june 16, 2019
LUNE magazine
issue 14
ISSUE about discrimination
Discrimination is a hot topic nowadays. There’s a larger discussion of discrimination, whether it be related to gender, race, sexuality, economic status, ability, etc. It’s a widespread topic, and thus, it’s not something that can just be confined into one sub-category. There’s the issue of the Uighur Muslims being held in concentration camps in China. There’s our own internal issues in the U.S. with social and economic inequalities, of which the list is endless. Summatively, discrimination occurs in many ways and means different things to different people. It impacts you differently based on where you live, the way you live, and how you identify. In May, we had Asian-Pacific American Heritage month, and now, in June, it’s LGBTQ+ Pride month. We all celebrate a variety of identities, and unfortunately, the way we identify can have consequences, whether it be based on who we love, the shade of our skin, and/or what religion we practice, among others. In this fourteenth issue of Lune Magazine, our writers, artists, and photographers focused on the word “discrimination,” and this is what we’ve come up with.
Deb K.
Editor-in-Chief
cover art by beatrice j.
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features
Criminalization of black men in our police system
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Miseducated minorities: Discrimination in our honors system
editor-in-chief deb k. senior editor meena r. content editors srilekha c., rahul j.
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LGBTQ+ discrimination in the workplace
writers anusha a., sydney b., maya d., elizabeth f., jaden f., amelie h., jamie h., kimaya m., lena m., jadeann r., adelaine s.
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artists davendra h., beatrice j., ria m., nagisa s. photographers diana d., eve m. harmanpreet r.
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CRIMINALIZATION OF BLACK MEN IN OUR POLICE SYSTEM by Jaden F.
art & text by Ria M.
Recently released film, When They See Us, is a Netflix film highlighting the 1989 trial of the Central Park Five, a group of five young black and latino boys who were wrongfully convicted of the rape and assault of a jogger in Central Park in New York City. The film has sparked awareness about the unjust entrapment of black men in the prison system. Growing up in the twenty-first century essentially provided me with the basis that racism wasn’t reciprocated as strongly as it was when my grandparents and even parents were younger. Due to the fact that I wasn’t constantly faced with racism when I was walking down the street, sitting in a restaurant, or in the classroom, I grew up with the idea that times had become much easier for black folks in America. Because I had witnessed and heard stories about the violent discrimination that was faced by people of color in the past, it seemed to me that the world I lived in was a completely changed one. And not to undermine the intense and brutal struggle of the African-American in earlier eras, but what took me longer to realize was that the brutal violence of racism did still exist in nooks and crannies; it had always remained but became more unseen. The only thing that has changed about it is the way in which it happens: discreetly, in a way that manifests violent acts against people of color as something justified. Ultimately, people are aware that the racist foundation of which this country was built on will cover their tracks as they inhumanely criminalize and dehumanize men of color. With police violence against people of color on the rise, the one thing we continue to fail to recognize is the bigger picture- the unjust atrocities of the prison system. While we continually work towards justice on behalf of those who have lost their lives or been beaten by the police, we need to spend just as much
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Although the era of Jim Crow is over, and many argue that with legisla America, this could not be farther from the truth. Even in 2019, African discrimination, especially in our justice and prison systems. In fact, bla the USA, not to mention that they are incarcerated at 5 times the rate o discrimination that they face, which has been recognized and combated Lives Matter. Groups like these have inspired millions across America * NAACP Criminal Justice Fact Sheet
energy fighting for those who have been inevitably faced with a destiny in prison when they should be receiving education and the opportunity to create a stable life for themselves. As black men, my brothers are more likely to be involved with the police because they are being suspected or
accused of crimes that they never even committed. People know that if they are able to get a black man into the system, it’s going to be a hell of a ride for him getting out, and ultimately chances are that he’ll be stuck in the system for the rest of his life.
to make enough money, their chance at being able to take on an active political role in their community. It impacts their mental and often even physical health. It impacts their will to survive.
The criminalization of black men is also a way for
Through the prison system, black youth are stripped of their humanity and resources, only to be released back to a world where there is little to no support for them, and this is systematic oppression. Through years of discrimination that has been carried out against black and brown people, stereotypes have remained, and the hierarchy has continually developed ways to use those stereotypes through the perpetuation of violence against and criminalization of black men. During an interview with John Ehrlichman, former President Richard Nixon's domestic policy chief, in 1994, Nixon stated that “we knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course, we did.” In When They Call You A Terrorist, a memoir written by author Patrisse Khan Cullors, one of the founders of the Black Lives Matter Movement, she spoke of her brothers, who were constantly faced with the police stopping, searching, and eventually arresting them for simply hanging out in alleys or walking down the street with their friends.
ation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, we see a racially just n American people still face extreme amounts of racial ack people make up 34% of the entire correctional population in of white people.* Police brutality is another large part of the d by movements such as “Hands Up Don’t Shoot” and Black to take a stand against racial injustice and discrimination.
racist people of power to destroy the lives of the black community because when someone has to serve time, it doesn’t just impact them for the interval which they have to serve. It affects their families. It affects their families. It affects their community. It affects their chance at being successful, their chance at being able
One of Cullors’ brothers, Monte, was in and out of prison for years before finally being able to begin to try to build a life for himself. Severely affected by the state of his mental health, Cullors’ brother had been confined to a cell, alone in the facility where he had been serving. This, and the stories of the Central Park Five, are just few of the many black men who have been affected by the discrimination and criminalization that has torn their lives apart. In order to confront racism in America, we must infiltrate the racial biases of the justice system, a place where more than thirty percent of America’s black men, who make up forty-eight percent of America’s black population, are put away.
