1. OVERCOMING EXCLUSION
CHAPTER 17

2. Social Disadvantages
Not limited to groups defined by race, ethnicity, gender, or religion
Age
Disabilities
Gays and Lesbians
Melting Pot
Suggests that US had mission to destroy artificial divisions and create a single humankind
Unrealistic because dominant group unwilling to welcome racial and ethnic minorities

3. Salad Bowl Kaleidoscope
Used to describe a country that is ethnically diverse
Also not realistic because image is static and not indicative of the dynamic changed seen in US
Fails to conjure the myriad cultures that make up the mosaic of the nation
Kaleidoscope
Familiar and more useful analogy
Phrase “people of color” fits with idea of US as a kaleidoscope
Changes hard to describe because they change dramatically with little effort

4. The Aged: A Social Minority
Significant segment of population
Have successfully organized into a collective force that wields significant political clout on certain social issues
Unlike other social groups subjected to differential treatment, category will include most of us someday
“them” will eventually give way to “us”

5. Elderly share characteristics of subordinate or minority group
Experience unequal treatment in employment and may face prejudice and discrimination
Share physical characteristics that distinguishes them from younger people and cultural preferences and leisure-time activities often differ
Membership is involuntary
Strong sense of group solidarity
Senior citizen’s centers, retirement communities, advocacy organizations
Generally marry others of comparable age

6. One crucial difference
All of us will eventually assume the ascribed status of being an older person
Who Are the Elderly?
More likely to be:
Female, White, Living in certain states
Higher death rate in men than women at every age
Women outnumber men by ratio of 3 to 2
Difference grows with advancing age
Among oldest group, women outnumber men 5 to 2
83% are White non-Hispanic
Higher death rate of racial and ethnic minorities

7. Ageism Refers to prejudice and discrimination against the elderly
Reflects deep uneasiness among young and middle-age about growing old
Gerontologist Bernice Neugarten (1996)
Negative stereotypes of old age are entrenched in a society that prides itself on youth and the future
Stereotyping - elderly are often stereotyped
Tend to see elderly only in situations that reinforce the image
Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) (1968)
Protect workers 40 and older from being fired

8. Advocacy Efforts by the Elderly
Degree of conflict emerging along generational lines
Involves neither conflict nor subjugation
Feeling prevails that jobs and benefits for elderly are at expense of younger workers
The Economic Picture
Variation in the economic well-being of the elderly
Gender, Race/Ethnicity, Social class
Poverty rate has declined among the elderly
Advocacy Efforts by the Elderly
Gray Panthers
organization to fight against ageism and the rights of the elderly

9. American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)
Older Women’s League
Focuses on health insurance, Social Security and pension reform
American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)
Founded in 1958
Largest organization representing nation’s elderly
lobby and works on a number of issues of interest for the elderly
Represents one of every four registered voters in US
Began Minority Affairs Initiative to recruit racial and ethnic minorities
Margaret Dixon
AARP’s first African American president (1996)

10. People With Disabilities: Moving On
Term disabilities suggest lack of ability and assumption is people with disabilities are less capable
Society limits life chances of people with disabilities in ways that are unnecessary and unrelated to any physical infirmity
Disability in Contemporary Society
Census Bureau estimates 51.2 million people with disabilities in 2002
Disability
A reduced ability to perform tasks one would normally do at a given stage in life

11. 2/3 working-age with disability are unemployed
Racial and ethnic minorities disproportionately likely to have disabilities and have less access to assistance
2/3 working-age with disability are unemployed
The number of disabled will increase
Advances in medicine
Aging and disabilities
Most with disabilities believe they would be able to work if offered the opportunity of if reasonable accommodation could be made to address the disability

12. Labeling the Disabled Sociologist Erving Goffman (1963)
Society attaches a stigma to many forms of disability and this leads to prejudicial treatment
Disability becomes the primary factor in how other’s define the disabled
Disability is only one aspect and social role of the disabled
The media contributes to popular negative images of people with disabilities
Discrimination- society is not organized around those with disabilities
Architectural barriers
Educational barriers
Employment barriers

13. Advocacy for Disability Rights
Ed Roberts (1960’s)
Along with others, started the Berkeley Center for Independent Living
National Federation for the Blind
New York City’s Disabled in Action
Large number of disabled veterans joined efforts, which gave a boost and legitimacy to efforts
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1992 (ADA)
Civil Rights view of disabilities
Humanize the way society treats the disabled
Visitability
Refers to making private homes built to be accessible for visitors with disabilities

