Discrimination and prejudice play a large role in todays society. Many of the victims consist of gay and lesbian people, women, and people of racial and ethnic groups. Prejudice is a judgement or an opinion formed before the facts are known. Discrimination, on the other hand, is an act toward someone or something with partiality or prejudice. It is one thing to be prejudice and have thoughts, but people discriminate and act out those thoughts because a group is different. These people should be protected against discrimination in mployment, insurance, housing and in adoption cases.
There are many gay and lesbian people in the world and who are they hurting by living that way of life. Everybodys lifestyles are different and to discriminate against someone because you do not agree with them is ignorant. Discrimination against gay people, the life-destroying impact of lost jobs, children, friendships and family; the demoralizing toll of living in constant fear of being discovered by the wrong person which pervades the lives of all lesbian and gay mens lives whether closeted or out. Barbara Smith, pg. 8, 1999. Homosexuals are discriminated against everyday.
According to the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, over ninety percent of gay men and lesbians have been victims of some type of violence or harassment. (Crusius. Pg. 525. 1998)Smith says that the violence of homophobes causes deaths in many gay and lesbian lives. In Washington, Gov. Whitman is part of a new ad campaign urging the senate to ban job discrimination against gays and lesbians. (Darlene Superville, pg. 1, 1999. ) Homosexuals deserve to be treated fairly and share the same ights as any other American.
Five to ten percent of the American population is gay and lesbian, and, because of their minority status, they face discrimination and harassment of one sort or another(Crucius pg. 526 1998). When gay activist Harvey Milk went into office in 1978 to help the gay people gain some freedom things started to look brighter for his people. Soon after he was killed for being a gay man and the man who killed him was prejudice to his ideas. Homophobia is often thought of as the last acceptable prejudice, because so any heterosexuals think that discriminating against gay people-even exhibiting open hostility towards them-is defensible on moral grounds. Crusius. Pg,525. 1998)
That kind of thinking is why there is so much violence in the world today. In many ways the discrimination against gays is like that of women and people of different races. Race is defined as a persons ancestry or ethnic characteristics. Race discrimination, like all other types of discrimination, happens every day. It is illegal under both federal and state law to discriminate in the term or conditions of mployment on the basis of a persons race or color.
Legally an employer can not limit, classify or segregate employees base on race or national origin. That does not mean that it stops it from happening. People are turned away from jobs, thrown out of stores, and harassed on the streets because of their color. How media treats race, talks about Exclusion, which is ignoring people who belong to different racial groups and ignoring the uniqueness or individuals with in each group. It also speaks of Inclusion, which s portraying only negative images of a group of people.
The Affirmative Action programs, which helped blacks, other minorities, and women gain access to higher education and to jobs previously held by white males, are still in effect today. (Crusius. Pg. 479. 1998) Women are being discriminated against from the glass ceiling in the workplace to the position they hold in the home. Women are looked at as baby machines, whose job is to stay home, cook, clean and take care of the children. Discrimination against an employee based on sex is unlawful: A woman can not e paid less then a man for the same work.
A woman can not be denied training, promotions, jobs or hours because of their gender. If the employer provides disability benefits for employees it is unlawful sex discrimination to deny equal benefits for pregnancy related conditions or childbirth(UFCW, pg. 1, 1999). These are supposed to be rights and laws women have on their side but unfortunately sometimes they are not always followed. Women will get promotions and an occasional raise until they hit the glass ceiling in which they will permanently stay at that level.
Women who are oppressed minority, older, disabled, or lesbians face double or even triple discrimination, according to these studies(Gerald Horne, pg. 74, 1992). Over all the discrimination in these areas is overlooked. Gay People should not be forced to stay in the closet with fear and should have the same rights as anyone else. Women and People of different races should have equal pay rights along with rights of other areas. Compared to gay people, women and colored people cant hide in the closet until they feel they are comfortable enough o come out and admit their race or sex.
As for gay people they shouldnt have to either, buts thats a choice they make. Overall colored people have to worry about KKK, ethnic groups such as the Jewish had to worry about the Nazis, gays and lesbians have to worry about homophobics and Women have to worry about Sexual Harassment. Discrimination and prejudice is everywhere. If everyone were to realize that no matter what the color of a persons skin, their race or their ethnic background, that they are still people with feelings, maybe prejudice and discrimination would be lower.
