Prejudice and Discrimination
PREJUDICE is an attitude.
It means having an opinion which is
not based on fact.
For example, “I think he won’t do this
job well because he is black.”
DISCRIMINATION is an action.
It means treating someone unfairly
because of your prejudice. For
example, “I won’t employ him
because he is black.”
“All old people are moody.”
Women were not allowed to vote in this
country until 1918.
“Drivers who are women are more likely to
cause accidents than men.”
Hitler hated Jews.
In Nazi Germany, Jews were forced to wear
yellow badges.
“People over 75 will not be given any
priority for hospital beds.”
Definitions
Equality – everyone is as important or valuable as everyone else.
Justice – everyone is entitled to the same rights, and deserves the same
treatment.
Community – humans are one big community, so should help each other.
Religious Attitudes to Prejudice
Tolerance - The Universal Declaration of Human Rights issued in 1948 said that all human
beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. Everyone has the right to think what
they want and express their opinions. This is the basis of tolerance. Tolerance is accepting
all people valuing their contribution to life and society. People should be allowed to keep
their own beliefs, practices and ways of life as long as they do not harm others to break
the law.
Justice - All religions teach that people are equal. This means that all people have the
same value and worth and equal human rights to live and work freely, and be happy and
at peace. This does not mean everyone is the same or has equal advantages in life –
they obviously do not. Religious believers think people should be treated with justice, that
is, fairly and according to the law.
Harmony - means living at peace with others. It requires people to act justly and have
tolerance and understanding of others, even when they are different. They believe that
practising kindness, compassion and generosity within their religious communities will help
them to live in harmony with people in the wider community in which they live.
Key Terms
Tolerance: respecting the beliefs and practices of others.
Justice: bringing about what is right, fair, according to the law or making up for
what has been done wrong.
Harmony: living in peace with others.
The value of the individual
Human rights are based on the religious belief that each individual is created by God and
has a special value to him. Each person is unique and made in God’s image. Therefore,
humans should treat each other as equals, regardless of race, colour religion or gender,
and all should have the same rights and opportunities.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms that everyone is entitle to. The
ideas and values in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights can be traced back
through history. The same beliefs and values were present in the world’s ancient
cultures and religions. From early times laws were made to protect people against
abuses of their rights to live freely and try to be happy.
Everyone can be prejudiced at times, even as a one-off. Not everyone will discriminate
against others because of prejudice.
People are prejudiced for many reasons. Here are some examples:
Having a bad experience with someone might make you think that everybody like them
as the same fault. For example, you know someone with red hair who has a very bad
temper so you think all redheads are the same.
If you have always been told bad things by parents about a certain group of people, you
might become prejudiced, without having a change to know any different. Out
upbringing has a big influence on us, so parents’ views have a big effect.
Suppose you see a TV programme or read a newspaper article that is very biased: it
focuses on only one fact or idea, taking it out of context, or making it much more
important than it actually is. You might believe it is true, so you gain a prejudice.
Christianity and prejudice
God created everyone: all are equal, all are God’s children. So it follows that
prejudice and discrimination, which deny that equality, are wrong. Discrimination is
hurtful, which is against Jesus’ message of love, and the idea that Jesus died for
everyone. Christianity has a history of fighting prejudice and discrimination.
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Christianity teaches:
God made from one man every nation on Earth (Genesis), which means we are all
the same and equal.
Jesus helped anyone who needed help; he did not show prejudice and did not
discriminate against anyone.
Treat people as you wish to be treated (Sermon on the Mount). No one wants to be
the victim of prejudice, so no one should behave in a prejudiced way to others.
In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, those who should have been friends did not
help, yet the one person not expected to help did help.
Jesus said people should love one another; prejudice is the opposite of this.
Islam and prejudice
Islam believes that Allah created everyone, and deliberately made people different
to show his power. This means that everyone is equal, and is Allah’s creation.
