In the history of the United States, there has been one dominant group of people. White males have been oppressing other groups since the country’s beginning. Not until 1865 was slavery abolished, and millions of black slaves had been allowed to live a life of their own. In 1920 women were granted suffrage, allowing them to vote almost a century and a half after the country was founded. But today, women and minorities are still oppressed, and most of government is made up of white males. The St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank lists unemployment statistic by race. Currently the unemployment rate for black Americans is just under 9%, and for white Americans it is around 4.5%. For Hispanic Americans, the unemployment rate is 6.5%. Although the United States is among the most diverse nations in the world, there are still issues when it comes to discrimination. When it comes to race, sexual orientation, and gender identity, the United States seems to have a very conservative history. In fact, not until 2015 was it legal for gay couples to marry nationwide. Still, to present day, most states don’t allow people to use the bathroom that corresponds to their gender identity. CNN reports that 70% of gender non-conforming Americans have been denied access to the bathrooms, assaulted, or harassed. Gender Identity will most likely be among the prevalent civil rights cases of the near future. The United States has a long history of discrimination against those who are not white/ Caucasian, heterosexual, and male. Blacks which make up 12.6% of the population were freed from slavery only 150 years ago. Women, who make up 51% of the population were granted the right to vote only 100 years ago. Japanese-Americans were enslaved in internment camps only 75 years ago during World War II. Approximately 9 million gay Americans were granted their right to marriage only 2 years ago. Finally, millions of Americans that struggle with self-identity, and gender identity are not allowed to use the bathroom in which they feel they identify with and they are comfortable using. There is no longer complete domination of the white male in America, but there are still issues regarding discrimination. Younger generations are leading the way
Throughout history, women have been regarded as of lesser value than men particularly in the public sphere. This is the result of gender stratification. Gender stratification refers to the issue of sexism, “or the belief that one sex is superior to the other” (Carl et al., 2012, p. 78). The theory that men are superior to women is essential to sexism. Sexism has always had negative consequences for women. It has caused some women to avoid pursuing successful careers typically described as “masculine”—perhaps to avoid the social impression that they are less desirable as spouses or mothers, or even less “feminine.”
Americans are still divided on transgender rights and identity. In a new study from Pew Research Center, 46% of respondents said transgender said transgender people should be required presumably by law, to “use the public restroom of the gender they were born with”, 51% of those surveyed said the opposite- that transgender people should be able to use the bathroom, of their choice. Forcing people to use the bathroom that they were born with can be humiliating, and that’s why we need to come together and have gender neutral bathrooms.
In America’s history, each race has been portrayed as inferior or inferior, because of one’s skin color, or the beliefs of a culture. Oppression In early America varied in some ethnicities. Some races didn’t even have any civil liberties at all, they were not allowed to vote, not even allowed to become professionals. This was to keep everyone that was not of the superior race below them. Even though they are classified as U.S citizens. In most areas, the ruling race is the upper white class that runs the system, and have a disproportionate amount of power. In other areas, it may not be the white race, but it is still the race that makes up the majority. The majority, who makes the laws, and/or has money, are keys to dominate over the weaker minorities that don’t have the
Recently, the issue of allowing transgender people access to public facilities according to the gender they identify with has caused much debate throughout the United States. The bathroom bill seeks to control access to public facilities of transgender individuals, based on the gender they were assigned at birth. In 2015, bills were passed stating entering a bathroom not assigned to a person at birth was a crime. Surrounded by misconception, the bill does “not legalize harassment, stalking, violence, or sexual assault.” Since the bill arose, there have not been a rise in violence or other incidents in the states protecting the transgender rights (Transgender Equality). The bill simply states if one is living as a woman, to use the women’s restroom,
Many white Americans are living with the fear that they didn't really deserve their success, and that maybe luck and privilege had more to do with it, than brains and hard work. There are numerous reasons for the widespread discrimination at all levels, but the main reason for the existence of discrimination is a privilege to certain groups of people, and widespread social prejudice towards certain groups of people. Differences between people have always existed, but they gain in importance only when are different importance given to certain differences, so it creates privileges. People who are privileged in one society are often not aware of their privilege. It is very easy to be oblivious to the privilege. The problem of discrimination
The reality is that historic, legal efforts long restricted the economic lives of minorities. Restricted the kind of work they could do. Restricted their membership in unions. Restricted their access to education and training. Restricted their opportunity in the private sector world of product sales and client services. Restrictions which most white Americans, if they are even aware of them, do not seem to understand the extent of, the persistence of, or the long-standing consequences of -- at all. And, of course, the economic
Improved independence (economic, technological, and social) leads to more gender role dynamics. However, this can be shown as the root and not purely the correlation because in absence of these freedoms, gender roles are more unyielding. This is true in the United States, which already ranks #21 on the Legatum Institute’s and ranks #49 on the World Press Freedom Index ; this is true for higher ranking countries, and you can infer that this will become true for other countries as they increase with their personal freedoms.
