Charles B. Rangel had once said, “The promise of the American Dream requires that we are all provided an equal opportunity to participate in and contribute to our nation.” America has made great strides towards achieving the promise of equal opportunity the country was founded on. With the immense historical achievements of abolishing slavery, and eventually granting women and African Americans the same basic rights as their white male counterparts, discrimination appears to no longer present itself as an issue. However, those who claim racial and gender discrimination are no longer a problem in the United States are sadly mistaken. America has come closer to becoming a land of equal opportunity for all, but racism and sexism still cause an
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People of color have more difficulty being socially mobile than whites, women have more difficulty being socially mobile than men, and women of color have the most difficulty being socially mobile. Women make 79 percent of what men make, but the gender wage gap does not end there. African American women make just 63 percent of what white men make. Hispanic or Latina women make just 54 percent of what while men make (The Simple Truth). The shocking pay gaps between women of color and white males prove that racial and gender discrimination are two factors that work together against women of color. One factor that causes this distinct inequality is that “wealth-building government policies, social insurance, and tax codes are generally structured around the “norm” of the white married couple, in which the husband is the primary wage earner and the wife takes care of the home and children. Women of color are least likely to benefit from policies based on this model” (Lifting as We Climb). Even though we are an extremely diverse nation, white families are still considered the norm in America. Because the country centers itself on white families and the white male head of the family, more difficulty is placed on individuals that fall outside this
People of color have more difficulty being socially mobile than whites, women have more difficulty being socially mobile than men, and women of color have the most difficulty being socially mobile. Women make 79 percent of what men make, but the gender wage gap does not end there. African American women make just 63 percent of what white men make. Hispanic or Latina women make just 54 percent of what while men make (The Simple Truth). The shocking pay gaps between women of color and white males prove that racial and gender discrimination are two factors that work together against women of color. One factor that causes this distinct inequality is that “wealth-building government policies, social insurance, and tax codes are generally structured around the “norm” of the white married couple, in which the husband is the primary wage earner and the wife takes care of the home and children. Women of color are least likely to benefit from policies based on this model” (Lifting as We Climb). Even though we are an extremely diverse nation, white families are still considered the norm in America. Because the country centers itself on white families and the white male head of the family, more difficulty is placed on individuals that fall outside this