Biased Language: From Hurricane Katrina to “Ban Bossy” Campaign

by Adoniah R., 6th grader

Some people use biased language or writing to describe their opinions and express how they feel about different topics, but that still doesn’t make it right. Biased language is when there’s only one point of view, like BOYS say ALL GIRLS are BAD at SPORTS. Which is not true! People tend to see the things they want to see, disregarding any other idea.

One example of bias is the Hurricane Katrina incident when the black boy had “looted” a grocery store and a white couple had done the same thing, but it was captioned as they “found” the food in a grocery store. Are they not doing the same act?

One of my own examples is when I was in third grade and a girl asked me if my mother “slapped” me or “whipped” me like a “slave,” because I am black. I asked her why she said that, and she told me she had a black friend and her mother did that to her. Biased language, writing, social media, historical events, they all have the power to shape people’s thoughts and make people think a certain way, act a certain way.

Another example is the “Ban Bossy” campaign in which women are being called “bossy” for being ambitious, while men are called ambitious, and they are seen as powerful. Have you been called bossy for being ambitious? With Oprah being a very ambitious woman, here is a quote I came across: “I am a woman in process. I’m just trying like everybody else. I try to take every conflict, every experience and learn from it. life is never dull.” -Oprah Winfrey

Biased language and writing are not right. Think about it. If you were experiencing these cases of biased language, would you be offended? Would you stand up? Or would you sit down letting the next generation make the same mistakes?