Justice is a very important concept in Islam. Prejudice and discrimination go against
both these ideals.
Islam teaches:
 The Qur’an says Allah love the fair-minded; being prejudiced goes against this.
 Prophet Muhammad welcomed anyone, regardless of wealth, status or creed, as
long as they behaved in a proper manner.
 The Qur’an says Allah created everyone, and made the different nations as a sign
of his power and intelligence.
 The Muslim Declaration of Rights states that everyone is equal.
 On pilgrimage, everyone is equal. They wear the same clothes and they are
expected to complete the same tasks in the same way.
Colour
Ability or
disabilities
Gender
Differing
lifestyles
Race
PREJUDICE
AND
DISCRIMINATION
Looks
Lifestyle
Religious
views
Age
Wealth
Social Class
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Political views
Other Types of Prejudice
Religious prejudice
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People of all religions have been discriminated against throughout the centuries.
Discrimination based on religion or belief is now against the law.
Since the terrorist attacks in New York (September 11th 2001) and London (July 7th
2005), Muslims have experienced increasing religious prejudice. Yet Islam as a religion
does not accept or support terrorism, and the Muslim community rejects these violent
acts.
However, because some terrorists claim to be acting in the name of Allah, some
people think all Muslims support these crimes.
Jews have suffered religious persecution throughout their history. Roman Catholics
have faced discrimination in jobs and other rights in Northern Ireland and elsewhere.
Ageism
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Ageism (prejudice against someone because of their age, leading to discrimination) is
often based on stereotypes. For example, some people wrongly think that all young
people are rude, irresponsible hooligans and old people are “past it”.
Ageism usually refers to discrimination against older people because employers think
they are incapable of doing certain jobs.
Younger people have better chances of being hired. Employers may think that their
health, energy and productivity may be better than someone nearing retirement.
Some employers now realise that older people have a wealth of experience, just as
young people have potential. Age discrimination is against the law.
Disability discrimination
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Most people would consider it wrong to call a disabled person names. However,
discrimination can occur against people with a disability in the workplace or when
they are denied access to services, sometimes this in unintentional.
Disabled access ramps, lifts, toilets and other facilities have only recently become
normal in public buildings and firms.
People with learning disabilities sometimes experience prejudice because people do
not understand their problems.
Prejudice based on class, lifestyle and looks
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Social class (people’s position in society) was often determined by their family
background, education, job and wealth.
Today, people move between classes or fall into different ones. For example, bright
working-class children may go to university and become middle class.
Many celebrities have great wealth, but may not have had much formal education or
come from upper-class families.
Money is often the biggest influence on a person’s lifestyle: their interests, activities,
opinions, possessions and spending habits. Great attention is paid to a celebrity’s
looks, their clothes, their body and their fashion sense.
People who do not conform to these images can often experience prejudice.
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Lifestyle choices influence health. People who smoke, drink alcohol, eat a poor diet
and do not exercise are much more likely to have health problems.
Ageism – old age
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In Islamic countries it is expected, wherever possible, that the old and infirm should be
cared for at home in the family setting.
Support for the family is important and all Muslims are taught to respect and care for
the older members of their families (D). The Qur’an contains about a dozen passages
that make significant reference to elders
and old age.
Muslim teaching
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Care or retirement homes for the elderly are
virtually unknown in the Muslim world. In Islam
parents have a right to expect to be looked
after by their children.
Sexism
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Sexism is prejudice because of someone’s
gender: We often see examples of it as
prejudice against women. It is about being
unfair.
There are laws against discrimination on the
basis of sex; it is seen as wrong.
However, often cultural attitudes mean people
are sexist. Certain jobs may be considered to
be only for men or only for women, and our
society may question those who want to do
what is traditionally the job of the opposite sex.
it is women who have children and feed them
at first, so it is natural for them to look after the
children while it can be left to the men to
provide for their families at this time. Men and
women are still equal.
