The Four I's of Oppression

A student says that people from certain countries are “just naturally lazy.”

• institutional oppression

• internalized oppression

• ideological oppression

• interpersonal oppression

A teacher says to a student, “Boys don’t cry—toughen up.”

• institutional oppression

• internalized oppression

• ideological oppression

• interpersonal oppression

A school punishes students who are wearing traditional cultural attire during spirit week because their clothing violates the school's dress code.

• institutional oppression

• internalized oppression

• ideological oppression

• interpersonal oppression

A student refuses to speak up in class because they think their accent “makes them sound dumb.”

• institutional oppression

• internalized oppression

• ideological oppression

• interpersonal oppression

A poster in a classroom says, “Hard work equals success,” without addressing barriers some students face.

• institutional oppression

• internalized oppression

• ideological oppression

• interpersonal oppression

A school’s bathroom policy requires LGBTQ+ students to use facilities that don’t match their gender identity.

• institutional oppression

• internalized oppression

• ideological oppression

• interpersonal oppression

A group of students makes fun of a classmate’s traditional religious clothing behind their back.

• institutional oppression

• internalized oppression

• ideological oppression

• interpersonal oppression

A girl says she doesn’t want to hang out with other girls because “they’re too dramatic.”

• institutional oppression

• internalized oppression

• ideological oppression

• interpersonal oppression

A school district changes their budget by removing funding for fine arts courses, arguing they “don’t prepare students for real jobs.”

• institutional oppression

• internalized oppression

• ideological oppression

• interpersonal oppression

A textbook defines “beauty” using only images of light-skinned people with Eurocentric features.

• institutional oppression

• internalized oppression

• ideological oppression

• interpersonal oppression