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“Is reverseby Kimaya racism real?” M. Currently there is a big controversy in America about whether or not "reverse racism" is a paradoxical term. On one hand, it seems like if you can be racist to a person of color, you can be racist to a white/white-passing person. A slightly more developed train of thought, however, would acknowledge that racism, even as a concept, is rooted in history and is the perpetuation of centuries of systemic oppression. "Racism,” specifically in the form that favors lighter skin— otherwise called colorism—has its roots in imperialism, and has existed for a long time.. White Europeans introduced this specific concept of discrimination based on the color of your skin, and turned it into not only a social issue, but a political one too, as they started to colonize and utilize Social Darwinism as a justification for racebased policy. As we all know, systemic racism was a vital element of European colonialism, and systems don't go away just through the passage of time. When Europeans colonized Afro-Asia, they dismantled previous societal hierarchies and replaced it with their own of whites on top. When countries gained independence, some of these new white systems were tweaked or overturned, but never truly eradicated, as we can see in apartheid, the Jim Crow era, and even the lesser-known semislavery in Mauritania. Today, it is undeniable that systems of discrimination still exist, though at a much deeper, more hidden level, like the racially-motivated War on Drugs, school suspension policies, employment/income discrepancies, and legislative
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representation, all things that create a system meant to benefit white people, at the expense of people of color. If you're trying to tell me that racism today has nothing to do with its historical context… you're just wrong. Racism has only evolved with time. So in case you couldn't already tell, I'm a firm believer that racism can only go one way. Granted I can't prove that whoever invented the word "racism" meant for it to be about people of color exclusively, but it bothers me when white people say that they've been/are victims of racism, because maybe they've been the brunt of a joke, or there was a meme about them. Tough, but grow up. White people have never been victims of the systemic, cyclical oppression that plagues communities of color constantly. Perhaps they've experienced social discrimination, but as the creators and inevitable upholders of racism, it's just not possible for them to experience racism as what it truly is: the perpetuation of centuries of abuse. It's an imperative differentiation that needs to be addressed appropriately. It’s not okay for white people to victimize themselves for a problem they created. So to all the people reading this, regardless of your skin color, call it out when you see the word "racism" being used without respect to what it actually means, and call out white people on their hypocrisy.
How celebrities like Meghan Markle prove discrimination and racism are alive and thriving by JadeAnn R.
There are a few select words in the English language that sound as equally as displeasing as their definitions. After much consideration, I firmly believe the term ‘discrimination’ to be an easy fit for the infamous and unyielding category. One might feel somewhat serpentine when hissing out the hard ‘s’ that hangs on the prefix ‘dis’(meaning apart). Your skin may crawl as you swiftly move on to the root word ‘crim,’ which according to Word Info translate to ‘object of reapproach.’ In biology, it’s natural for multiple species to exhibit what is known to be ‘innate behavior.’ A concept so firmly ingrained into our genes that is is seemingly inescapable. It’s unpracticed, residing deep within our fibers just waiting to spring forth. Therefore, by all accounts, discrimination should feel entirely correct, except that it isn’t. So why do people discriminate? What drives someone to look at another individual and think less of them based solely upon their appearance or way of life? For now, that question remains unanswered, but a slew of current examples only help to further prove that we have much to do if we hope to ever reach the brink of complete equality. Most recently, this brings forth the idea that the United Kingdom’s press seems to be incapable of allowing Meghan Markle the chance to peacefully exist. It is no secret that the royal family and the UK itself have in the past failed to be diversified. Not only physically, but in how they think, feel, and present themselves to the world. It’s clear that
the people feel their hierarchy is threatened when truthfully the entire concept of a monarchy is one that could be argued on its own. What is it about her that makes others so uneasy; is it because she’s a woman? Clearly not, because Kate Middleton is also a woman, yet you rarely see demeaning articles about her. Is it because she’s considered to be conventionally pretty? Again no, as nearly every woman fits into that nexus. So what sets her apart; why is she so scrutinized? For the same reason, people look at Serena Williams and feel threatened. And for the same reason, people look at Michelle Obama and call her unbecoming names. All of this hate and anger exist not because her hair is so-called ‘messy,’ but simply due to the fact that she is a woman of color operating within a traditionally white space. There’s something to be said about keeping your head up in a world that only seems to run against you. It’s an admirable quality that not only resonates with Meghan Markle but within all marginalized individuals. The idea of being ‘10 times better’ is one that many people of color (including myself) are more than familiar with. Taught to us by our parents who were, in turn, taught by their parents, the saying urges young children to work hard to be the best. We expect excellence from ourselves, yet we do not believe for one second that it’s the world around us that should aim to be 10 times better and it’s time for us to change that. For once let encourage others to aim to measure up to us, to be ‘10 times better’ and then some.