D
It is He who has created you
from dust, then a drop of
semen, then the embryo:
Afterwards He brings you forth
as a child; then you attain the
age of manhood, and then
reach old age. But some of you
die before you reach the
appointed term that you may
happily understand. It is He
who gives you life and death.
Surah 40:67-68
Your Lord has commanded
that you worship none but
Him, and be kind to your
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parents. Whether one or both
of them attain old age in your
life, say not to them a word of
contempt, nor repel them, but
address them in terms of
honour and kindness. Treat
Fighting sexism
them with humility, and say,
“My Lord! Have mercy on
 Religions can fight sexism by treating men and
them, for they did care for me
women equally, and by not allowing sexist
when I was little”.
attitudes to pass unchecked.
Surah 17:23-24
 Within the religion, setting an example of equality
is very important in making equality real. Many religious groups have joined in
demonstrations, and campaigned against discrimination against women.
Some ways people show their prejudice
Physically – hitting, pushing.
Mentally – ostracising people, turning other against them, being cruel to them.
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Affecting their life chances – preventing their promotion at work, excluding them from
sports teams.
Sexism throughout the world
 Religious beliefs can be
seen to promote oldfashioned ideas about
inequality.
 Most of the influential and powerful
people in society are men and
major policy decisions tend to
favour them.
 In most societies throughout the
world, women’s opportunities to
develop as individuals are not as
clear-cut as men’s. Men have
better educational prospects,
better pay and consequently
greater freedom and
independence.
 Old attitudes still persist
even in the face of new
laws for equal opportunity.
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A
Clearly some of the roles of the sexes have changed and continue to evolve
Attitudes towards recognising the proper role of women in society are beginning to
change but there is still a long way to go before true equality is achieved.
In recent years there has been a greater awareness of sexist issues. Towards the end of
the 1990s the portrayal of women in advertising began to reverse the usual exploitation
of females either as “sex objects” or in “washing-up” and “cleaning” roles.
We now see advertisements exploiting males rather than females.
Certain workplaces now encourage positive discrimination in favour of women but this
practice has almost inevitably raised protests from males
The barriers, however, often remain in place and sexism can be seen in the ways in
which women are treated and often exploited for the benefit of men
Statistics repeatedly show that women have the lower paid jobs and poorer pensions,
are subjected to sexual harassment and are less likely to attain the top positions in
industry and commerce. With few exceptions, women receive lower wages and fewer
chances of promotion throughout their working lives.
Over half of Britain’s population is female yet this is not reflected in government circles.
Our language is often sexist and our advertising exploits the female form.
Pornography, almost inevitable targets men and is one of the biggest growth industries
in the world.
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Generally the world faiths are accused of accepting the way some societies are run
and the way in which their many values reinforce the belief that men see themselves
as the dominant sex.
The Islamic faith, for example, has often been accused of being a patriarchal society
where men dominate and women are exploited and yet nothing could be further from
the truth.
Contrary to the “stereotypical” image portrayed in the Western media, women have a
very important role to play in Islamic society. The notion that Muslim women are
prisoners in the home without any rights, having to obey their husbands and fathers is
based on ignorance of Islam
Stereotyping and reality
F
►Women are forced to accept arranged marriages and cannot get divorced.
Women cannot be forced into marriage against their will and have the right to choose
their husbands. They also have the right to divorce their husbands if they wish.
►Little attention is given to educating females – It is seen as a waste of time
and money.
To be educated and given the opportunity to study at the highest levels is a right for
women as well as men.
►Muslim women are forced to dress modestly by wearing veiled clothing
(hijab) and are not allowed to mix freely with strangers.
It is true that the Islamic guidance on dress and mixing with strangers is expected to
be observed. The principle of Islamic dress is modesty. By covering their bodies
women cannot be seen as “sex objects”. In this way, they are appreciated because
of their intelligence and personality rather than appearance. Interestingly, similar
sentiments are expressed in the writings of St Paul (1 Timothy 2:9-10) and the other
world religions but Islam is the one singled out for media attention.
