Discrimination

The document discusses discrimination and provides examples of different types including racism, sexism, and classism. It outlines ways individuals can work to stop discrimination such as by challenging offensive jokes, inclusive language, self-reflection, learning about others, and taking political action.

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Discrimination

Uploaded by

ItsKyleD

We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.

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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

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DISCRIMINATION

Good morning / afternoon / evening ladies and gentlemen. I’m Patricia Manalip from Eben
Haezar Senior High School, would like to deliver my speech that talks about discrimination
and why we all should be against it. So first, what is discrimination?

Discrimination is when people treat others badly because they are different from them.
Oppression refers to discrimination on a larger or systemic level. This is often used to take
power away from an individual or a group of people.

The important thing to remember about the different types of discrimination is that they
are all unfair, hurtful, and often connected. If you are against one type of discrimination,
then it makes sense to be against them all!

All students have the right to go to school in an environment where they feel safe. If you
feel like you are being harassed, bullied, or made to feel unsafe at school talk to a teacher or
guidance counsellor about what is happening. It’s not your fault if you are being mistreated
at school, and the staff have a responsibility to try to make the school a safer place for all
students.

What if we are experiencing discrimination? Know that it is never your fault if you’ve
experienced discrimination and you’re not alone. It can be important to talk to someone
you trust about what you are experiencing.
For every act of discrimination people have found ways of resisting. There are many
supportive groups and organizations out there that help people talk, share, come together
and raise awareness. Look at what’s going on in your school or community for groups such
as Gender/Sexuality Alliances (GSA) or Aboriginal Youth Opportunities (AYO). There are also
groups coming together online through social media and blogs where you share and
connect with people who’ve dealt with similar experiences. You could even start your own
group or blog to raise awareness and resist discrimination.

And currently there are numerous amounts of discrimination that are happening in this
world right now, so what are they? Here are the main kind of discrimination.

1. Racism
Racism is when someone is treated badly because of the colour of their skin or
where they come from. We know that not all skin colours are treated equally in our
society. Racism can be seen as bigger than just one person, and is a whole system
that is trying to put a group of people down (this is known as systemic racism.) It can
be explained as a collective failure by a society as a whole to provide a safe and just
environment to certain groups of people, based on their skin colour, culture, or
ethnic background.

For example, people of colour face higher rates of incarceration or police

involvement. This is not because they are committing more crimes but because
racism exists, these groups of people are more likely to be watched. If there were
two groups of youth hanging out a park, one group being Indigenous (Aboriginal),
and one group being made up of white youth, which group do you think would most
likely be checked out by the police? Most of the time, the answer would be the
Indigenous (Aboriginal) group. If the police are watching a group of people more
closely, then that group of people will also be caught and arrested more often. If you
have other people of power in the legal system, such as judges and lawyers, also
thinking one group is more trouble, that group can be charged more frequently and
sentenced longer than other groups. If someone is also coming from a situation
where they have less money and/or social supports, they can have a more difficult
time obtaining bail. The media can also play a role. If newspapers and television also
start believing that a certain group is causing more crime, they will start reporting
the news that way, which means that a lot of people will be getting those messages
regularly. In a lot of ways, this has been the experience of many Indigenous
(Aboriginal) people in Manitoba, but also in many other places in Canada. It has also
been the experience of many newcomers as well.

If someone is born with white skin in Canada, they can often have an easier time
dealing with police than someone who is a different colour. Since that person didn’t
do any work to get that power, they can be said to have privilege.

2. Sexism
Sexism is when someone is treated badly because of their sex, gender, or perceived
gender. Equal rights between men and women still do not exist. Although we’ve
come a long way, there is still a long way to go. Therefore, when we talk about
sexism, we almost always see this type of discrimination happen towards women.
All girls and women everywhere should have the freedom to:

- live free from sexual assault;

- access birth control (including ECP);
- have control over their bodies at all times (including during pregnancy and sex);
- choose abortion, adoption, and parenting without pressure or bias from others;
- be paid equally for equal work;
- be treated with respect and dignity at all times

3. (and last but not least) Classism

Classism is when someone is treated badly because of their social standing or how
much money they have. We know that in our society a lot of times people get caught
up in valuing how much money they have, what clothes they wear, and what kind of
car they drive. Is this actually what makes them a great person? It can sometimes
feel that way, but this is not true. It’s how you treat the people that are around you
as well as how true you stay to yourself that makes you cool.
For those of us that have money, things can be easier along the way. We may not
face challenges that others might face. This doesn’t make us bad people, and doesn’t
mean we should feel guilty, but it is important to be aware of our privilege. For those
of us that don’t have much money, we can sometimes have a tougher time along the
way. It doesn’t mean that we won’t succeed, it just means that we might have more
of a struggle to get there. The good news is that by facing and overcoming struggles,
we build strength that other folks might never have and that that strength will help
us with whatever we choose to do in our lives.

So as of right now we’ve surely known what discrimination is. This leads to my next
question, how and what can we do to stop discrimination?

The best way to stop discrimination is to join together by becoming an ally. This is a
commitment to a lifelong process of learning and asking questions. We can all challenge
ourselves to think and act in ways that are more accepting and inclusive. We can also take
action! Listed below are just some of the ways we can encourage more diversity in our
schools or community life.

- Don’t laugh at offensive jokes.

- Think about the language you use and stop using oppressive language or phrases
(like, “that’s nonsense” or “that’s retarded”). We are all going to make mistakes
occasionally and say something insensitive. When it happens apologize and keep
trying.
- Look at your own attitudes and behaviours daily.
- Step outside your comfort zone and get to know different types of people, their
stories, their hopes and their dreams.
- Learn from people who are different from you.
- Organize awareness-building events at school.
- Learn the real history where you live. Who were the first Peoples of where you live
today?
- Be politically aware. Educate yourself and understand what is happening in Canada
and around the world.
- Volunteer with community service organizations like a drop-in centre.
- Boycott companies that are racist or sexist.
- Shop at local stores.
- Ask school administrators to make education about respecting differences among
people a priority.

So, by becoming much more aware of this situation, I hope everyone, boys and girls, could
stop discrimination in today’s society. Especially us millennials, we now have the
responsibilities to not only stop discrimination but also completely eradicate every kind of
discrimination, that to this day, is still happening.