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a look at anti-homeless architecture... art & text by Diana D.
"Anti-Homeless Architecture", also known as "Hostile Architecture" or "Defensive Design", is a growing international trend which aims to keep the homeless community out of sight and out of mind through the installation of spikes, barred corners, and segmented, tilted benches that make sheltering from harsh weather practically
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Hostile architecture is counterproductive, demeaning, and dangerous, as it diverts valuable funds that could be used to expand resources for the homeless to a nonstarter "solution" that wastes massive amounts of taxpayer money and actively harms the most vulnerable demographic of citizens.
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Social media’s discrimination problem by Lena M.
If any single place could be pinpointed for offering an increasingly large platform for discrimination, judgement and unjust treatment, social media would have a nail sticking straight through its back. While a world where anyone can upload or share any ideas they may have holds benefits for those advocating for and working towards good, it also allows for inner prejudices people contain to be amplified on a global scale. Although pushes for diversity have created a varied range of different races, genders, sexualities, and more in the social media world, social media elevates traditional white creators and undermines creators of color. An example of this can be seen in a brand trip to Fiji with the Dote Shopping app, in which black influencers received meager photographs in comparison to their white counterparts on the same trip. Many companies that feature social media influencers have also turned to including token minorities on trips to avoid accusations of lacking diversity. While this does help elevate more creators of color, it does so in an attempt to protect a brand’s image rather than genuinely treat all races equally. Various social media stars have been exposed for using racist language like the n-word, including Jeffree Star, PewDiePie and Tana Mongeau.
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Although people make mistakes and deserve second chances, the incessant apologetic behavior offered towards white creators with racist pasts has created a culture in which racism can be excused. If the climate of social media refuses to elevate creators of color, these creators can work towards elevating each other. For example, The Glow Up, founded by Shannae Ingleton-Smith and Tania Cascilla, is a private Facebook group that uses transparency to connect and uplift black creators. From those looking from the outside in on the world of social media, advocacy can still create noteworthy change. Messaging or writing to brands and companies about including more diversity and featuring more creators of color can place pressure on the brand to make a change. If a company refuses to elevate all races, genders, religions and sexualities, boycott them financially to make your message clear. If any single place could be chosen for possessing the ability to offer a platform for all groups of people to be heard and uplifted, social media would be delicately handpicked. Social media can be a world in which discrimination is looked down upon and brands treat all influencers equally, but this shift must begin with individuals speaking out.
MISEDUCATED MINORITIES: DISCRIMINATION IN THE HONORS SYSTEM by Elizabeth F. Most students of color know what it’s like to be the only nonwhite student in an honors class. They know the feeling of a racial topic being brought up in class and the other students glancing at them. The feeling of being treated differently by your teacher or having white students exclude you might be familiar too. While their white friends gloss over their AP and Honors filled schedules, they may not even be considered for those classes or feel like they’re not smart enough for it. But why?
child and a white child got the same math and reading score, the white child was twice as likely to be placed in a gifted program. A study from NYU also found that academic failures of white students were seen as ‘treatable,’ while those in black students were used to put the students in special education programs or not treated at all. Researcher Rachel Fish also noticed that those who were labeled with learning disabilities (majority of those being black and Latino students) were less likely to be placed into advanced learning programs.
Turns out, the honors system discriminates against students of color more often than one would think. Non-white children are less likely to get tested for gifted programs, and when they are accepted, they’re often taken out of the program shortly after. Those who make it into the programs are likely the only student of color in their class, which separates them from their peers and stunts their ability to learn. It also hurts their confidence and can affect their future education decisions.
It’s obvious that children of color have a disadvantage in the gifted system. Something as small as being not gifted can greatly affect a child’s education in the future and their confidence around it. Kids in gifted programs often have a sense of superiority to their peers and may bully those who aren’t in the program. Those who aren’t in gifted often don’t go into it in middle school, and are therefore less likely to enroll in Honors or AP classes in high school.
As a Afro-Latinx student who has been in honors for years, I can recall being the only student in many of my classes. In elementary school, I was the only black student in my gifted program. I was temporarily taken out of gifted because of an issue with my IEP in middle school as well. In freshman year, I was the only student of color in an all-white Honors Health class and last year, I was the only black student in an Honors English class. I felt nervous to answer questions and had teachers treat me differently than they did other students. It made me feel inferior and excluded, and made it difficult to perform to my best ability in the class. I noticed that the rhetoric surrounding AP/Honors classes was focused on ‘opportunities for all’, but somehow, there were so few students of color in those classes.
The lack of children of color in honors classes also greatly affects the student’s educational confidence. They compare themselves to their white peers and feel less smart, even if they get the same score on tests. The student feels inferior and thinks of themselves as stupid or dumb. They’re more likely to underachieve because they don’t feel smart enough, when they likely are just as smart and deserve to be put in the gifted program.