►The place of Muslim women is in the home looking after the children.
The traditional role of Muslim women is to care for the home and bring up any
children in the marriage but this does not stop them earning their own money by
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going out to work if they wish.
Discrimination against Women
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Gender is the sex of something. Gender is to state whether something is male or
female
Sexism is gender prejudice. It is treating the members of one sex differently because of
their sex.
Women were not given the same opportunities as it was believed that they could not
work as efficiently as men or that they would leave to raise a family.
Women not have the right to vote, as men thought they would not understand politics.
Equal rights
Under the law of Britain, women are to have equal rights to men. The Equal Pay Act 1975
stated that women were to be paid on an equal basis to men who do the same or
broadly similar jobs. The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 made it illegal to suggest in an
advertisement that a job was only for men and only for women. Women and men must
be given equal opportunities for promotion with the workplace.
The incident of Mary and Martha
(Luke 10:38-42)
As Jesus and his disciples went on their way, he came to a village where a woman
named Martha welcomed him in her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat
down at the feet of the Lord and listened to his teaching. Martha was upset over all
the work she had to do, so she came and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has
left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to come and help me!” The Lord
answered her, “Martha, Martha! You are worried and troubled over so many things,
but just one is needed. Mary has chosen the right thing, and it will not be taken away
from her.”
Christianity
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Despite fairly recent moves in the Church of England, most Christian denominations do
not allow women to hold any positions of power.
Sexism goes back a long way in Christian history.
A woman should learn in quietness
and full submission. I do not permit a
woman to teach or to have authority
over a man; she must be silent. For
Adam was formed first, then Eve.
And Adam was not the one deceived;
it was the woman who was deceived
and became a sinner.
1 Timothy 2:11-14
Every woman should be
overwhelmed with shame at
the thought that she is a
woman.
Clement of Alexandria
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Racism
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Racism is the belief that the colour of a person’s skin, or their race, affects their ability. It is
also the belief that some races are better than others. We use the world “racist” to
describe someone who negatively discriminates against people of other races.
Racist behaviour is illegal in the United Kingdom.
Most people think racism is wrong because why should a person’s skin colour or race
make a difference?
If you are actively racist, you cold pay a heavy price. You could lose your job, get thrown
out of school, or go to prison.
You have seen that all religions believe in the equality of humans, because God created
all people equally because we are all on the same path. For these reasons, we should
treat everyone as equals, but also because that is how we would like to be treated.
Fighting racism
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Think of the ways that people protest – demonstrating, petitioning the government, issuing
leaflets, holding rallies, marching, holding sit-ins, and orchestrating campaigns of civil
disobedience.
Religious people are not different, and use all those same ways. They also work together
to support the victims of discrimination.
As well as all of these methods, religious people pray – pray for strength, pray for help for
those persecuted, and pray for ideas to stop the persecution.
A famous fighter of racism was Martin Luther King, who led the American Civil Rights
Movement to gain equality for black Americans.
Racial Prejudice
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Stereotyping is a fixed mental image about a group. Stereotyping is the belief that all
members of a group conform to the same pattern.
Racial prejudice is a pre-judgement about a particular race – the belief that one group
of people is inferior or superior to others based solely on their colour or race.
Genocide is the mass extermination of a particular race or nation.
One form of prejudice is against a particular race or religion.
Scientifically there is no difference between races.
In the past there have been attempts to define races to show one group as inferior or
superior. The treatment of the Jews by the Nazis is one example.
The Nazi regime made a decision to rid the world of “Jewish blood”. This was a form of
genocide. It is estimated that 6 million Jews were killed as part of this policy. Many Jews
died in the gas chambers in concentration camps such as Belsen and Auschwitz. The
Jews call this event the “Holocaust”.