In the early years of the United States, dominant-minority relations were shaped by the agrarian technology and the economic need to control land and labor. The agrarian era ended in the 1800s, and the U.S. has gone through two major transformations in subsistence technology since, each of which has transformed dominant-minority relations and required the creation of new structures and processes to maintain racial stratification and white privilege (Healey, p. 131). The early 1800s to the mid-1900s was the industrial revolution, where machines replaced animal and human labor. Today’s society is known as the postindustrial or deindustrialized society which
There is a long history of social groups being repressed within the United States of America. With an ever-changing culture and a strong force against certain changes, certain ethnic and social groups appear to be neglected by the lawmakers of America. One of the more recent occurrences of this has been the LBGT community. Up until 2014, marriage was not even legal between a same-sex couple. After gay marriage was ruled legal, a landslide of other reforms were brought to attention. One of the more controversial topics being discussed today is the rights of the LBGT community in accordance to public bathrooms. They argue that anyone should be able to use whichever bathroom that matches with their identified gender. The definition of gender and the rights that accompany them is constantly being updated and adjusted. Because of this sudden movement, social issues are sparking outrage and debate on whether this argument should be implemented into society. This issue has dominated the media and has caused chaos on both sides of the spectrum. Members of the LBGT community should not be able to use whatever bathroom they please.
Gender equality is a pressing issue in the United States. The definition of gender, and the rights that accompany them, is constantly being updated and adjusted. The LBGT community is fighting for equality after being repressed for many years. Because of this sudden movement, social issues are sparking outrage and debate on whether a certain law or right for LBGT people is to be initiated. In many instances, these issues dominate the media, and cause for chaos on both sides of the spectrum. The bathroom controversy exemplifies this. The LBGT community argues that anyone should be able to use whichever bathroom that matches with their identified gender. Members of the LBGT community should not be able to use whatever bathroom they please.
The United States is an example for diversity and tolerance in the world. There are laws, policies and protection for a person’s rights. However, even with this in place many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) are still discriminated against. LGBT Today faces discrimination with housing, jobs, relationships, insurance, medical care, adopting, religion and social prejudice. The rights of homosexual persons are not equal to a person who is heterosexual. A person who is homosexual are told that they cannot have the same as others because of their sexual orientation Many times we like to think of the United states of American as a place that has move in to a higher level of progression, unfortunately this is not the case as we
In the past few years alone, the world as a whole has become remarkably aware of the transgender community. With this have come historic advances in civil rights for transgender people; however, discrimination continues to be a significant problem. In the United States, one public issue that has surfaced is public bathroom use; many individuals are opposed to transgender people’s using the gendered bathrooms of their choice simply because the genders assigned to them at birth are different from their gender identities.
Transgender equality has been a struggle in our society for decades. The “lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender” or “LGBT” community has created more than twenty laws to ensure that they are protected and treated equally within their chosen state. Unfortunately, until recently, most states had not passed the laws, leaving the LGBT community unable to get married, be identified as who they self-identify with rather than the gender they were born as, or even use the public restroom of the gender they self-identify with. Now, in 2017, the United States has become more accepting of the transgender population, has passed more laws, and bills that protect the transgender community.
One reason why LGBT Americans are mostly treated unfairly is because currently, LGBT Americans only have a handful of rights. One of the biggest milestones was when on June 26th, 2015, LGBTQ+ marriage was legalized at a federal level in all 50 of the United States. And the LGBT community is popping up more and more in the media. This article states "The struggle of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered) people for equal rights has moved to center stage. LGBT people are battling for their civil rights in Congress, in courtrooms and in the streets. Well-known figures are discussing their sexual orientation in public. Gay and lesbian people are featured in movies and on television - not as novelty characters, but as full participants in society." (“The Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered People”). In some states, discrimination of LGBT people is illegal. LGBTQ+ people's lives are improving, and the amount of laws protecting them is growing. Slowly but surely, full protection is drawing nearer.
The dominant groups can play a role in marginalizing other groups based on racial and characteristics involving privilege tends to open doors of opportunity, but oppression tends to slam them shut. The dominant groups has played a role of marginalization to other groups based on racial characters that involve oppression and have emphasized pervasive nature of social inequality woven throughout social institutions. The dominant groups reap advantage and benefit from access to social power and privilege, not equally available to people of color. They receive more money and accumulate more assets than other racial groups, hold the majority of positions of power and influence, and command the controlling institutions in society. The dominant groups restrict the life expectancy, infant mortality, income, housing, employment, and educational opportunities of people of color for economic, social or political power (Adams et al., 2013).