The idea of being “gifted” in the education system is controversial in itself. Many say that the testing system can’t accurately test a child’s mental capabilities, as nearly every child is gifted in one area and not gifted in another. Some also say that the gifted programs hurt the mental health of a child, as the program puts the idea of “natural talent” into the child’s head and makes them have unreachable goals because of it. Gifted students are known for attempting to over-achieve at everything and taking failure personally. Whether or not the system should stay in schools is debatable, but there are other flaws within it, such as its race problem. A study by Vanderbilt University published in 2016 shows that there is a difference in the way the test scores of black and white students are treated. The study showed that if a black
This racial bias keeps children of color out of the honors system and contains them into regular education classes throughout their education. It’s sad to know that many students of color may have missed great opportunities for educational success because of systematic racism in America’s schools. It’s almost reminiscent of legacy preferences, which were used by white colleges to keep students of color out of their classes. Education should be one of the most universal and equal aspects of American life, but like many things, it isn’t. The honors system found in many of our schools is described with friendly and inviting rhetoric that encourages all students to attempt to participate, but it is not as open-minded as one would think. Students of color struggle to get in the programs and are rarely even considered for them. The racial bias in a program that creates great opportunity for students only divides them and creates an educational gap based on skin color. Honors programs should be available for all who qualify, not only those who are white.
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Education discrimination: a slam poem by Maya D.
i’ve lived in two zip codes only a mere 25 minutes apart but the two have always been vastly different from the start for in one district there’s money it’s plentiful there and in another it’s practically nonexistent, leaving the kids and faculty to ask where? i would have never known had i not moved i can’t help but think what about the kids i left and their education? because i now know they are not deserving of this damnation
it’s education discrimination it’s being placed in the classes of teachers who don’t care for you and who would rather create your character based on a stereotype instead of who you are it’s having police in your halls, not to protect you but to punish you it’s trying your absolute best, knowing you’re no match for the students who have been preparing all their lives for these state tests it’s education discrimination happening 25 minutes from my home and here i am wondering and hoping that they know
Discrimination within education by Adelaine S.
As a future educator, the amount of discrimination, regardless of laws against it, within the educational system is shocking and terrible. Regardless of Title IX, Title VI, or any other law regarding anti discrimination, it’s undoubtedly true that discrimination is still alive and well in many schools and educational associations. I’m lucky enough to spend my time with many beautifully diverse future educators from many backgrounds and school climates to whom I speak with to get a sense of their perspective on discrimination in education. One of my friends recounts a personal anecdote about a time her high school bathrooms were vandalized: swastikas and racial slurs were slung all over the walls in messy permanent markers. She hears her classmates asking unreasonably personal questions to LGBTQ+ students brave enough to be their true selves publicly. Another friend recalls the persistent negativity towards her schools ESOL population. Snide comments, assumptions of being illegal, gross requests for them to “go back to their country,” being told not only by fellow students but by teachers to “speak English” as if it’s that easy are just a few of the things she has experienced. The terrible negativity regarding diversity is upsetting,
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and as future educators, my two friends pledge to never allow diversity to be negative within their classroom. Rather, we all came to a consensus: celebrate diversity. Celebrate our uniqueness, for that is what makes us who we are. These situations are horrifyingly expository examples of the problems our education system faces. We do not attempt to reflect American diversity in our education. To fix the massive issue we as a society have created, we must reflect American diversity within education in more ways than we are right now. As a future teacher, I will constantly include all kinds of diversity in the pictures and posters I use in instruction, avoid Eurocentric views of the world, and always allow and encourage students to celebrate their diversity within my classroom. Students unapologetically being themselves without fear of being judged will not only make school a positive place, but a more motivating and successful environment. Willingness to show up and learn will translate into widespread success of students academically, and especially emotionally. Students spend so much of their time at school, and we owe it to every student, regardless of differences, to make it a good place to spend their days.
art & text by Davndra H.
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Text: You can’t do that. Look at the length of her skirt, what a whote. What a slut. But you can’t do anything, can you? After all, you’re just a girl
THE AGE-OLD QUESTION: ARE LGBTQ+ PEOPLE PROTECTED IN THE WORKPLACE?
Altitude Express Inc. v. Zarda: Donald Zarda, a skydiving instructor, was fired after a complaint from a female he was diving with expressing concerns about being strapped too tightly to him, to which he reassured her he was “100% gay.” After being fired, he sued the company under Title VII and lost initially. Last year, the United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit ruled in his favor, on the grounds that sexual orientation discrimination is “motivated by sex,” and therefore falls under sex discrimination which is protected under Title VII. Bostock v. Clayton County, Ga.: Gerald Bostock, a child-welfare-services coordinator was fired from his job after the county he worked for learned he was gay. The county accused him of
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mismanaging public money, but Bostock argues that this claim is false and the odd timing made him believe that this was just an excuse to discriminate against him because of his sexuality. He sued the county under a Title VII violation, but lost in the District Court and the US Court of Appeals for the 11th district upheld the ruling. R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: Aimee Stephens, a transgender female, worked at a funeral home for 6 years before she made the decision to come out and begin her transition. After beginning to wear female clothing to work, she was fired by the home’s owner Thomas Rost, who believed that not only would Stephens be violating the funeral home’s dress code, but he personally would be “violating God’s commands” by allowing Stephens to dress in women’s clothing. The EEOC filed a lawsuit for Stephens and the US Court of Appeals ruled in her favor, once again stating that it is impossible to fire someone on the basis of being transgender without considering that person’s sex and therefore discriminating based on it. These cases are expected to be extremely high profile and will reveal the new Supreme Court’s stance on the LGBTQ+ community. Regardless of the outcome, these hearings will set a precedent for discrimination in the workplace for years to come, and will also draw attention to an issue that has been swept under the rug for far too long.
art & text by Nagisa S.
