WAYS TO HELP PREVENT
IF YOU ARE ACCUSED OF
DISCRIMINATION
DISCRIMINATION?
- TaketheAccusationSeriously
If someonecomplainstoyouthat your actionsor comments
areunacceptable, offensiveor discriminatory, listen
closely. Remember that peoplewithdifferent valuesor
backgroundsmayexperienceashumiliating, threatening,
or insultingwhat youintendedtobefunnyor harmless.
Remember alsothat your bodylanguageandtoneof voice
contributestotheimpact of your wordsandactions.If you
believethecomplaint isfair, youmaywant toapologizefor
thediscomfort or offenceyoucaused.
- AvoidRetaliation
Donot act inwaysthat couldbeseenas?gettingback?at
thecomplainant. Avoidanybehaviour that could
embarrassor intimidatethepersonyouhaveallegedly
harassed.
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Youcanhelpby
- Objectingtodiscriminationwhenyouseeor
experienceit. Don?t ignoreor condonediscriminatory
behaviour inothers.
- Refusingtogoalongwithdiscriminationdisguisedas
humour or academicdebate.
- Choosingnot tosharejokesor makecommentsof a
discriminatorynature.
- Encouragingdiversityandinclusivityinworkand
studyenvironments.
- Beingawarethat culturesdifferent fromyour own
mayinterpret actionsdifferentlythanyoudo.
SPEAK
OUT!
WHAT IS
DISCRIMINATION?
Youmayhavebeentreatedunfairlyinsome
situations, but thisisnot alwaysagainst thelaw.
Understandingwhat countsasdiscriminationcan
becomplicated. Herewetell youhowtospot
discriminationandhowtotakeactiontostopit.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT
TYPES OF DISCRIMINATION?
AGE - Agediscrimination
occursacrossall agegroups.
Discriminationcanbedirect or
indirect.
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE discriminateagainst youbecauseof
your physical features. Your physical
featuresareyour height, weight,
size, shapeor another bodily
characteristic. Thesealsoinclude
facial features, hair andbirthmarks.
GENDER IDENTITY - iswherepeople
of onesexidentifyasamember of theother
sex, or wherepeopleof indeterminatesex
identifyasamember of aparticular sex.
hormonetherapyor surgery.
RELIGIOUS BELIEF - isabout having, or
IF YOU'RE BEING
DISCRIMINATED AGAINST...
- Don?t PretendThat It Isn?t Happening
Discriminationisunlikelytogoawayif youignoreit. In
fact, discriminatorybehaviour mayescalatewhen
peoplefeel theycanget awaywithit.
not having, areligiousbelief or viewthat isnot
against thelaw. Religiousactivityiswhereyou - SeekAdvice
takepart, choosenot totakepart or refuseto
Talktopeoplewhocan, becauseof their positionor
takepart inareligiousactivitythat isnot
expertise, provideyouwithconstructiveadviceand
against thelaw.
support.
- TakeAction
NATIONALITY - It issometimesreferred
toasboundtogether withracial
discriminational thoughit canbeseparate. It
mayvaryfromlawsthat stoprefusalsof
hiringbasedonnationality, askingquestions
regardingorigin, toprohibitionsof firing,
forcedretirement, compensationandpay,
etc., basedonnationality.
Themost effectivewaytostopdiscriminationisto
confront it immediatelyanddirectly. If it issafetodo
so, clearlyandfirmlytell thepersonwhois
discriminatingagainst youthat their actionsare
inappropriate/unacceptable, andthat youwill not
accept it. Thiscommunicationcantakeavarietyof
formsincludingthemost commonsuchasadvisingthe
offender inperson, or throughaletter.
- KeepRecords
MARITAL STATUS - iswhether youare,
or arenot, single, married, divorced,
widowed, separated, adomesticpartner or in
adefactorelationship. ?Domesticpartner?
referstoall couples, regardlessof their sex
andsexual orientation.
Don?t relyonyour memory. Carefullyrecordthedetailsof
thediscriminationassoonasit occurs(dates, times,
locations, witnessesandwhat wassaidor done,
includingyour responsesandreactions). Recordall
attemptstotell thepersonthat thebehaviour is
unacceptable. Keepall letters, emails, answering
machinemessagesetc. that youreceive.
Photo Caption or Photographers Name
