STEREOTYPE, PREJUDICES AND DISCRIMINATION

Introduction

There are 7.7 billion people across 195 countries and every race has their own
belief systems, religion, culture, and tradition. Yet, each individual is a unique mix of their
own. That is why appreciating diversity is very important to fully understand the human
experience and for us to coexist peacefully.

However, understanding diversity requires us to broaden our appreciation of the

many facets of the human race and recognize that we have our own stereotypes,
prejudice, and discrimination too.

Stereotypes

Stereotypes are an "over-generalized belief about a particular group or class of

people" (Cardwell 1996). It can be helpful in simplifying things, after all, there 7.7 billion
people in the planet. When we meet someone for the first time, we associate with them
certain characteristics and abilities that we usually base on the group they belong to.

While some stereotypes convey positive examples (like a student from Ivy League
schools would be stereotyped as very intelligent or matalino, or Filipinos being known for
our hospitality), most stereotypes, however, are drawn from negative generalizations like
equating our Muslim countrymen as terrorists and viewing farmers and blue-collar workers
as lazy and less educated.

It reflects our expectations and beliefs and is largely based on the social circle
web to as we try to conform or agree to the standard way of thought. However, these
stereotypes change through time depending on social and political conditions.

A stereotype can be categorized as "explicit", meaning the person have these

thoughts towards a group of people and they can say it out loud. It can also be "implicit"
wherein a person does not know if they have these stereotypes since it lies in stereotypes
into actions. While with an implicit stereotype, a person has no control or their
subconscious. When the stereotype is explicit, a person can choose not to turn
their awareness of it, and it may manifest into actions or behavior.

Prejudice

Prejudice is an “unjustified or incorrect attitude (usually negative) towards an

individual based solely on the individual's membership of a social group" (McLeod 2008).
Prejudice represents our emotional response upon learning of a persons' membership to
a specific group (like age, skin color, race, disability, generation, nationality, religion, sex,
sexual expression, gender expression, and so on).

This negative attitude (prejudice) can be dangerous since it often leads to actions
and behaviors. For example, a sexist person is someone who has negative attitude
towards the other sex and sees them as the lesser sex. This negative attitude could
manifest into action such as bullying, discrimination, or violence.
Discrimination

Discrimination refers to actions or behaviors towards an individual or a group

people. According to the United Nations, "discriminatory behaviors take many forms, but
they all involve some form of exclusion or rejection".

People who are discriminated on are treated worse than the way people are
usually treated just because they belong to a certain group or they have certain
characteristics. Here are a few examples of discrimination:

• Genocide is the action of recognizing someone as different so much that they are
treated inhumanly and degraded.
• Apartheid (means separateness) is a form of racial discrimination wherein one
race is viewed as less than the other, resulting in the separation of black and whites
and the mass murder of Jews in concentration camps.
• Gender discrimination is another common form of discrimination. Statistically,
women earn less than men and are often relegated to be solely responsible for
child-rearing and house chores. Men, on the other hand, are discriminated in
household responsibilities such that they are perceived as less manly when they
do their share of house chores or when they become stay at home husbands.
• LGBT discrimination happens when LGBT people are treated as lesser than straight
people. Discrimination happens early in their childhood as they get bullied when
they act differently or dress differently than other kids. During adolescence, they
get judged, bullied, or physically assaulted as they explore and express their
sexuality.

Restricting opportunities or privileges that may be available to other groups is

discrimination, like the right to vote in national elections. In the Philippines, women only
gained the right to vote in 1937 and before that, Filipino women had no legal rights even
to own properties. That form of institutional discrimination was based on illogical or
irrational judgement that women are weaker than men.

FREEDOM AND EQUALITY

Article I of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) states that "all
human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights." This declaration was drafted
by member countries of the United Nations, including the Philippines, in 1948. This
monumental document outlines the fundamental rights of every human being that
should be protected by everyone at all times.

Its preamble recognizes that the "inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable
rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice,
and peace in the world."

While discriminatory traditions, policies, ideas, practices, and laws exist in many
countries, many have shifted towards making opportunities and privileges accessible to
everyone. In many countries, people of the same sex can now get married and create
their own families while enjoying the same rights as straight couples.. In the Philippines, all
establishments are now required by law to have an access ramp for people with
disabilities

Appreciating diversity of the human race is key to making a safer and more
inclusive environment for everyone, regardless of race, sex, religion, sexuality, gender, or
creed.

Summary

Stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination is a sensitive issue for many people

since it can be traced to our history, culture, tradition, and religion. However, with the
Internet and technology, we now live in a world that seems to have no borders. It is
important to create a society that respects the uniqueness of e being and uphold
everyone's dignity and rights.