On April 22nd the Supreme Court announced it would hear several LGBTQ discrimination cases in the fall, bringing light to an age-old issue on LGBTQ+ rights in the workplace. The Court will decide whether Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 guarantees protection from discrimination in the workplace to those who identify as gay and transgender. This will be the first LGBTQ+ case to come to the court since the retirement of Justice Kennedy and the confirmation of Justice Kavanaugh. With a conservative majority, there is no guarantee the Court will rule favorably toward those being discriminated against, but regardless, these cases will hopefully amplify the existing conversation regarding how LGBTQ+people are being treated in the workplace. Here are the three cases:
Text: Look a certain way or die trying. 1 in 5 trans people are outright refused healthcare based on gender identity.
by Amelie H.
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photography & text by Harmanpreet R. Let’s get straight to the point. Our LGBTQ+ community is not fully inclusive. There are racists in the gay community. There is biphobia in the gay community. There is transphobia in the gay community. The community is not intersectional. People of color are underrepresented in the community. Race has become a “type” in the gay community. There is no ‘however’ to this argument. We have been ignoring this issue for too long, but not anymore. I am not just saying it to scapegoat anyone; I am speaking from my personal experience in the gay community as a South Asian gay man; I am saying it because I have felt neglected by my own community because of my race, and I am saying this because I walked away from the pride festival feeling as if I did not fit in. White gay men have made themselves the face of the gay community which has made the gay community look like a ‘western thing’. Lack of intersectionality in the propaganda of the gay community is doing nothing but deterring us — people of colour — from being our true selves as we think that we are not acceptable and not “enough”. The minorities do not deserve to be ignored. They have already struggled enough fighting within their own communities and even with their own selves. They have come a long way to accept who they are. WE ARE HERE; WE ARE QUEER; WE ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR; WE DESERVE TO BE SEEN.
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Ageism happens to teens too by Srilekha C.
Discrimination is seen in many forms across the world, from sexism to racism. New terms were created to represent these horrible forms of harassment, and it became more real by the second that our society becoming cruel and prejudiced. At some point, people began addressing these problems and becoming activists for all sorts of discrimination. However, what I have personally noticed is that ageism has been the last thing on adults’ minds. While adults are fighting for the equal treatment of different races, sexes, orientations, etc., we fight for an equal voice to fight for the equal treatment for everyone, regardless of age. Ageism was first coined to represent discrimination against older people. However, although this senior ageism is still present, ageism is especially prominent now towards the teen population. We have seen many new organizations pop up around the world that strive to provide teens with a stronger voice in society. Yet teens are still ignored and left in the void between being treated like an adult and like a kid. Many adults still believe that the majority of teens are immature and don’t deserve a voice in society. Sure, we make jokes about Trump and controversial topics, and of course there are going to be the teenagers that still make immature and inappropriate jokes, but I can attest to the fact that there have been many times that my friends and I have had long, mature conversations about politics and society, conversations that still shake me to the bone today because I can’t understand how such things can happen in society and why I can’t do anything about it. Ageism is one of the last things on adults’ minds today. For example, I asked my dad to name three different forms of discrimination he could think of off the top of his head. He named sexism, racism, and disabled discrimination, all of which are very important and extreme forms of discrimination. However, I don’t understand why people don’t tend to also think of ageism. Age discrimination also an important form of mistreatment that needs to be
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discussed. Of course, I’m not asking for everyone to be an activist for ageism. I personally just don’t like the way that the topic is discussed, as if it is unimportant and really doesn’t need to be discussed in the first place. Age discrimination has affected me in a myriad of ways, just as I know it has to others. Society doesn’t consider me mature enough to drive yet or perhaps watch a R-rated movie if I wanted to. It doesn’t think that I can handle making life decisions without a parent signature every step of the way. I love my parents, but I am responsible and mature enough by this point to be able to do and achieve something in life. I can work where I want to and I can write what I want to. I should be able to put myself out and portray myself and my work how I want to. Many claim that teens are reckless drivers. However, I couldn’t be more careful. Maybe that’s just me, but it doesn’t make sense to set an age limit when someone is clearly ready for something at a younger age. I understand we have age restrictions for a reason, but I also understand that the driving test is based off of whether you can actually drive correctly or not. What hurts the most about age discrimination isn’t the fact that I am not able to share my voice to the world effectively, but that people don’t even acknowledge that fact. People don’t care enough to let us speak up. Instead, we are left to create these wonderful organizations that foster a learning environment and allow us to express our opinions. We have risen as a generation, yet adults don't care. Instead, they acknowledge the ageism in seniors. They acknowledge the racism and the sexism, which is all important too. But aren’t we important too? Teens are the future. What about our voice? Ageism happens to teens, believe it or not, and it needs to stop.
