CULTURAL DIVERSITYCHAPTER 8

Code BlueHealth ScienceEdition 4

Terms Used in Chapter 8

Bias An emotional leaning

to one side. Sometimes people have

a bias towards people of other cultures. This bias may be

positive, or negative. Recognizing the

existence of a bias helps one overcome negative bias.

Cultural Blindness A condition that exists when individuals

assume that cultural differences do not exist.

Cultural Sensitivity An appreciation for the

cultures and beliefs of others All cultures have

something to teach us America is made up of

people from many cultures

Culture Social, artistic, and

religious structures and manifestations that characterize a specific society—beliefs and traditions handed down from generation to generation

Culture Differences Food Gender roles Beliefs concerning

personal illness

What is your favorite ethnic food? Does your family have any ethnic foods that they eat on special occasions (Christmas, Thanksgiving, other family holidays)?

Culture Differences Eye contact and

touching Communication

Cultural Differences Personal Space The area surrounding a

person that an individual regards as his own—the distance from other people that an individual needs to feel secure or comfortable.

Ethnicity The unity that

comes from a common religion, belief, language, and culture.

What ethnic groups are represented in your class?

Hispanic An American of

Spanish or Portuguese descent. The term is sometimes used as a classification of those who speak Spanish.

Multiethnic Being composed of

members from more than one ethnic group America is a

multiethnic country.

Race A classification system

based on genetic characteristics, such as color of skin, the structure of hair, etc.

Supplementary Reading 1: Discrimination

Discrimination is the practice of treating an individual differently based on some distinguishing characteristic.

No Aliens Need Apply

Supplementary Reading 1: Discrimination Discrimination based on

race, gender, age, and disability are illegal.

It is important that employers and employees understand laws prohibiting discrimination.

Employers who ignore these statutes and rulings risk significant penalty.

Legislation Legislation on discrimination initially focused

on minority groups. A minority group is a cluster of people who

differ from the majority in religion, race, speech, culture, appearance, etc.

Legislation Recent legislation has

focused on groups that might not numerically constitute a minority within a community, but differ in some significant way from other populations.

Women and the aged are two examples.

Racial Discrimination Many countries have a history of

racial discrimination; the United States is one of these.

Racial Discrimination As the result of unfair

practices, legislators passed a series of laws aimed at eliminating this form of discrimination.

Court rulings interpreted and reinforced that legislation.

Let’s look at the history of racial discrimination legislation.

Racial DiscriminationAmendments, Laws & Court Rulings Congress adopted the 13th Amendment in 1865.

This abolished slavery, but did nothing to address the issue of citizenship.

Three years later, the 14th Amendment corrected this problem. In addition, the 14th Amendment mandated that states grant all citizens “equal protection under the law.” Nevertheless, some states continued to prevent African Americans from voting.

In 1870, Congress passed the 15th Amendment, which prohibited states from denying anyone the right to vote based on race.

Racial DiscriminationAmendments, Laws & Court Rulings While the 14th

Amendment guaranteed people “equal protection under the law,” the meaning of that phrase evolved slowly as courts successively interpreted its intent.

Racial DiscriminationAmendments, Laws & Court Rulings In 1954, the Supreme Court heard the case Brown

versus the Board of Education of Topeka, and ruled that “separate but equal” education was not “equal.” Segregation in schools was ruled unconstitutional

Racial DiscriminationAmendments, Laws & Court Rulings Three years later, Congress passed the Civil

Rights Act of 1957, which established the Commission on Civil Rights, a governmental agency charged with investigating civil rights violations.

To assist with enforcement and compliance, Congress also established the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice to enforce the provisions of the act.

Racial DiscriminationAmendments, Laws & Court Rulings

Congress followed this with: The Civil Rights Act of 1960, which provided for

the appointment of referees to help blacks register to vote

The 24th Amendment (1964), which barred poll taxes in federal elections

Additional legislation outlawing poll taxes

Racial DiscriminationAmendments, Laws & Court Rulings

One of the strongest civil rights acts ever passed was the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed race-based discrimination by employers and unions. It also established the Equal Opportunity

Commission to enforce the provisions of the law.

Historical Treatment of Women Throughout history, societies have treated

women inappropriately. Prior to 1900, few countries offered women

the right to vote.

Historical Treatment of Women It has only been recently that legal bodies

seriously considered equal rights for women in the areas of: Employment Education Pay And so on

Amendments, Laws, and Court Rulings

In 1920, Congress approved the 19th Amendment extending suffrage to women.

Amendments, Laws, and Court Rulings In 1940, the federal government outlawed

sex-based wage discrimination for firms with federal contracts.

The government then mandated equal pay for men and women who perform the same tasks for all firms through The Federal Equal Pay Act of 1963.

Amendments, Laws, and Court Rulings The following year,

Congress outlawed job discrimination based on sex through Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Civil Rights Act of 1964 This legislation

prohibited firms from firing women for pregnancy, when pregnancy did not affect job performance.

It also outlawed the practice of reserving specific jobs for men, or for women.

Amendments, Laws, and Court Rulings Title IX of the Education Amendment

of 1972 prohibited gender discrimination by universities and colleges who receive federal funds.

Amendments, Laws, and Court Rulings A number of other court rulings have affected

women in the workplace. The Supreme Court has ruled that women

must receive the same fringe benefits as men, including social security, welfare, and workers compensation.

Fringe BenefitsFringe Benefits

Age Discrimination Advances in modern

medicine have allowed people to work longer than in previous decades.

Individuals over fifty-five years of age constitute a major segment of the workforce.

Age Discrimination Consequently, legislatures are focusing on

age discrimination in the workplace.

Laws and Rulings In the late 1960s, Congress enacted The Age

Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967. The reasons for this act cited in the legislation included: Older workers were finding themselves disadvantaged in

their efforts to find and retain employment. Employers were setting arbitrary age limits for some jobs. Long-term unemployment was up for older workers. Discrimination on the basis of age was deemed to be a

burden on the economy.

The purpose of the act is: To promote employment of

older persons based on ability, rather than age.

To prohibit arbitrary age discrimination in employment.

To help employers and workers find solutions to problems that arise from old age.

The act specifically prohibits: Discrimination in hiring or

firing based on age. The limitation, segregation,

or classification of people in a way that deprives them of opportunity or status as employees.

Reduction in wages to comply with this legislation.

Definition A disabled person is an

individual with a disability, who is qualified to perform the essential tasks of the position with or without a reasonable accommodation by the employer.

Disability In 1990, Congress passed the Americans with

Disabilities Act prohibiting employers with 15 or more employees from: Discriminating against qualified people who have

disabilities, when an accommodation will impose no hardship on the employer

Americans with Disabilities Act Discrimination under the ADA is prohibited

in: Recruitment Hiring Pay Promotion Selection for training

Americans with Disabilities Act The Americans with Disabilities Act has

no affirmative action requirement. Employers are free to hire the best

qualified applicant.

The End!