Ethnic cleansing is a process in which the advancing army of one ethnic group expels
civilians of the other ethnic group from the towns and villages it conquers in order to
create an area free of any other ethnic group other than their own. The Bosnian conflict
was between Christians and Muslims.
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The causes of racial prejudice include:
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Fear that a particular race will take over a country.
Fear that one group’s cultural identity will be lost if another is allowed to integrate into
their society.
Ignorance of the culture of another racial group, leading to misunderstandings.
Racial prejudice is illegal in Britain. The Race Relations Act 1976 makes it illegal to
discriminate on the grounds of colour, race or nationality.
It is illegal to discriminate in the fields of employment, housing, education, and the
provision of goods, facilities and services.
The Commission for Racial Equality was set up under the Race Relations Act to deal with
complaints of discrimination.
What do you think…?
The extract is from the letter of James in the New Testament. What instruction do you think
James was giving to Christians?
You will be doing the right thing if you obey the law of the Kingdom,
which is found in the scripture, “Love your neighbour as you love
yourself.” But if you treat people according to their outward
appearance, you are guilty of sin, and the Law condemns you as a
lawbreaker.
James 2:8-9
Teachings on Racial Prejudice
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A community is a group of people who live together or come together for a special
purpose. The community shares a common humanity or common beliefs and have a
sense of responsibility for each other.
Equality is every human being having the same rights as any other human being.
Justice is to bring about what is right and fair according to the law, or is making up for
what has been done wrong.
A parable is a story. It uses everyday situations to teach people about an idea or a
belief.
Some Christians look to the story of Adam and Eve as evidence that all races are
descended from the same ancestors.
They teach that Christians should live in harmony with others and regard everyone as their
neighbour, regardless of race and colour. There should be equality and justice for
everyone.
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Jesus told a parable involving a good Samaritan to teach that “my neighbour” is everyone.
Jesus had two supposed good men ignoring the needs of an injured man of their own race.
The help comes from the man’s supposed racial enemy.
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
A teacher of the Law came up and tried to trap Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what
must I do to receive eternal life?”
Jesus answered him, “What do the Scriptures say? How do you interpret them?”
The man answered, “Love the Lord your God with all you heart, with all your soul,
with all your strength, and with all your mind”; and “Love your neighbour as you love
yourself.”
“You are right,” Jesus replied; “do this and you will live.”
But the teacher of the Law wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “Who is my
neighbour?”
Jesus answered, “There was once a man who was going down from Jerusalem to
Jericho when robbers attacked him, stripped him, and beat hum up, leaving him half
dead. It so happened that a priest was going down that road; but when he saw the
man, he walked on by, on the other side. In the same way a Levite also came
along, went over and looked at the man, and then walked on by, on the other side.
But a Samaritan who was travelling that way came upon the man, and when he saw
him, his heart was filled with pity. He went over to him, poured oil and wine on his
wounds and bandaged them; then he put the man on his own animal and took him
to an inn, where he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. “Take
care of him,” he told the innkeeper, “and when I come back this way, I will pay you
whatever else you spend on him.”
And Jesus concluded, “In your opinion, which one of these three acted like a
neighbour towards the man attacked by the robbers?”
(Luke 10:25-36)
Combating racial prejudice
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As a result of biblical teaching, many Christian traditions actively fight racial prejudice.
The Church of England agrees with the Catholic Church that racism is against Christian
teaching. The Church teaches that it is part of their role to fight racism and works to
strengthen relationships between the different faith communities within cities.
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Response to prejudices
Society and the law
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The United Kingdom government is a secular government, but religious people would
support any laws that promote and secure principles and beliefs that are shared with
religions. In Muslim countries Shar’ah law is based on religious principles.