The Asian kung fu stereotype
photography & text by Eve M. For years, the media has exaggerated martial arts on movies and television. It results in the public believing it's a sacred practice only for men in old times. When Asians perform martial arts, they're are constantly stereotyped as foolish, anime fighters. However, at my school, UC Irvine, the large Asian population encourages everyone to join the school's numerous martial art clubs. In the club sport Wushu, the members break the stereotypes by motivating everyone to participate in Wushu's powerful yet delicate movements. At one of the recent competitions, I chose to capture girls who have trained well in Wushu and continue to master it. I hope capturing modern, young girls in martial arts will break the stereotype of Asians and martial arts seen in the media.
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How social class leaves you subject to discrimination by Jamie H.
It’s not fair but it happens. We can’t pretend it doesn’t. All too often we hear of people being discriminated against based on their wealth, background or how much or how little they own. This is happening right now worldwide but it cannot continue.
some still are reluctant to act on their morals and wipe this nonsense out entirely.
The idea of social class discrimination may be much closer to home than you think. Take university or college admissions in Nobody should be made feel inferior just because their parents the UK for example. Oxbridge has a dark history of only cannot afford to send them to a fee-paying school, nor should selecting children from privileged backgrounds with highanyone feel inferior because they cannot afford the latest achieving parents with plenty of money or who have been sneakers released by Nike and the same goes if they cannot privately educated in previous education. This leaves children afford to dine in fancy restaurants because their parents don’t from non-fee paying schools or less well-off backgrounds have well-paying jobs like some other children of their age. choosing from colleges or universities not at the very top. It’s sad to think that this is the case, but it is. It is crippling to Sadly, children are made feel inferior all too often because of think that just because you grew up living a happy life with things like these. Separating the rich from poor is far from little wealth or privileges that you cannot be educated at the ‘cool’ and the sooner playground bullies realize this the better. heart of intellectual brilliance. This is a ghost which has been It’s not okay for someone to discriminate against another for haunting the UK higher education system for decades and it things often out of their control and something they may doesn’t look like it’s going to be exterminated anytime in the already feel insecure or embarrassed about. It’s not right and it near future. must be stamped out now. In essence what people need to understand is that You may think that these things don’t happen anymore but discriminating against someone based on their social class is you are wrong. Whether we think it or say it, people of higher not tolerable behaviour in the 21st century. In general, today social class often look down on those less well-off than them with the crises of war and disease worldwide people should be using it as something for them to feel better about while building one another up - not tearing them down and making the other feel inferior, small and worthless. It is discrimination of all sorts whether that be based on gender, pleasing to learn that the present discrimination of social class age or anything else isn’t acceptable and the sooner we all isn’t as bad as it was around the 1960s but it cannot be realise that only then can we expect to see the change the dismissed that it does still exist - just not in such a large world needs. extent. Classism is commonplace in the workplace today too In the public eye the social class discrimination is coming surprisingly enough. Michael Kolzlowski described it as “ under a close lens by the media. In the States, Alexandra discriminating against or making assumptions about Ocasio-Cortzx is taking on this less-talked about form of colleagues or employees depending on their upbringing or hierarchical thinking, which is at times referred to as socio-economic background.” Michael said, “In the “classism,” or an “ism” of which she is often the victim of in construction field, for instance, there has traditionally been her congressional seat. Donald Trump, for example, recently this idea of ‘blue-collar’ and ‘white-collar’ jobs – and that some attacked the Green New Deal she proposed as “the craziest people are inherently better suited to a particular profession or thing.” But look at how he presented it, linking it to her way of life.” It was refreshing to learn that Michael feels “the previous employment: “The Green New Deal, done by a young industry is generally moving away from this kind of thinking,” bartender, 29 years old. A young bartender, wonderful young but he did add “it still exists to an extent.” woman.” There’s no denying, it’s everywhere. It creeps into society This example from Ocasio-Cortez highlights just how much through every open door and people willingly let it in and social class discrimination is ‘alive and kicking’ at a time when embrace it. Social class discrimination, it seems, is slowly it should be virtually non-existent. Gone are the days when declining but there’s a long way to go. someone’s character is defined by their wealth or social background. Nowadays someone’s character should be defined One wonders what it will take to stamp it out once and for all. by humane things such as their personality, their contribution For now though, it’s our actions that will make the difference. to society or the things they enjoy. The harsh reality is that One action at a time. We can do this - but only if we do it while we can talk about building bridges not barriers forever, together.
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Discrimination of people with disabilities by Jaden F.
A person with a disability is defined as someone with cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, or sensory condition that limits movements, senses, or activities. Any of these have a long-term impact on their day-to-day life. It’s an umbrella term, meaning people are affected by disabilities in different parts of their bodies and in different ways in their lives.
wheelchairs, and [for] people who are trans and black. Why is my existence so radical? Why can't I just exist and be beautiful and be gorgeous? I want me to be seen as a woman that people want."
