Discrimination Presented by: Title Slide

My Social Categories Female White The social categories that I identify with includes my gender and my racial background. I’m a white. I’m female. At first, I was a little at a loss for words for what I could contribute about cultural discrimination, but I realized that there is a lot of information that I could provide for this project.

How Whites Have Experienced Discrimination Throughout History The picture above is a creative commons image showing immigrants arriving at Ellis Isle in 1904 as they go through an inspection to be allowed into the United States. It can be easy to dismiss the fact that, at one time, racial backgrounds that would fall under the check box of “white” today were at one time discriminated against in a country where it seems that individuals of the current majority race are the ones that do not have to experience discrimination. Some of the different groups that faced discrimination when they first emigrated to the country include the Irish, Italians and Germans.

How Whites Have Experienced Discrimination Throughout History Continued The above creative commons images depicting a British poster from World War I where anti-German sentiment was high that states “Once a German – Always a German”, an actual employment advertisement from the New York Times that stated “No Irish need apply”, and a picture depicting the lynching of Italians after the New Orleans police chief was killed in 1891. It seems that every new group that decides to try for the American Dream by bringing their family, culture and background to the country goes through an initial stage where the current residents fear the newcomers and do what they can to make them feel uncomfortable over worry about having to share the resources, such as employment and land.

How Whites Have Experienced Discrimination Throughout History Continued The American Dream is a very enticing concept that brings worldwide attention where individuals that are dealing with hardships in their home countries decide to try to gain the American Dream for their own families. Many of those individuals that emigrated to the United States in the past when Ellis Isle was the way station for entry into the country were looking for the same things that individuals today are looking for when they come to the United States. They had come here for a better life. They faced the same types of discrimination and stereotypes that is seen today.

My Relationship with My Cultural Background At first, I believed that my relationship with my cultural background began and ended with checking the “white” box under race, but I’ve realized that there is more to it than that. All of the traditions that my family has celebrated over the years plays a big role in my cultural background. Of course, over time some of the traditions that my ancestors had originally held when they first came to this country have been changed and made more modernized. It can be said that they have become more “American” since my ancestors came here, but the beliefs that they held are still present when I attend church or celebrate with my family.

My Relationship with My Gender As a woman, I enjoy a great relationship with my female relatives and female friends. I think that it can be good for a person to have a chance to be around those that have similar interests, and the generally enjoy being together. Not that I do not get along well with men, but it can be nice to have some girl time away for things that I enjoy and the men in my life might not necessary want to do with me.

Enduring Discrimination Gender Discrimination I believe that gender discrimination against women is something that is faced in the workplace. There have been times in my life where I felt as though I was being discriminated against because of my gender. There were times in school where I felt like because I am a girl I was not allowed to do well in math, science or physical education. I know that once I finish my education there is a chance that I might be discriminated against when it comes to being hired, promoted and the amount of salary that I receive.