Britain has passed a number of laws against discrimination:
Sex Discrimination Act 1975
Race Relations Act 1976
Disability Discrimination act 1985
Equality Act 2006 (against religious discrimination and ageism)
These laws mean that all people should have equal changes to get a good education or
healthcare, go to a restaurant or the cinema, buy things and do whatever they want
within the law.
If someone thinks they are being discriminated against they can take the person to court.
Prejudice is harder to stop than discrimination, because you cannot arrest people for their
attitudes, only for their actions.
Individuals - Case Study – Anthony Walker
Sixth former Anthony Walker was killed with an ice axe in Merseyside in 2005. His
killers, Paul Taylor, 20 and Michael Barton, 17, had killed him simply for being black,
even though Taylor had been to primary school with him. Anthony’s mother, Gee, said
she felt no hate for her son’s killers, only pity for their families. As a Christian, she had
brought her children up to stand for peace, love and forgiveness. The pain at losing a
child has no comparison, but Gee believed that she would be dishonouring her son’s
memory if she did not forgive his killers. She says that parents and teachers must
instil respect, tolerance and kindness in young people. They should only be ashamed
of themselves if they do nothing to promote unity. Her family has set up a charity in
Anthony’s name to fit racism
Groups - Case Study – The Corrymeela Community
The Corrymeela Community was founded by Catholics and Protestants in Northern
Ireland during a time when violence between them was tearing their country apart. It is
a Christian community that promotes peace, tolerance and respect by providing a
place where people from different religions can meet and talk freely. Every year, more
than 8,000 people explore ways of moving away from violence and finding more
constructive ways of working together. The success of Corrymeela has affected even
those politicians who had not been able to agree. The politicians accepted
Corrymeela’s guiding principle that building relationships of trust is the only way real
peace and reconciliation can come about. Since the Good Friday Agreement, the
community continues its work of breaking down religious barriers
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Islam
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Equality is a key principle running through Islam beginning with the account of the
creation of humankind.
Under no circumstances can an individual be badly treated simply because he or she
comes from a different race.
It is clear from some of the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad and verses in the
Qur’an that racism, whether open or hidden, is regarded as an evil aspect of life.
The multiracial aspect of Islam is best seen in the Hajj – the annual pilgrimage to
Makkah. Here Muslims of all races gather together with one purpose in mind – to
worship Allah, Muslims from all races belong to the “family of Islam”.
Mahatma Gandhi (1869 – 1948)
Born in India Mahatma Gandhi, a Hindu, spent much of his early life in South Africa. He
was outraged by the injustices of the system that he found there. This was in the time well
before apartheid was officially introduced. When Gandhi returned home to India it was
to a country occupied and governed by the British.
Gandhi taught the people that they should be free to govern themselves since that was a
basic human right. At the same time it would be immoral and impractical to attempt to
remove the British by force. Instead, he developed a very effective policy of noncooperation and non-violence protest. He organised large unarmed protest marches as
well as going on a hunger strike himself. The British Army had no answer to this policy. In
1947 the British left India, which soon became an independent country. Only a year later,
however, Gandhi was assassinated.
Martin Luther King (1929 – 1968)
Martin Luther King was a black American who grew up in a country, in the 1930s, where
black people were treated very much as second-class citizens. Many lived in dreadful
conditions and were exploited by their white employers. They were also discriminated
against in the areas of public transport, employment and shopping.
In the 1950s and 1960s black people began to find their voice and protest against such
injustices. There were riots in several cities which had large black populations. Things
were in grave danger of getting out of hand when the Reverend Martin Luther King
began to teach his fellow blacks that there was another way. He organised:
“Bus boycotts”. Black people refused to use public buses unless they were desegregated
(black and white people allowed to sit side by side). In 1956, a law was passed making
racial segregation on America’s buses illegal;
Boycotts of cafes, restaurants and schools which followed policies of segregation
(separate seats and areas for blacks and whites).
“Freedom marches” across America. In 1960 he led one such march on Washington
where 250,000 demonstrators demanded that black people be given the right to vote.
