INTERVIEWS:

“MA NIGGA!!!” A 16-year-old kid, yells to his other friend. Any uneducated person can say things they don’t actually understand. Now it’s not all their fault, the music played on the radio, the programs on television, the way they’re raised; all contributes to what we like to call racism, sexism, homophobia, and lastly discrimination. “Oh no no no, America isn’t racist! We ended that in the 50’s!” Oh sweetie, who do you think raised our generation now? America is extremely racist, sexist, homophobic, you name it. America isn’t perfect, far from it. “Land of the free” yeah sure. If that’s true, why can’t Muslim people walk down the street without being called a terrorist? Why don’t women earn as much as men? Why can’t gay people be treated with respect? What on earth would possess ANYONE to think it’s okay to use disrespectful, disgusting words towards someone? The Media? Society? Family? Politics?
Sexism: Politics
I was lucky enough to score a one on one interview with our very own Mayor of Santa Maria. I knew I wanted to interview someone who might have endured some type of discrimination but I never thought I’d be lucky enough to be able to interview such a strong woman who works so hard to make Santa Maria a better place for everyone. She may be a Republican but still extremely nice ;) Many people think Republicans are against everything that’s socially accepted but the truth is that they’re still human and don’t want to see anyone discriminated against. I figured I had a great chance to talk to a female mayor about sexism and it was truly inspirational.
Me: Have you ever experienced any discrimination being a female in politics?
Mayor: “You know I think a lot of people would like to think that, I know a lot of women would, but there are a lot of reasons why people don’t like me and they’re not just because I’m a woman. So I don’t feel I’m being discriminated upon. I think our society puts more value in what men do rather than what women do. So you know women have to work twice as hard to be better. I don’t think it’s a discrimination as much as a mentality have. I remember one time my father in law said he would never vote for a woman for city council and I was just amazed. I don’t think I have faced discrimination, I think I feel occasionally men don’t like me in this position or they’re surprised and I don’t know where that comes from.”
Me: Has anyone ever made you feel under qualified?
Mayor: “There are always going to be people smarter than you or people not as smart as you and when I watch the news or in the senate and I’m thinking ‘how can they be so dumb?’ and they have all these initials after their name but they haven’t lived lives at all and I wonder if some of these people were ever children. That’s part of your life experience, with me I was raised in the military, and I have found myself in situations where I need to take people at face value. You have to make new friends and meet new people. That has helped me, that doesn’t mean someone who doesn’t do things like I do doesn’t mean that they’re not as qualified or not as good of a person, I have learned to respect other peoples views and I expect them to respect mine. We see a lack of civility and if I see someone not being civil, I let them know they’re not being civil and I don’t know what their mindset is but I expect them to be civil and not attack other people. There are attempts by people to make you feel that way and I know I’m not the smartest but I try to study every issue and I value other peoples judgment or knowledge and as long as you keep that you won’t feel stupid.”
Me: Do you have any advice for women wanting to get into politics?
Mayor: Don’t try to be anything other than yourself, be honest. I’ve seen women get into politics and start acting like a man and even talking in a way that is unbecoming of a woman. There’s nothing wrong with being a lady and doing things you think are appropriate. Women are different than men and I think that’s plain and simple and I acknowledge that and they’re treated differently and that’s okay and I don’t mean it in a negative way. Some women don’t like to be treated differently and that’s okay, people pick and choose what they don’t like. Don’t act like the stereotype of a women, when a women is bossy they call it a derogatory name but when a man is bossy they think nothing of it but you need to brush it off and not get hung up on every single issue someone has with you because you’re a woman.
Me: Did you need to campaign differently?
Mayor: I was the first woman elected to city council in years. So when I ran for mayor I used that. You bring different attributes as a woman for mayor but I don’t think I campaigned any differently. You need to get out and meet people. I feel that women have that feeling of needing to get out and meet people rather than spending a lot of money on a flashy sign or something.
Me: Did you need to appeal to a different group?
Mayor: All the women who came up to me were amazed that a woman was running. They think women’s’ issues are important but have been left in the background many times and I think I brought those to the forefront. I just look to the community and look for target groups. Now with the Mexican culture, which I am, men feel differently towards women and I think you need to take that into consideration. But I accept that culture, I may not like the way they treat women but it’s their culture. I would need to appeal to a target group, but the way you present yourself may be different regardless of gender. You just watch what you say.”
Me: Do you think anything would change?
Mayor: “ I don’t know. I would think so but the other night I heard Hilary Clinton say don’t you want a woman president and you hear all these women say yes but I don’t want her kind of woman, she doesn’t stand up for what I think women should be. She doesn’t have the same references I do, and I would support other stronger women.
Me: Do you think people would vote for Hilary Clinton just because she’s a woman?
Mayor: yes definitely, people voted for me just because I’m a woman. I’ve realized it doesn’t have to do with your issues, it has to do with you. People wont like you for stupid things. Even age. People of color, might be more so. People may vote for you for one single issue. I’ve been a victim of sexism, where someone really didn’t like me in this position of mayor, but I look at it as their problem, not mine, I cant worry about every time someone doesn’t like me because I’m a women I just wave that off but for people of color, it really bothers me when they’re discriminated in that manner. When it comes to that I’m in absolute disbelief or when you’re called into something for your color. I worry because I knew an educator like this and I wonder what he teaches his kids. Whatever they have to say to me is irrelevant.
