As a child growing up I never really questioned the race of my friends. Granted I never was around a different race then my own. And nothing really changed until I went into middle school. In middle school there was diversities and it never bothered me, I was around more people who were Spanish as well as African America. I actually really loved it to, I made more friends then I had before and was accepted by each friend even though our race was different. And as I continued to grow up I am surrounded by different diversities then before.
I never thought of myself to be racist because when I watch the news, movies, and people surrounding me I see that people are so hateful to people’s skin color and that really bothers me. I feel that people shouldn’t be treated different just because of the color of their skin we should all be equal. For example when I was younger | watched my Spanish friend Lisa and how she was treated at elementary school since she was the only Spanish person, kids would not treat her equal they were mean and cruel and it made me miserable that kids would treat her that way.
So when it comes to taking the Harvard Bias test on race I think it will show that I care about all colors equally. Something I also see in today’s society is people’s sexuality. This paragraph is important to me because I have a sister that is bisexual, but I have mixed feelings when it comes to this. I believe that all people should feel love and that they have probably already grown up feeling out of place so I don’t want to hurt them since society has already done that. But when it comes to my sister and her sexuality I feel a little uncomfortable about it and I think that’s because I haven’t been surrounded by it.
I love my sister and all that matters to me are that she is happy, so her sexual preference doesn’t bother me I just don’t think I am use to it. So when it comes to taking the Harvard Bias test about sexuality I feel that it may say I am biased but subconsciously I feel that I am not. I strongly believe that people should be whom they want, but I think the test will determine that I am biased because I’m still getting use to it in my family. One thing that I feel that is strongly important is people who have disabilities. This is something that I have grown up around all my life.
For instance my dad has a lot of physical as well as mental disabilities and I have seen how that affects everyone’s life in my family. Growing up watching him in pain everyday was very hard knowing that I couldn’t help him get out of pain hurt me. But I continue to hope that his health will be better everyday. I also grew up with a child named Michael who had cerebral palsy. Watching people look at him differently and treated him like he was different really bothered me. But it never bugged Michael; in fact he made the best of his life.
He was born with a predisposition in life that a lot of people would fall victim to, but he remained optimist and that was prodigious to watch. In fact the people that have disabilities but don’t let themselves stop living their life is stupendous and admirable to watch. So when it comes to taking the Harvard Bias test with disabilities I think that it will show that I am not biased. I think it the test will show that I am for people with disabilities just because of my upbringing in life. After taking the Harvard Bias test for race I was not shocked with the answer I received.
My results showed that I had a preference for African Americans compared to European Americans. I think this didn’t shock me because I thought the results would show that I feel equal about all races. I think the test said this because I am more surrounded by different races so maybe I feel more comfortable with that. I think the news and how I view the world today had a major impact on this test. As more horrible things happen to people with different race I think that’s when I feel that I am not racist because I want all race to be equal.
This test did not surprise me but I really have opened my eyes more because now. I pay more attention about what is going on with people discriminating people and watch all the impact it has caused. After seeing the results for the Harvard bias test for sexuality | was surprised at my answer. Before I took this I thought that maybe I was a little biased but it shows I have no preference for straight or gay. I thought my biases would be different from what the test results were because of my exposer to my experiences and upbringing. I think from watching the news and how people hate people really opened my mind.
For example the Orlando shooting was horrendous, and when the Westboro Baptist church was protesting so they couldn’t have a funeral was sickening. The only thing that made it ok was when people dressed as angels and blocked the protesters. I think this had an affect on the test because it really showed me how people treat someone because they are different. So these results do make since to me why I am not against people who have different sexuality, everyone should be able to be who they are I strongly believe that. Lastly taking the Harvard Bias test for disability did surprise me a lot.
The data showing I have a strong preference for abled people over disabled people. I really didn’t think I would receive these answers just because I have grown up in an environment with disabled people. This kind of bothers me just because I have seen this my whole life and I never thought of people different because of their disabilities. Maybe on this test I was to slow with the answers or maybe to fast but these are the results I received. I hope this is not true about the answer but even if it is then I know I can change how I feel about disabled people.
Now knowing what the test results say I hope that I can have a different perspective on people now. Some lessons that I have learned from this test are to be more open-minded and we may have biases even if we don’t think we do. I think a lot of it had to do with the way I was raised to. For example I was born with a biased family on my dads side with race. So having to hear that I think maybe there is still some bias in me rather I know it or not. I think the lesson I learned from race is not to judge people because of the color of their skin.
I think I can apply this lesson in my future life by surrounding my self with people of different race. Even though I am not racist I still haven’t hung out with anyone with different skin color so I think its time I do. That way I can see other people’s perspective on life and see what kind of cultures they have. A lesson I learned from sexuality is to let people be who they are. Even though I am not bias against sexuality I shouldn’t be so quick to judge. How I can apply this in my life is be more opened to it and talk to more people with different sexuality so I can understand their point of view.
The kind of person I want to be in the future is someone who is not judgmental and accepts everyone for who they are. I want to be able to see from different peoples point of view before I judge someone. I hope the person I grow into is someone who people can come to for comfort and know they wont be judged by me. One lesson I learned from taking the Harvard Bias test on disability is that even though the test may say something different then what I want it to say I should keep an opened mind with people with disabilities. In my future I hope that people who are against people with disabilities will be more excepting.
I want to be one of those people and help people with disabilities that would like the help. For example I would like to help people who have a learning disability and be able to help them with their homework or help them learn. It doesn’t even have to be a person with learning disabilities it can be anyone who need help physically or mentally. The person I want to grown into is someone who helps people not matter their race, sexuality, or if they have disabilities. I want to be an accepting person who people feel comfortable coming to for support.