Three Layers Of Discrimination In America

The Problem: Discrimination Discrimination has never been more at the forefront of problems in our country. For some however, they believe that discrimination doesn’t exist. The American dream is achievable for all and for those who never achieve it, only have themselves to blame. Others feel that we create discrimination by talking about it and if we just ignored it, it would go away. What if the very things we hold dear about America are in fact unattainable due to individual, organizational and systemic barriers intent on ensuring certain people will always remain unequal and rob them of the very thing America stands for freedom, liberty and justice for all?
Three Layers of Discrimination To resolve a problem we must first define it, understand the problem, and then act on it. “Systems of oppression are incorporated almost seamlessly into daily life” (Rothenberg, 99). “Racism, sexism, heterosexism, and class privilege are systems of advantage that provide those with the right race, sex, sexual orientation, and class with opportunities and rewards that are unavailable to other individuals and groups” (Rothenberg, 99). While “white and male supremacy are no longer popular American values, race and sexual discrimination that originated in our conveniently forgotten past, however …show more content…
Individual discrimination focuses on exactly what is says, an individual. One example of this would be that “women and minorities are hired only for low level and low paying jobs due to stereotyped beliefs regardless of their potential, experience and qualifications” (Rothenberg 248). Organizational discrimination is the way organizations practice discrimination by establishing rules, policies and practices that aren’t fair to everyone. By having “height and weight requirements that are geared toward white men, minorities and females are easily excluded from certain jobs” (Rothenberg