SOC213- 4-1 Discussion Institutional Discrimination PDF

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Anthony C Ricca 05/27/2021 Southern New Hampshire University 4-1 Discussion: Institutional Discrimination SOC-213-H5770 Sociology of Social Problems

Reflection on the inequalities I read about regarding race, ethnicity, and gender.

Despite our increasingly diverse communities and legislation established for “equal opportunities for members of minority groups and women in education and employment”, discrimination appears to be a persistent issue in our society. Racial discrimination is pervasive in our judicial system, employment, and educational institutions. Racial profiling engaged by law enforcement occurs daily, which affects all minority groups in America, including African Americans, Latinos, Muslims, Arabs, and the Asian communities. “African Americans make up 12% of the US population, roughly half of the country's two million inmates are black, and Latin Americans make up another 16%. Most judges are white, and crime investigations appear to be guided by a subject's racial or ethnic appearance rather than factual evidence ("Racial Discrimination Prevails- Minorities Ill Treated", n.d.). Gender discrimination persists dramatically in the workplace, educational institutions, and the legal system. Women still do not earn the same wages as males, engage in lower-paying positions, and are subjected to workplace harassment (Sullivan, 2015). Although we have gone a long way since slavery and lynching, we still have a long way to go in terms of accepting diversity and becoming an inclusive society.

How are these inequities institutionalized?

Discrimination based on race and gender is deeply entrenched, and institutional discrimination persists despite civil rights campaigns, affirmative action plans, and laws prohibiting discrimination in the United States. “The inequitable treatment of a group as a result of practices or policies embedded in social, political, or economic institutions and operating independently of individuals” (Sullivan, 2015). For example, Organizations' recruiting and firing practices, such as requiring applicants to lift a certain amount of weight or barring applicants with a history of drug offenses, Reasonable cause is being interpreted by law enforcement officials as racial profiling, and because of where you live, you may have a reduced educational standard. Institutional discrimination, in my opinion, is the outcome of decades of negative stereotypes and expectations. The unpleasant history of racial discrimination in the United States is deeply embedded, and it appears that old habits are difficult to eradicate.

Examine either a racial/ethnic group or gender/sexual orientation group through the lens of institutionalized discrimination. Describe the types of discrimination and why it is “institutionalized,” and pose a reason for its existence.

Gender discrimination, which comprises education, occupation, and income, is the institutional inequality I would like to highlight. Compared to the 1960s, today there are more women that are attending college to pursue their degrees. Furthermore, the US Department of Education reports a significant gender disparity in several fields of higher education, such as science, mathematics, and engineering (Sullivan, 2015).

Women continue to earn a lower salary than their male colleagues. Even when both male and female personnel have the same qualifications and experience, women are nevertheless perceived less competent than males in the workplace. This is partly due to unfair hiring practices. According to the US Department of Labor, career opportunities for women are greater today than they were in the 1970s, but women still hold most lower-paying positions and earn around 80% of their male counterparts (2017), putting them at a disadvantage economically. As a result, women's poverty rates are substantially greater, especially in single-parent households. Women are still expected to take care of the household, nurture the children, and care for the sick, as they have been for centuries. These are only a few examples of workplace gender discrimination. Men who are accustomed to wielding authority may perceive an increase in successful women in the workplace as a threat. Their "authoritarian personality" (Sullivan, 2015) prevents them from accepting change, prevents them from letting go of gender stereotypes, and encourages the perpetuation of workplace gender inequality.

Responses:

Great Post I enjoyed reading, now when it comes to religion, I am not a religious person whatsoever, but I will say that when people use religion as a tool to discriminate against others, it irritates me. Maybe because I am not religious idk. Personally, if you do not agree with same sex relationships or marriage keep it to yourself. However, I do believe that homophobia stems from ignorance and a fear of what people do not understand, regardless of one's religion. Many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people of all ages and from all parts of the world are subjected to egregious violations of their human rights due to deeply embedded homophobic

and transphobic attitudes, which are frequently combined with a lack of adequate legal protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. They face discrimination in the workplace, in schools, and in hospitals, and they are mistreated and abandoned by their own relatives. They are targeted for physical abuse, including being beaten, sexually abused, tortured, and killed. With that being said I believe that if everyone took the time to get to know someone in the LGBT community, acceptance would come more quickly. Therefore, I am delighted that a growing number of TV series are featuring homosexual characters on a regular basis something that was not shown to often in the past this goes for movies as well. According to research, being familiar with gays and the gay lifestyle results in more positive attitudes toward homosexuality (Sullivan, 2016). The homophobic reaction stems from a perceived threat to a lifestyle based on deeply held cultural norms and values, not from a rational consideration of the evidence (Sullivan, 2016). Men, the elderly, religious individuals, and those with lower education and income levels are all more likely to be anti-homosexuality (Sullivan, 2016). I think a solution to solving the stigma against the LGBTQ communities would be advocacy, just simply more people need to stick up for individuals that are part of the LGBTQ community. If there are more voices that support them and even more places of employment that advocated for them, I think it could make a difference. Until then it would probably just be a repeating cycle.

Great Post! I will say this is a subject that needs to be talked about more often. According to our textbook, the utilization of physical size criteria as prerequisites for particular employment is one form of indirect institutionalized discrimination. The book uses the example of Asian Americans who have protested since many of them do not fit the minimum size requirements for police

positions and hence are unable to apply. Also, considering women are often shorter and at times have less upper body strength than men, I simply wanted to point out that this practice could be discriminatory against women.

References

Racial Discrimination Prevails - Minorities Ill Treated. Academic.udayton.edu. Retrieved 27 May 2021, from https://academic.udayton.edu/race/06hrights/GeoRegions/NorthAmerica/china05.htm.

Sullivan, J., Thomas., (2015)., Introduction to Social Problems 10th Edition

Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2017). Employed persons by occupation, sex, and age. Retrieved from 2018 Employment & Earnings Online: https://www.bls.gov/...