14. Gays and Lesbians: Coming Out for Equality
Typically in US, sexual orientation constructed as either homosexual or heterosexual and ignores bisexuals
Bisexuals
Individuals sexually attracted to both sexes
Transgendered Persons
Refers to people whose gender identity does not match their physical identity at birth
Transexuals
People who see themselves as the sex opposite of their birth identity and may have surgery to be closer to identity

15. Being Gay and Lesbian in the USA
Transvestites
Refers to cross-dressers who wear clothing of the opposite sex
Being Gay and Lesbian in the USA
Alfred Kinsey (1948, 1953)
Almost half of all men had had same-sex fantasies
About 1/3rd had experienced homosexual encounter after childhood
Launched public debate about number of homosexuals in US
General focus was to explore ways to prevent and control homosexuality as a disease
Discrimination against gays and lesbians was common and legal

16. Prejudice and Discrimination
Homophobia
The fear of and prejudice toward homosexuality
Present in every facet of life
Considered a more respectable form of bigotry than against any other oppressed groups
Stigmatization seen as a major factor in slow initial response to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome)
AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT-UP)
Most outspoken AIDS activist group
National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (2004)
Documented more than 2,000 bias motivated incidents

17. Advocacy for Gay and Lesbian Rights
First homosexual organization in US founded in Chicago in 1924
Contemporary gay and lesbian movement started in New York in 1969
Police and Gay confrontation in a New York bar
Led to rioting
Formation of groups to fight discrimination
Gay liberation groups on college campuses and communities
President Bill Clinton (1993)
Military policy of “don’t ask, don’t tell”

18. Defense of Marriage Act (1996)
Denies federal recognition of same-sex marriages
Vermont (1999) recognition through civil unions
Massachusetts (2002) gay couples can legally marry
Some argue promoting gay marriage is trying to assimilate or become like the oppressor
Critics argue that equal treatment is real issue and should not be result of conforming to ways of heterosexual dominant society
Discussion repeats a pattern found in every subordinate group of how to maintain one’s unique identity and become part of a multicultural society

19. The Glass is Half Empty If thirsty or in need, glass is half empty
If clearing dirty dishes, glass is half full
For many, especially Whites, progress makes it difficult to understand need for more programs and new reforms and impossible to understand when minority neighborhoods erupt in violence
To Latinos and African Americans
Reference group is today’s Whites, so glass is half empty

20. Largest minority groups, Latinos and African Americans have higher
Household income
Complete more schooling
Enjoy longer life expectancy
White Americans have also made similar strides
Therefore, the GAP remains
Has increased in some instances
Blacks and Latinos just edged out the income level Whites exceeded in 1975
Puts them 3 decades behind

21. In 1981, 3.9% of all doctorates awarded to African Americans
2005
1 in 9 Whites without health insurance compared to 1 of 5 African Americans and 1 of 3 Latinos
In 1981, 3.9% of all doctorates awarded to African Americans
Proportion increased only to 5.4% in 2002
US continues to rely on overseas students to fill places on the educational ladder
Nonresident Aliens
Immigrants who gained entry for schooling with not other ties to US
Received doctorates three times that of Blacks, Asian Americans, Latinos, and American Indians

22. Many people still committed to oppression
Struggle for justice among racial and ethnic groups has not completely met its goals
Many people still committed to oppression
View it as a benign neglect of those less privileged
Bringing about social equality entails significant changes in existing institutions
President John F. Kennedy (1963)
“If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity” (Cleveland 1995:23)

23. QUESTIONS

24. What contributes to the changing image of diversity in the United States?

25. In what ways are the aged, people with disabilities, and gays and lesbians stereotyped?

26. What are common and differing aspects of the effort to mobilize the elderly, people with disabilities, and gay men and lesbians to achieve equality?

27. What has been the role of the federal government in the effort to achieve equality by the aged, people with disabilities, and the gay and lesbian community?

28. What does it mean to overcome “exclusion”?

29. Sociologists use the term master status to describe a status that dominates others and thereby determines a person’s general position in society. To what degree can that term be applied t the aged, people with disabilities, and members of the gay and lesbian community?

30. How do policy makers trying to bring about change use the model of “half full” and “half empty” either to argue for change on behalf of minorities or to use the same concept to maintain that the status quo is adequate for addressing issues of social inequality?