Hatred

Hatred: an intense dislike or extreme aversion. Hatred is the most negative emotion a person may ever possess. In his novel, Between the World and Me, author Ta-Nehisi Coates provides us with his firsthand experiences of true hatred. Whether it be through racism or homophobia, Coates describes his opinions on prejudices in our society and the impact it makes on the youth. Coates writes, “Hate gives identity.” This got me thinking, do words give certain groups more power over others? I believe that Coates’s claim is correct. Hatred causes a division in society which separates people based solely upon their differences.

Racism: discrimination directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior. Coates argues that “race is the child of racism, not the father.” Hatred drives racist people to form divisions within our society. Without these people’s hatred, race would not exist. However, racist people believe the only way that they can assert their dominance within society is to put others down. For example, as a black man, Coates believes he has been plundered by white supremacists. He says, “I saw that what divides me from the world was” white people’s “intent on believing that what they have named us matters more than anything we could ever actually do.” By being singled out by white people, the black community’s  identities are being formed for them. This is an injustice which prevents black people from meeting their highest potential because of the hatred of other racial groups.

Homophobia: prejudice against homosexual people. Coates admits to his own prejudice against the LGBTQ community. Is Coates’s homophobia equivalent to racism? Coates writes, “maybe I would take another human’s body to confirm myself in a community. Perhaps I already had.” Although race and sexual identity are two separate ideas, they each place people into a certain group. Racism and homophobia relate based off hatred. Alike to white people asserting their “superiority” over black people, Coates explains how he has asserted his over homosexual people. 

Another LGBTQ group who has been heavily targeted recently have been transgender people. An article by ABC News released in October of this year talked about experiences of trans workers in their workplace. These workers face verbal abuse and discrimination daily. Whether it be at job interviews or during work hours, they share their experiences of constant abuse. Should your gender identity determine whether or not you are given a job? Of course not. However, Aveda Adara, a 41-year-old transgender women, says, “I’ve been laughed out of interviews for years.” Hatred is all around us even at times when we do not notice. Racism and homophobia are serious issues which people need to become more aware about. No one deserves to be discriminated against.