Now some of us also got angry because we now have a woman hosting The Footy Show‘(AFL). Bec Maddern was terrific on The Footy Show during the week. She is the No. 1 Ticket Holder for Geelong, she loves the games and guess what? She KNOWS the game! Being a number one supporter means she also supports the club in an overt and financial way, they benefit.
So WHY are we so angry about these issues?
The ‘norm’ is being challenged. The status quo is changing. The control and, heaven forbid, some of the power, will shift.
And this is the point: In the past it has been a ‘white man’s world’. They have been the beneficiaries of nearly ALL of our systems and industries. That’s how these industries were created, and are managed and maintained — by men for men — preferably, white, middle-aged, wealthy men.
Sorry Karl and Lisa, but I love the fact that we have two very worthy non-caucasians as finalists for the Gold Logie. I don’t like the fact that it has taken until 2016 for there to be a person of colour though.
The sporting bodies continue to be in the press for their lack of equity for female sports professionals, regardless of performance. Go Bec Maddern — you happen to get the double whammy of challenging the norm in both the media and sports industries!
And back to the anger. Where does it come from? For most, it is an unconscious response, and a fear of the ‘new world’. And why?
As Dr Michael Kimmel says, “Privilege is invisible to those who have it”. You see, it’s the privileged who feel so entitled because they are used to being the beneficiaries of the ‘system’. And when that changes, and someone who doesn’t look like/sound like/feel like ‘me’ (the privileged) benefits, and is acknowledged or applauded, it doesn’t feel right. It’s not how it’s supposed to work and it seems the tide is turning.
Then they respond. They are hurt, they are fearful, they don’t understand, and BANG!, here comes anger.
We experience, see and hear the ugliness of the anger, and it is unpleasant and unwarranted. But I do believe that most of us don’t actually understand it’s trigger. It comes across as racism, discrimination and bigotry. And it is. But I don’t believe that outcome is intentional (in most cases).
What we need is to bring an awareness of privilege. This will help us unpack and understand why so many Australians are so angry. We were told for years we are ‘the Lucky Country’, and in so many ways it was true. Most of us were, and still are, the privileged.
The move to a more conscious Australia is vital for a more harmonious and inclusive country. It’s time for us to make some major changes as a culture and to embrace all humans equally.
It’s called fairness. Kids get that, and adults need to re-learn the concept of fairness.
Who’s up for looking in the mirror and checking in on their own sense of entitlement and privilege?