Q1: I participated in two implicit bias subtests: one regarding gay folks, and the other transgender folks. I chose these subtests feeling particularly confident in them – I’m a big advocate for the LGBTQ community, have several nonbinary friends/students, and identify as bisexual myself. Despite my confidence, the results surprised me. I did show a preference toward gay folks – which I expected, but my other results showed a bias toward transgender folks. I don’t believe that I have conscious prejudice against transgender people, but these results were telling of the social norms/expectations around me, and how they’ve affected my subconscious thought. This makes me realize that we are all so much more affected by our surroundings than we think, and it’s making me think deeply about my interactions with people of different groups. It is important for everyone to consider their behaviors, assumptions, and ideas – and it is particularly important for those in positions of power to do so. 

As I’m reflecting on times I’ve used implicit biases in my life, it’s undeniable that I’ve made assumptions about others without knowing them. I haven’t done this consciously, but after the work we’ve done with the PINE project, I’ve reflected and realized that I’ve gone into some social interactions with favorable preferences, and others with negative biases. For example, I tend to assume that I’ll easily connect with folks who are female, liberal, and/or queer. I create positive narratives about folks who appear to be in these groups, without even having met them. On the contrast, I realized that I’ve historically lead with hesitation when interacting with older straight men, Catholics, and conservative folks. 

While it’s not acceptable, I’m realizing that our broken political system and my personal family history have together created a negative narrative around folks in these groups for me. Now that I’m consciously aware of my biases, I need to actively reject the stereotypes and associations I’ve assembled in my mind. 

Q2: The nervousness around finding a forever home in Wherever I Go matches the ideas that I have developed about refugees and asylum seekers. My school has welcomed several groups of new Mainers over the past 3 years, and this experience has opened my eyes and allowed me some insight into the process of emigrating to the US from lands of danger and hardships. 

Abia mentions that “forever homes are in strange and faraway lands,” and that her things must be left behind. My students were able to empathize with the fear of the unknown, as the often enjoyable act of joining a new summer camp, or advancing to the next grade and meeting your new homeroom teacher, is anxiety-producing for many. We discussed how the lack of predictability in Abia’s early years undoubtedly creates a sense of weariness for her future. We also talked about the comfort that our material items bring us – our homes, our clothing, a special blanket, a stuffy. The idea of leaving behind treasured possessions was hard for my students to grapple with.