Discrimination

Discrimination - different treatment of others based solely on their membership in a socially distinct group or category, such as race, ethnicity, sex, religion, age, or disability. Discrimination can be viewed as favorable or unfavorable, depending on whether a person receives favors or opportunities, or is denied them. For example, a senior citizens’ discount shows favorable discrimination toward senior citizens. However, in modern usage, discrimination is usually considered unfavorable. 

Racial and Ethnic Discrimination 

One of the most pervasive forms of discrimination in the United States, and elsewhere, is that directed toward racial and ethnic groups. The Constitution of the United States recognized the legality of slavery, and the vast majority of slaves were black Africans and their descendants. 

Racial discrimination practiced against Hispanic Americans is also widespread, and has generally assumed traditional forms, including discriminatory policies in employment, housing, and access to the judicial system, but it has also involved such issues as bilingual education, fair treatment by the communications media, and prison reform. The Puerto Rican Legal Defense Fund and the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund have worked to defend the rights of Hispanic people. 

Asian Americans have also suffered discrimination, notably in immigration quotas and in employment and housing. 

Discrimination against women 

American women have historically been victimized by discrimination in voting (which was not secured for women until a 1920 constitutional amendment), employment, and other civil rights (for many years, for example, women were denied the right to serve on juries). 

As a result of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, women made some gains against employment discrimination. During the 1970s, the effort was pressed not only against discriminatory practices but also against outmoded attitudes toward the role of women in society. In 1972 Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the Constitution and submitted it to the states for ratification. 
 

Ageism refers to the systematic stereotyping and discrimination of individuals or groups because of their age. 

There are several forms of ageism which fall under two general categories: prejudicial ageism, or the negative stereotyping of people on the basis of age, and discriminatory ageism, or denying people opportunities on the basis of age. 

Stereotypes are necessary for processing huge volumes of information which would otherwise overload a person, and they are often based on a "grain of truth" (for example, the association between aging and ill health). But it can lead to age-related discrimination. 

Age discrimination refers to the actions taken to deny or limit opportunities to people on the basis of age. These are usually actions taken as a result of one’s ageist beliefs and attitudes. Age discrimination occurs on both a personal and institutional level.  

On a personal level, an older person may be told that he or she is too old to engage in certain physical activities, like an informal game of basketball between friends and family, while a younger person may be told that he or she is too young to engage in certain social activities, like going to an unsupervised party. 

On an institutional level, there are policies and regulations in place that limit opportunities to people of certain ages and deny them to all others. The law, for instance, requires that all young persons must be at least 16 years old in order to obtain a driver’s license in the United States.  

Ageism has significant effects on the elderly. The stereotypes and infantilization of older people affects older people’s self-esteem and behaviors. After repeatedly hearing a stereotype that older people are useless, older people may begin to feel like dependent, non-contributing members of society. 

Discrimination has also taken other forms. For many years former prisoners and mental patients have suffered legal disabilities after their terms of confinement ended; and some aliens have been denied equal employment opportunities. People with physical disabilities have endured discrimination in employment and access to public facilities and transportation. 

A widespread form of discrimination exists against homosexuals, who historically have endured prejudice because of social and sexual taboos. 

There are different kinds of discrimination and all of them are terrible, because we should have respect for human rights without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion.