The Concept of Othering

The Concept of Othering

 

http://photos.wingyounghuie.com/p929219206/h6b00ac63#h6b00ac63

The photographer Wing Young Huie snapped this beautiful shot for his University Avenue Project sometime between 2007-2010. Now, I call this image beautiful not for conventional reasons, but because of the powerful message it sends. Huie has taken dozens of photos like this one: black and white, with only one or two people, holding a chalkboard with a meaningful message inscribed on it. However, this message hit me harder than all the others. The man in the photo is staring off into the distance wistfully, and his chalkboard reads: "Race is an unfair tool by which to measure a persons character." This man has obviously been a victim of racial discrimination. The severity of this issue is portrayed in this photo, and the true words written on the chalkboard are supported by the look on this man's face: pain, morose, solemn, and critical. However, what you do not see in his face is hopelessness, pessimism, or anger. The man still believes in the goodness of people, no matter how they have clearly wronged him. 

In the bigger picture (no pun intended), there is our modern day society. Modern society has constructed norms, taboos, and most importantly "isms". By "isms" I mean racism, sexism, chauvinism, misogynism, anti-Semitism, and more. These are ridiculous constructs of society that are meant to separate anyone who is different in appearance, culture, belief, and many other things from those who are culturally accepted. These isms create "others". People who are perceived to be different, inadequate, or socially unacceptable. The man in this picture was once, and may still be, an other. 

Huie presents the others in a black and white scene, and he gives them a board. This chalkboard, in turn, is a voice. On this board and with this voice they can write their inner feelings, thoughts, ideas, beliefs, or just anything about their personalities that may reach the viewer. Most of the others just want to prove that they are just like everyone else. They have thoughts, beliefs, and most of all feelings that should be acknowledged by the people around them. Similarly, Margaret Atwood uses her fiction to highlight real issues, and bring them to light. She gives her characters their thoughts, feelings, and voice to tell their story. However, Atwood uses more words, and lets the reader's imagination take care of the rest. Both author and artist create vivid images pertaining to discrimination, and both are powerful. Nonetheless, the man in Huie's image wants to be seen, and the woman in Atwood's book wants to be heard.