Oppression Olympics

English edit

Etymology edit

First attested in 1993, see quotation below, but one source describes it as being in use "several years" before 1995.^[1] Attributions include unidentified students^[1]^[2] and Elizabeth V. Spelman.^[3]

Noun edit

Oppression Olympics (plural not attested)

(derogatory, slang, figurative) Competition between marginalized groups to be considered the most subject to oppression.
- 1993 May 12, Angela Y. Davis, Elizabeth Martínez, “Coalition Building Among People of Color”, in María Ochoa, Teresia Teaiwa, editors, Enunciating Our Terms: Women of Color in Collaboration and Conflict (Inscriptions)‎^[3], volume 7, University of California: Santa Cruz Center for Cultural Studies, published 1994:
  [ELIZABETH] MARTÍNEZ: […] But the general idea is no competition of hierarchies should prevail. No “Oppression Olympics”!

References edit

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Robin J. Ely (1995) “The Role of the Dominant Identity and Experience in Organizational Work on Diversity”, in Susan E. Jackson, Marian N. Ruderman, editors, Diversity in Work Teams: Research Paradigms for a Changing Workplace‎^[1], Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, →ISBN, page 170: “Several years ago, a student in the class aptly named this dynamic "the Oppression Olympics."”
^ Elizabeth Martínez (1994) “Afterword”, in Elena Featherston, editor, Skin Deep: Women Writing on Color, Culture, and Identity, Freedom: The Crossing Press, →ISBN, pages 222–223: “People of color need to turn today's swiftly changing demographics into a source of strength rather than a new round of divide-and-conquer games. "Beware the Oppression Olympics," as a student I met once said.”
^ Linda A. Bell (1995) “Introduction”, in Linda A. Bell, David Blumenfeld, editors, Overcoming Racism and Sexism‎^[2], Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, →ISBN, page 11: “It neither appropriates the pain of others nor engages in what Spelman has called elsewhere [not in Inessential Woman] an "Oppression Olympics," that is, an irrelevant effort to determine who has suffered the most.”

[Ely-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Robin J. Ely (1995) “The Role of the Dominant Identity and Experience in Organizational Work on Diversity”, in Susan E. Jackson, Marian N. Ruderman, editors, Diversity in Work Teams: Research Paradigms for a Changing Workplace‎^[1], Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, →ISBN, page 170: “Several years ago, a student in the class aptly named this dynamic "the Oppression Olympics."”

[2] Elizabeth Martínez (1994) “Afterword”, in Elena Featherston, editor, Skin Deep: Women Writing on Color, Culture, and Identity, Freedom: The Crossing Press, →ISBN, pages 222–223: “People of color need to turn today's swiftly changing demographics into a source of strength rather than a new round of divide-and-conquer games. "Beware the Oppression Olympics," as a student I met once said.”

[3] Linda A. Bell (1995) “Introduction”, in Linda A. Bell, David Blumenfeld, editors, Overcoming Racism and Sexism‎^[2], Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, →ISBN, page 11: “It neither appropriates the pain of others nor engages in what Spelman has called elsewhere [not in Inessential Woman] an "Oppression Olympics," that is, an irrelevant effort to determine who has suffered the most.”

[1]

[2]

[3]