Me: Do you think Santa Maria is still racist?
Mayor: I don’t think it is, there are people who disagree with me. I don’t feel it is, I never have. People who discriminate are very ignorant and I don’t take the time to educate them because they can do that themselves. Immigration is hard right now, but it’s not because of their race but the fact they come illegally and take jobs or whatever. It has to do with ignorance.
Me: How do you think future generations can help diminish these problems?
Mayor: Every individual has a responsibility in that generation. To live their life and treat other people they want to be treated but if they keep telling their kids they were discriminated and the kids believe that there’s no way out for them, we get no where. We need to live our life in the future, not the past. People can be so uneducated and not know what goes on. You can’t waste your time on ignorant people, those things can’t hold you back. Discrimination will always be there.
Me: Do you think protests will change anything?
Mayor: I see a generation who are entitled, who are given everything from their parents to the government. My generation had to work for every thing, we were willing to work for them. I don’t see this generation willing to work for any change
I was also was able to coerce my boyfriend into doing a little interview for me, thanks babe ;)
Me: Do girls constantly take your kindness as flirting? Or simply take being a “gentlemen” an act of sexism?
Jeremy: Yeah in a way… I try to be a gentleman but sometimes girls get angry and tell me they can do it themselves and I’m like ugh okay I was just trying to be nice but then they get so mad…
Me: Has a woman ever tried to talk you out of doing something because it’s not something “men” should do?
Jeremy: Ummm yeah, mostly like chores or just trying to help out. I’ve been told I can’t do the dishes because it’s a ‘womans’ job.
Me: Has a woman ever made you feel uncomfortable by making advances on you?
Jeremy: Yeah… plenty of times. It’s really uncomfortable and it’s just really unprofessional, especially at a workplace. Just being there and having to deal with that type of behavior isn’t right. Me: Do you feel like you need to act a certain way because you’re male? Or you’re expected to get over feelings of being harassed because men need to “deal with it?”
Jeremy: Sometimes I do. I feel like I should act a certain way just because I’m male. Like I need to take a hit, or not show pain and having to withstand things more.
Me: Have you ever been abused? A girl physically hurting you or emotionally messing with your head?
Jeremy: Not really. Only you… but I assume it’s out of love…
Homophobia: Media
Homosexuality tends to be a difficult subject no matter how you approach it. So I’m just going to go for it. I have plenty of friends, even a lot of family who are gay. Who are scared to be who they want to be because ignorant people don’t know how to mind their own business. No one wants to see any extreme amount of PDA from straight couples so why should it be any different with gay couples? Just ignore it. You move on. If their relationship isn’t hurting you why the f should it matter? You don’t have to approve of it, you don’t even have to like it but to blantly abuse, threaten, deny them of their rights? Wow just wow. How can anyone have so little respect for a human being? To say it interferes with your religion? Please. I’m religious and we treat anyone and anything with kindness. We may not approve but we still see them as humans who deserve as much respect as anyone else. Imagine if people were to judge you for wearing double socks with sandals. I would much rather deny that person of his freedom of expression then deny someone of their happiness.
Me: Have you seen any bullying towards homosexual teens?
Anon: I haven't seen bullying so much but I have seen a lot of insensitivity and ignorance. I feel like people just don't see gay people as people that are around them every day... Kind of like somebody making a homophobic joke and not realizing that the girl right next to them is lesbian.
Me: Have you experienced it?
Anon: Because I'm bisexual most of the insensitivity and ignorance that is directed towards me is from the gay community because some people believe that I'm either lesbian and lying about my sexuality or that I'm straight but trying to fit into a community... I get a lot of "I don't think you're gay" because I've chosen to stay in the closet through high school and just date guys and it's mostly been from people who I consider to be my friends.
Me: Why are you scared for people to know?
Anon: I'm scared for people to know that I'm gay because of all the jokes about gay people. It's kind of weird I guess but when people you're close to always make light of a community that you identify with it really makes you doubt yourself.
Me: Do you think this generation will be more accepting?
Anon: I think it's 50/50. A lot of people are really accepting and a lot of people really aren't. It really depends on how they grew up I guess.
Me: What can teenagers do to help create more acceptance?
Anon: I think more acceptance could be created by ending slurs and insensitive jokes. Also I remember sitting in chemistry one day and hearing boys behind me talk about a girl in the class who is also gay and it made me thankful that my sexuality isn't widely known, they were talking about this girl as if she was on display which is more insensitive than anything else... I just want people to think twice before they say a dumb joke or a rude statement.
Me: Is there anything you want people to know regarding how you prefer to be treated?
Anon: I prefer not to be treated as if I just haven't chosen a side. I like both sides. I'm not waiting for anything or indecisive. But other than that I don't want to be treated any differently than anybody else. (A Jewish person probably doesn't like holocaust jokes and a gay person probably doesn't like homophobic jokes so I don't count that as being treated differently)