What is discrimination?
How do we fight
In human social behavior, discrimination is treatment or
consideration of making a distinction towards, a person
based on the group, class, or category to which the
person is perceived to belong.
Types of discrimination
Harassment- is a form of employment discrimination that
violates title VII of the civil rights Act of 1964 the age
discrimination in employment Act of 1967, (ADEA), and the
Americans with disabilities Act 0f 1990, (ADA). Harassment
is unwelcome conduct that is based on race color, religion,
sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or
older), disability or genetic information. Harassment
becomes unlawful where 1 enduring the offensive conduct
becomes a condition of continued employment, or 2 the
conduct is severe or pervasive enough to create a work
environment that a reasonable person would consider
intimae-dating, hostile, hostile, or abusive.
Disability discrimination occurs when an employer or
other entity covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act,
as amended, or the Rehabilitation Act, as amended, treats
a quality individual with a disability who is an employee or
applicant unfavorably because he/she a disability. Learn
more about the Act at ADA at 25. Disability discrimination
also occurs when a covered employer or other entity treats
an applicant or employee less favorably because she/he
has a history of a disability.
Equal pay/Compensation Discrimination- The equal pay
Act requires that men and women in the same workplace
be given equal pay for equal work. The jobs need not be
identical, buy they must be substantially equal. Job content
(not job titles) determines whether jobs are substantially
equal. All forms of pay covered by this law, including salary,
overtime pay, bonuses, stock options, profit sharing and
bonus plans, life insurance, vacation and holiday pay,
cleaning or gasoline allowances, hotel accommodation,
reimbursement for travel expenses and any more works. If
there is an inequality in waves between me and women,
employers may not reduce the wages of either sex equalize
their pay.
Race/Color discrimination- Race discrimination involves
treating someone (an applicant or employee) unfavorably
because he/she is of a certain race or because of personal
characteristics associated with race. Color discrimination
involves treating someone unfavorably because the person
is married to a person of a certain race or color.
National origin discrimination- involves treating people
(applicants or employees) unfavorably because they are
from a particular country or part of the word, because of
ethnicity or accent, or because they appear to be of a
certain ethnic background (even if they are not). National
origin discrimination also can involve treating people
unfavorably because they are married to (or associated) a
person of a certain national origin. Discrimination can
occur when the victim and the person who inflicted the
discrimination are the same national origin.
discrimination?
The gender pay gap devalues women and their work to
only 78 cents on the dollar as compared to men. Many
people don’t realize, let alone discuss, the fact that Native
Americans get shot by police more than any other group.
And even as we make strides towards LGBT equality,
organizations like the Boy Scouts of America still permit
discrimination and hate crimes against transgender people
is on the rise, up 13 percent in the last year.
These are all expressions of institutionalized
discrimination, and it’s been shown by scientific research
to wreak havoc in the personal and professional lives of
the average American citizen.
Studies have shown that gender discrimination is
associated with increased risk for drug abuse and is a
critical factor in determining women’s health. Homophobia
puts LGBT people at significantly greater risk for
depression, anxiety, drug abuse, and suicide. Racism has
also been shown to increase blood pressure and mortality.
Mental and physical health effects are compounded for
those who experience multiple forms of discrimination.
They also result in increased risk of absences from work,
increased rates of employment termination, and cost our
national economy untold millions of dollars.
Whether you’re on the front lines of a social movement or
struggling with discrimination in your daily life, it can be
difficult to survive, let alone find your way forward. Here
are five important tips to help you in your journey: