1. Discrimination
CLU3M

2. What is Discrimination?
Discrimination occurs when someone acts on a stereotype or prejudice.
Discrimination, therefore, leads to unfair treatment and imposes a penalty upon people for invalid reasons preventing them from having an equal opportunity to be a part of society.

3. Stereotypes Means “set image”.
Involve generalizations about the "typical" characteristics of members of a group
Labels that people apply to members of certain groups, regardless of their individuality
Organize and simplify our complex world→ therefore, can be functional
Usually based on incomplete information
Can be positive, but usually negative
Applied to many factors such as class, gender, race, age, and ethnicity

4. Examples of Stereotypes
All women are dangerous drivers
All Asian people are superior at Math
All people living at Jane and Finch are gang members

5. Prejudice
A preconceived opinion, belief, or attitude about a group of people that is applied to an individual
Literally means “prejudgment”
Pre-judging another individual based on the fact that he or she belongs to a group
Prejudice opinions are based on ignorance, not fact
Can be positive, but are usually negative

6. Stereotypes lead to prejudice
All women are dangerous drivers
Jessica can’t drive because she is female
All Asian people are superior at Math
Lee is going to ace his Math test because he is Asian
All people living at Jane and Finch are gang members
Mrs. Jefferson is part of a gang because she grew up at Jane and Finch

7. Discrimination and the Law
Discrimination is illegal, unlike prejudice and stereotyping, because it violates the human rights of individuals
There are two types of discrimination in law:
Intentional discrimination (a.k.a. differential treatment)
Occurs when a person or organization knowingly commits a discriminatory act (on purpose)
i.e. A company fires an employee once they discovered he was gay.
example of unintentional discrimination is older buildings that were built without a ramp for people who use wheelchairs.
Another example might be an employer administering the same, long-standing standardized test to a new immigrant to Canada, particularly if the test has a cultural bias that does not reflect essential skills needed to perform the job.
In the above examples, the service provider or employer did not necessarily intend to discriminate. Yet, according to the law, discrimination has taken place because of the effect on the protected groups. In these examples, the individuals were faced with an unfair disadvantage due to the protected characteristics of physical disability and ethnic or national origin.

8. Discrimination and the Law
Unintentional discrimination (a.k.a. disproportionate impact)
Occurs when people or organizations treat others unfairly but are not aware that their actions are discriminatory
i.e. - older buildings that were built without a ramp for people who use wheelchairs.
i.e. - a fire department requiring applicants to carry a 100 lb (50 kg) pack up three flights of stairs. The upper-body strength required typically has an adverse impact on women. The fire department would have to show that this requirement is job-related for the position. This typically requires employers to conduct validation studies that address both the Uniform Guidelines and professional standards.
In the above examples, the service provider or employer did not necessarily intend to discriminate. Yet, according to the law, discrimination has taken place because of the effect on the protected groups. In these examples, the individuals were faced with an unfair disadvantage due to the protected characteristics of physical disability and ethnic or national origin.

9. Prejudice can lead to Discrimination
STEREOTYPE→→→
PREJUDICE→→→
DISCRIMINATION
All women are dangerous drivers
Jessica can’t drive because she is female
Jessica is not hired as a limo driver because she is female
All Asian people are superior at Math
Lee is going to ace his test because he is Asian
Lee is given a harder test by his teacher because he is Asian
All people living at Jane and Finch are gang members
Mrs. Jefferson is part of a gang because she grew up at Jane and Finch
Mrs. Jefferson is not hired as a teacher because she lives at Jane and Finch

10. Activity – Discrimination Skit
In your groups, develop a skit that clearly shows how a stereotype could lead to a prejudice and finally result in a discriminatory action.
Each group will depict a discriminatory action based on the random distribution of the following topics:
Class
Physical Appearance
Gender
Disability
Age
Work
Ethnicity
Race
Where you live