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An Indiana University course is getting a lot of attention after apparently offering a course on oppression.

According to the college’s website, the course is titled “Understanding Diversity in a Pluralistic Society” and it contains a mandatory exercise that effectively breaks down the traits that make you either an “oppressor” or “oppressed.” Free Beacon first reported on this class, revealing that traits like being a man, being straight, and being white are all indicators that someone belongs to the “oppressor” class.

“Students were instructed to write an ‘in-depth reflection of two parts of [their] identity: one subordinate identity and one dominant identity,’ according to documents obtained by the Washington Free Beacon. The final assignment for the eight-week course, worth 26 percent of the final grade, assumes that each student has at least one identity group that gives them power over their peers and another that leads to their oppression,” the outlet reported.

“Students were given a chart showing examples of ‘dominant’ identities—like being white—and ‘subordinate’ identities—like being black—and separated them by ‘manifestations of social oppression,’ such as classism, racism, and heterosexism. Effectively, the chart shows that straight, white, Christian males are dominant over everyone else. Or, put another way, everyone else is subordinate to straight, white, Christian males, according to the chart,” the article explains.

Basically, if you were born with any of the “dominant” traits that are beyond your control, you are automatically an “oppressor” regardless of whether you have ever actually oppressed anyone in your life or not.

One student revealed to the Beacon that they were forced to “make something up” for the class, and felt like they were being attacked based on his identity.

“I’m being punished through an assignment for my identity as a person, and that’s just crazy,” the student told the Free Beacon. “I had to make something up and I don’t enjoy doing that.”

“It’s very rich that in a class where we are supposed to be talking about identity and not suppressing identity, I’m forced to suppress my own identity. I have to suppress myself because I’m presumed to be some privileged, horrible human being that didn’t grow up without food. That’s insane to me.”

Once students came up with their dominant and subordinate identities, they were told to reflect on their “privileges, listing the groups they held dominance over, and exploring ways to reshape their relationships with subordinate groups.”

“You will gain insight into your experiences of identity in the U.S., including both advantages and disadvantages you have experienced related to these identities,” the instructions said. “Self-awareness of identity, as well as experiences of privilege and oppression, serve as the basis for understanding the complexity of identity and how you can address issues of oppression.”

Interestingly, Indiana is among the states that passed anti-DEI bills in 2024, including legislation that prevents DEI from being used in the admissions process.

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Sierra Marlee is a millennial whose hunger for the truth in a world of fake news has led her to write. Marlee also contributes to BizPac Review.

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