Internalized Oppression

Internalized oppression happens when oppressed people absorb the values and hierarchies of the oppressive system into their own self-understanding. Internalized oppression can appear in standards of beauty and social status within oppressed communities. Color hierarchy in Black communities reflected a broader racial system absorbed into the community rather than mere personal preference. Internalized oppression can produce self-hatred, self-loathing, and imitation of the dominant culture.