When people discover that someone is disabled, it’s easy for them to make assumptions about the way that their ability—or for lack of a better term, their disability—impacts their life. Throughout history, people with disabilities haven’t been represented well. They are often viewed as individuals unable to be successful and active members of society, or as not being able to build a stable life for themselves. And while the severity of some people’s disabilities does hinder them from being able to live without assistance, that does not imply that they aren’t people who are capable of leading a successful life in the careers and hobbies of their dreams. Representation of people with disabilities is important because it shows that people with disabilities are still capable of building a career, getting married, and even starting a family, just as any other abled individual would.
When you look at people like Stephen Hawking, John Nash, Frida Kahlo, Andrea Boccelli, Stevie Wonder, and Helen Keller, among many more, you see successful musicians, artists, acclaimed scholars, and even athletes who have spent their lives learning, working, and succeeding, just as any abled person would.
Up-and-coming model Aaron Philip is an example of a person with a disability who is paving the way for both themselves and others. The 18-year-old model is the first trans, black, and disabled person to be signed to a major modelling label. She says she remembers “growing up with a sense of feeling alienated at times from other people, being that [her] disability was so stigmatized that people didn't want to even hang out with [her]". As she begins to build a legendary career in the modelling industry, Philip says, “I realized how much [of a] lack of visibility there is for people in
Philips is just one of many disabled people who feel that their existence as a person has become so incredibly alienated and marginalized.
Discrimination and misrepresentation of people with disabilities is problematic because it doesn’t allow the disabled youth to see themselves in the spotlight, or as worthy of access to opportunities in the first place. It can be damaging to their selfesteem when they don’t feel that there is a place for them in the workplace. Building facilities that are inclusive and accessible to people of all abilities is just one of the first steps to stopping discrimination against disabled individuals. Many disabled individuals face communication barriers, making it harder for them to function and work in their environment. In addition, they also face issues such as harassment or refusal of assistance/adjustments to be made so that they can work as their best self in the classroom or workplace. It is crucial to provide spaces for disabled people to feel welcomed and encouraged because they are like any other person. They can be successful and build legacies beyond even an abled person’s ability-- and it is our responsibility to provide the resources and respect for them to do so.
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Discrimination towards POC and female authors by Sydney B.
Discrimination Towards Writers of Color Used in classrooms across the United States, To Kill a Mockingbird is regarded as one of the greatest novels written about racism. It is the story of a white child’s first-hand encounter with blatant racism and the effects of racism within the justice system. The book is a great one, but it’s limited; Harper Lee is a white woman. The novel focuses on a white child’s perception of racism, not the minority’s actual experience with prejudice. It isn’t because Lee intentionally downplayed racism in the 20th century South; It is because she is not a person of color. Writers of color are constantly pushed to the sides, and their work is constantly overlooked. It is almost ironic that To Kill A Mockingbird can be found in almost every school curriculum in an effort to enlighten youth about the reality of racism, yet they aren’t actually placing work written by people of color on the same bookshelf. A book can be great no matter who the author is. White, black, Asian, female, Indigenous, disabled, the characteristics of the author should have no bearing on the status of the book. However, these characteristics of authors directly affects the actual contents of the novel. Without writers to represent marginalized peoples, literature will continue to focus on white people and the world that they live in. It would take hours to list every incredible novel written by a person of color. Their Eyes Were Watching God. The Color Purple. If Beale Street Could Talk. The list is endless. Yet somehow, the average American high school student won’t know these books. University discussions will not dissect the underlying themes of these novels. Literature can tell future generations what life was like at the time it was written, and it is one of the most profound art forms of the human race. Writing is beautiful because a person from any background can craft something wonderful from thin air and share it with the world. Despite this, writing will not
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be the brilliant, diverse industry that it it has the capacity to be if we do not begin putting the creations of people of color into the hands of eager readers. Discrimination Towards Female Authors The Great Gatsby is hailed as an iconic love story, one of depth and complex symbolism. Joanne Rowling was instructed to use the pen name J.K. Rowling by her publisher out of fear that men would not purchase a novel written by a woman. The Brontë sisters were long regarded as frivolous women, attempting to occupy an all-male industry. Literature is as old as life itself, yet it is a substantial space of discrimination towards women. Discrimination within the writing world still active today, yet so many people want to deny its existence, either by saying that all classics are coincidentally written by men or that men are simply better writers. These are misconceptions about sexism in writing, and we need to call attention to the fact that the work of so many brilliant women is often simply discarded. The amount of incredible novels written by women is innumerable, but one novel has always stuck out to me: The Color Purple by Alice Walker. This novel is a remarkable piece of literature, providing insight into the struggles of African American women in the 1930s. Yet it is rarely listed on a literature class syllabus. It’s not because this novel is not as wellwritten or intricate as those written by men, nor is it because it is too simple; It is because work by women is inherently diminished and viewed as superficial. No one is suggesting that we ignore the work of male writers, and no one is implying that women’s work should be valued only because it was made by a woman. To put it simply, credit needs to be given where credit is due. Female authors that pour themselves into their literature to create profound novels deserve the same recognition that their male counterparts receive. It is high time we appreciate the women that are constantly shaping the world of writing.
