Discrimination is a serious social problem and must be eliminated. However, there are still many examples of it in everyday life. Today, discrimination still exists in society. There are many types of discrimination. While many society attempts to conceal discrimination, the reality is that it still exists. To address these issues, Federal lawmakers passed laws like the Civil Rights Act of 1963 and the Equal Pay Act of 1963. Despite all the efforts of lawmakers, discrimination persists in our society today.
The Equal Pay Act of 1963 was a United States labor statute that amended the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. It aimed to abolish wage disparity due to sex. The Equal Pay Act does not address all issues. Women are often fired or denied a fair wage, and are also not compensated for being pregnant. The 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act addresses some of these issues. It guarantees job-protected time off for medical and family reasons. Harassment and street catcalling are prime examples of restrictions on women’s freedom to move about their surroundings. This discriminatory practice is perpetuated by the acceptance of harassment and inaction from authorities and other people. Gender-based discrimination doesn’t just affect women. Men are starting to feel the shame and sting of harassment at work as women break through decades-old glass ceilings. According to Eisenberg & Braum, LLP, the Kansas City Star reported a decade old sexual harassment case against Andrea Ramsey, a local Democratic candidate for Congress. Ramsey was the vice-president for human resources at that time. Ramsey was alleged to have made inappropriate sexual comments about Gary Funkhouser and innuendos towards him. Funkhouser declined these advances and was fired. It is illegal to make a connection between sexual requests and job performance with a male boss. Although laws exist to stop this from happening, it is still common. There are laws that can help stop this from happening, but it still happens. The 1967 Age Descrimination in Employment Act prohibits discrimination in employment against any person under 40 years old. Critics say this leads to a situation in which younger workers have fewer opportunities as no laws prohibit discrimination based on age. To eliminate ageism, you can work to ensure a diverse workforce and avoid stereotyping. Also, be careful what you say (Fuhl). Racism is the most prevalent form of discrimination. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited discrimination based upon race, color and religion. Racism refers to discriminating against someone because they are of a certain race. Racial discrimination may also occur based on one’s own race. This is when someone marries or dates “outside” his/her race. Racial discrimination could be due to factors like upbringing and prejudices from past experiences. Stereotyping is the practice of giving credit to the same traits to everyone in a group regardless of their individual differences. It often relies on false generalizations, incomplete information, misinterpretations and misconceptions. Most stereotypes assume that a person is a certain way. Even well-meaning people can be stereotyped, even if they aren’t biased. According to the Ontario Human Rights Commission, racism is any action taken for safety, security, or public protection and that relies upon stereotypes about race or color, ethnicity or religion in order to discriminate against an individual. Racial profiling is not necessary to involve race. One common tactic is to stop a minor from driving too fast or with too much care. While legislation has made some forms illegal, discrimination can still be committed. Gender and sexual orientation remain big issues in our society today. These discriminatory acts are not covered by any laws. This doesn’t mean it is acceptable. Discrimination against people is wrong and is a social norm. There are several ways to stop this from happening.