The bubble of Newport Beach — Exposing today’s social issues

Newport Beach— a city on the outside that appears as the perfect city—incredible weather, beaches, and schools. However, this masks the racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia that lies inside. Of course, every city has these issues, but some people in this area do not believe they occur in Newport Beach every day. Whether it is at a restaurant, Fashion Island, or even Corona del Mar High School, ignorance is not bliss in this case.

As one moves onto the next page to read quotes taken from students, one would realize most, if not all, are anonymous. By the student’s choosing to remain nameless, this shows how serious and relevant these issues are. Students are afraid to share their opinion on the current problems in fear of being harassed.

In a poll taken by CdM students, 84 percent of them have seen racism occur in Newport Beach and 74 percent at school. Racism is an extremely frequent issue that happens every day in our country and more specifically in Newport Beach. Even though it could be the smallest thing like looking at someone the wrong way or a word that is said, it results in more and more prejudice continuing in our country.

“The people at CdM are very uneducated when it comes to social issues. Last year, I was sitting in my yoga class when a girl claimed, ‘I don’t understand why people care about the travel ban. It doesn’t really matter. Just, like stay where you came from. We don’t want terrorists here.’ Aside from the rude remark about Muslims being terrorists, it is terrible to assume that not being able to live in the US would have an impact on the families impacted. Many people travel between their home country and the United States to visit their family members who live there. Those that live here often were oppressed in their country and were attempting to escape the oppression, only to be denied because of a ban,” one student said.

For the student who said it does not matter, it does. The travel ban did not allow for anyone from seven predominantly Muslim countries to come into the United States, in order to protect our country from “outside threats.” However, the seven countries Donald Trump banned never committed a single terrorist attack on this country. As a result, families were separated and some citizens of the United States that had green cards were not allowed back in at that time.  

Sexism seems to be the least problematic social issue in Newport Beach and at CdM, with 76.9 percent of people experiencing or seeing sexism in Newport Beach and at CdM. Even though, everybody is entitled to their own opinions, meninist is a mockery of the word “feminism”. The Feminist movement is to establish equality for both men and women, not just women.

Homophobia is the most destructive social issue here at CdM. Even though it is 2017, where same-sex marriage is legal in all 50 states, being gay is still an issue to some people in today’s society. First off, being gay should not be an issue to people, as it does not affect you in your life and should not be something that determines an ending of a friendship.

From slurs that haunt the halls to people that express their negativity through violence, it is all here in Newport Beach. Homophobia has become more of a joke to people, using slurs that once and still categorize homosexuals in a negative way. Any slur used like “that’s gay,” “homo” or “faggot” is an example of harassment, whether you use it in a jokingly or not. It does not matter whether one is saying it to their friend as a joke or not, it is still degrading the hundreds of homosexual students who attend CdM, as well as homosexuality as a whole.

Seventy-one percent of people have seen transphobia occur in Newport Beach and 74 percent at CdM. As said before with homophobia, it does not concern anyone but the person transitioning, to be worried about what they are doing with their body or how they are dressing. Simple mistakes such as using the wrong pronouns can cause transgender people to feel belittled.

Imagine for a second how it feels to wake up in a body that you do not feel comfortable in or that matches what is on the inside. People make fun of you and call you the wrong pronouns; it must feel awkward and uncomfortable, right?

Now place yourself back in your own shoes. If you have ever made fun of a transgender person or purposefully called them the wrong gender, you are making that person who already is uncomfortable with their own body, who is trying to help the situation by doing what makes them feel comfortable and safe, even more insecure with the fact that they do not like their original self and that people degrade the person they feel they have always been.

This article is not meant to attack people or call out groups; it is intended to shed light on situations that occur every day at this school and in this city. I hope that whoever reads this, can become more aware of the problems of the average day. One may think that they are small in this large world, but one step towards the positive can cause a ripple effect. We are all humans, no matter the race, gender, sexual orientation, or the way we identify ourselves.