On “positive” discrimination by Jamie H. Let’s face it: whenever we hear the word ‘discrimination’, we instantly think of every negative thought imaginable. Recently, however, more people are warming to the idea of positive discrimination.
Women
Positive discrimination has been highlighted in the media of recent with scandals such as Oxbridge university’s admissions system illustrating discrimination of children of state schools. Despite its often bleak portrayal, discrimination can be good -- provided it is used effectively and appropriately. It has left many questioning -- does it solve inequality?
Women’s-only groups have always been a controversial conversation. They can still be quite discriminatory when it comes to class or ethnicity.
This week, I caught up with Meena Chander, an events consultant, owner of Events Together, and founder of This Is Us Conference, focusing on LGBTQ+ diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Meena works with businesses to help create better, more impactful events and focuses on diversity through panel and speaker line ups. Meena set up the This Is Us Conference in Milton Keynes, UK in 2018 to work with businesses and help them improve their existing diversity and inclusion policies or begin to implement them, offering better support for LGBTQ+ individuals in the workplace. LGBTQ+ Commenting on LGBTQ+ and positive discrimination, Meena said, “When there is a lack of diversity or inclusion for the LGBTQ+ community, in any form, it can be incredibly damaging and detrimental. This lack of diversity and representation can lead to discrimination, and even abuse, and can also prevent development and progress for LGBTQ+ equality. It can also lead to severe mental health issues for individuals.” “There is also a lot of discrimination within the LGBTQ+ community, with groups often feeling underrepresented or misjudged. Trans and BAME [‘Black Asian Minority Ethnic,’ used primarily to refer to nonwhite communities in the United Kingdom] are often the most common groups to be discriminated against or excluded, but that is changing. And it’s also why not all discrimination is negative.” Inclusion and diversity are only successful when people come together. And not necessarily together. LGBTQ+ individuals and groups have different needs, have different experiences, and therefore, need different support. This means that when you put everyone in a room, someone is always going to feel excluded. And this doesn’t lead to change. Meena continued, “LGBTQ+ only groups are essential in progressing inclusion and diversity, and education around support, language, healthcare etc. And that’s all sounding pretty positive.”
Meena then turned to positive discrimination with a focus on women.
“But not all discrimination is negative. With the rise of the #MeToo movement and Time’s Up, 2018 was the year for women, and it pushed inequality into the limelight. And, as a gender, we have shown what we can do when we all come together and use the tools available to us.” “We have seen lots of positive discrimination over the past few years. There has been a rise in BAME women’s groups, and we have seen campaigns for more women to sit on boards, and in more powerful positions. Women have found their voices and aren’t afraid to ask for what they want. We have seen more media campaigns with #ThisGirlCan and Nike Women, and women’s marches have taken place all around the world.” Meena further explained, “But the most surprising positive discrimination is that of the rise of the all women’s companies. Where females only hire females, or they only work with female coaches and mentors. This is not necessarily always a good thing, as equality needs to come from both sides, but this is women ensuring women excel in their career, and a more proactive way to get more women into higher positions, and achieve equal pay.” “It’s also safety in numbers. We live in a time where women are scared, but a lot more aware of what the dangers are. We shouldn’t live like this, but it’s true. Women trust women, so they feel more comfortable and more secure working with them and spending time alone with them.” Hopefully, this won’t always be the case, but it showcases the challenges that women face that men don’t, so we can almost say that these closed gender groups are needed. Meena’s two examples highlight the positive discrimination we are experiencing right here, right now. At a time when discrimination has a predominantly negative shadow looming over it, these examples put into perspective the positive slant on discrimination and how it is a factor that is beginning to have more influence globally. What’s next for positive discrimination? Is it a means justified by its end? Or does it allow for outright discrimination to be allowed? Only time will tell the tale.
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When bullying and discrimination overlap by Anusha A.
Discrimination to me, means being treated differently, made to feel less than your peers. Most of the discrimination I've personally experienced has been based on my ethnicity, culture and country. However, as an able bodied and neurotypical person, I do have a lot of privilege. I haven't experienced certain types of discrimination, I might've even contributed to it. We talk about discrimination in educational institutions, about how the adminstration and teachers favor people of certain privileges but we rarely discuss how this is reflected by the students as well. Bullying has been acknowledged as an issue by educational institutions, especially schools, for a very long time. But the way it is addressed is very flawed and inadequate. Bullying is explained as something that only comes out of someone being mean or projecting their insecurities. This is often true but the overlap in bullying and discrimination is never discussed. Even though it's the
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most common type of bullying. A lot of the time, the main victims of bullying are marginalized kids. LGBTQ+ kids, neurodivergent kids, poor kids, kids from racial and religious minorities. Bullying is often a result of social conditioning rather than pure spite. When kids are conditioned to see a group of people as less than them, they don't learn to empathize with them. They don't see them as equals. Talking about empathy and kindness will not make bullying go away. Addressing this social conditioning and undoing it will. Schools should explain issues like classism, racism, xenophobia, queerphobia, ableism and sanism. They should explain social structures, they should talk about privilege and how certain students benefit from it. If they don't, they're choosing to ignore one of the main roots of bullying; discrimination.
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