For certain social groups, the age of the millennial seems to give much to be hopeful about.
Feminism is “mainstream,” endorsed by the world’s most prominent. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) issues have gained visibility in the media, slowly dismantling deeply ingrained homophobic and heteronormative mindsets. There is also a greater discussion of issues previously glossed over such as Islamophobia and the perpetuation of racial stereotypes.
Indeed, this is a time where social realities are more widely exposed and dissected, thanks to opened connections through technology. This is an age where pop stars and politicians are lambasted for limited views and insensitive comments. This is an age where matters like the legalization of same-sex marriage can launch global social media trends, the publication of hundreds of articles, and innumerable discussions.
There is a lot of support for big, global ideas of equality and tolerance.
Whether this support translates to actual changes in attitude and actions, however, is an entirely different matter.
#LoveWins may have trended globally, but there are still people–sometimes, the same people with rainbowed-up profile photos–who use “gay” or bakla to insult and “no homo” to assert heterosexuality, as if to be mistaken as homosexual is unpleasant. There are also those who avert their eyes at openly out LGBTs, ask who is the “guy” or “girl” in same-sex relationships, and ask LGBTs if their sexualities are “phases” to be outgrown.
There are those too, who openly support campaigns like #HeForShe and consider themselves feminists, yet slut shame, call out women for wearing revealing clothing, and use statements like “you are such a girl” with condescension.
Race-related attitudes exist as well. Chinese-Filipinos, for example, are called out with amusement and sometimes, derision, for their perceived abilities at mathematics and finance. Similarly, Islamophobia is rampant–online posts about Bangsamoro-related issues tend to attract a comment or two about the supposed penchant for violence Muslims have.
The list of micro-aggressions–small, subtle expressions of prejudice–is endless. Many are so firmly ingrained and are thus done without the awareness of the implications of discrimination that come with certain terms.
It can take a lot of conscious effort, and a willingness to be educated.
Yet it is nevertheless incredibly important to take that effort. The current circumstances with social media offer not just a way to express support for movements and ideas, but also a way of learning what is correct and sensitive. It is nothing less than hypocritical, after all, to be a social justice vigilante online, but ostracize individuals who do not fit the “accepted” mold in person. It is nothing less than hypocritical to be vocal about equality and anti-discrimination–the big ideas–but utterly fail when it comes to the little things, the attitudes that people will actually feel.
It is certainly a learning process from which no one is exempted, least of all the millennials with access to information and conversation.
I think it pays to be mindful. It pays to be socially correct. It pays to be sensitive with the hopes that one day, our beliefs in equality would go beyond mental concepts and become actual attitudes.
