Oppressed means something is being treated unfairly or not given the chance to be happy or strong.
Imagine you're playing with your toys, maybe a big teddy bear and a little dinosaur. If someone keeps pushing the little dinosaur out of the way so the big teddy bear gets all the attention, that's like oppression. The little dinosaur is being oppressed, because it’s not getting the same chances or respect as the big teddy bear.
What does being oppressed feel like?
If you're being treated unfairly at school or on the playground, it can feel like your voice isn’t heard or your ideas aren’t valued. It's like someone always takes the biggest cookie in the jar, even if they don't need it, and leaves the smaller ones for everyone else.
Why does oppression happen?
Sometimes people are oppressed because others think they’re weaker, or they're not as important. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t strong, it just means they’re being held back by unfair rules or actions. Like when a big kid takes all the swings and leaves the little kids to wait in line.
Oppression is like having a cloud over your head, you can still be happy, but it’s harder to shine through.
Examples
- A group of people who are treated unfairly because they are different from the majority.
- Children in a poor neighborhood who can't go to school because their parents can't afford it.
- Workers who are forced to work long hours for very little pay.
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See also
- What does disadvantage look like in australia new research shows whos struggling?
- Is capitalism actually broken?
- Why Are Some People Richer Than Others?
- How Does the Wealth Gap Affect Society?
- Did Imperial Japan choose to ally with Nazi Germany because of ideological?