On these marches black and white people marched together.
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In April, 1968 Martin Luther King was shot dead by a white man while he was in a hotel in
Memphis, Tennessee. He was just 39 years old.
Desmond Tutu
Desmond Tutu was born in Klerksdorp, South Africa in 1931. He became an Anglican
priest in 1960 at a time when the apartheid system denied many black and “coloured”
people their rights.
Apartheid
Apartheid means “separateness”. It was a South African policy that kept black and white
people apart. Black people were not allowed to vote, even though they were in the
majority. They did not have equal access to jobs, housing, education or other public
services. White people were not allowed to marry non-white people. They thought the
racist apartheid laws were God’s will. Other Christians disagreed and accused them of
misusing the Bible just to keep white people in power.
Anti-apartheid campaigns
Desmond Tutu became the first black general secretary of the South African Council of
churches in 1978. He used his position to campaign for equal civil rights for all and a
common system of education for all children. He worked to get rid of South Africa’s unfair
“pass laws”, which limited employment prospects and travel for black people. People
were separated based on race and forced to live in certain areas call “homelands”.
These were poorer, rural areas where there was not much work. Many black people were
arrested if caught outside the homelands without their pass.
Non-violent protest
Desmond Tutu supported non-violent protests, like Martin Luther King and Mahatma
Gandhi. In the black township of Soweto young people had protested a ruling that said
they had to do half their lessons in Afrikaans (the language of the racist government). The
police opened fire on them and around 600 young people were killed. Desmond Tutu led
a peaceful march through Soweto to protest the actions of the police. He saved the life
of a black policeman by throwing himself over him when a crowd tried to stone the man
to death. He organised petitions and called for other countries to support economic
sanctions (penalties) against South Africa. In this way, pressure was put on the South
African government to change the apartheid laws. He was an outspoken critic of the
racist laws in his preaching and writing. He was awarded the Nobel Peace prize in 1984
for his leadership and for “the courage and heroism shown by black South Africans in their
use of peaceful methods in the struggle against apartheid”.
After apartheid
In 1996 Tutu became the first black Archbishop of Cape Town, the leader of the Anglican
Church in South Africa. When South Africa became a multicultural republic in 1994,
Archbishop Tutu led the Truth and reconciliation Commission. This looked into human
rights abuses during apartheid and protected people from being taken to court if they
were willing to confess the wrongs they had done. As a Christian, Tutu believed in the
importance of admitting wrongdoing and asking for forgiveness from god and from
others. His report strongly criticised both sides, each of whom had committed violent
crimes. He spoke about the new South Africa as the “rainbow people of God”.
Archbishop Tutu believes that being a Christian involves working for justice and equality.
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KEY WORDS
Ageism
Colour
Discrimination
Equality
Gender
Marginalisation
Positive
discrimination
Prejudice
Race
Racism
Religious prejudice
Scapegoating
Sexism
Society
Stereotyping
Tolerance
Prejudice against someone because of their age leading to
discrimination.
Relating to the colour of a person’s skin/ethnicity. Often used as a
reason for unfairly judging others and making uniformed opinions
about them.
To act against someone on the basis of sex race religion etc.
Discrimination is usually seen as wrong.
That people should be given the same rights and opportunities
regardless of sex, religion, race etc.
Another word for a person’s sex ie male female.
The social process of becoming or being isolated and left out.
Treating people more favourably because they have been
discriminated against in the past.
Unfairly judging someone before the facts are known. Holding
biased opinions about an individual or group.
A group of people with the same ethnic background.
Showing prejudice against someone because of their ethnic group
or nationality.
Prejudice based on religion or beliefs.
Blaming certain groups for problems in society.
Prejudice and discrimination based on a person’s gender (usually
a woman).
A grouping of people in a country.
Having an over-simplified mental image of people and applying it
to everyone in a group.
Respecting the beliefs and practices of others.
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