Racism and
Sexism
Race, Ethnicity, Gender
Unit
Racism
• Definition: a set of beliefs that uses
biological factors to explain and
justify inequalities between racial
and ethnic groups
• Those who hold these beliefs do not
question these beliefs
Racism
• Structured on 3 ideas
– People can be classified into racial categories
according to physical traits such as skin color,
hair texture, and eye shape
– A close correspondence exists between
physical traits and achievements such as
intelligence, income, occupation, and athletic
ability
– Physical attributes are deemed so significant
that they are used to explain and determine
behavior and inequalities. There is no other
possible explanation for these inequalities
Origins of Racism
• Modern racism comes from European
exploration of Africa, Asia, and the
Americas
• Derives from colonialism
– European ideals forced upon indigenous
population
Origins of Racism
• Colonialism needed a large labor
force
– Started with native-born populations
– Moved onto indentured workers for Asia
and Africa
– Finally used the slave trade (11.7
million enslaved Africans)
Origins of Racism
• “Scientific” Racism: using faulty
science to support systems of racial
rankings and theories of social and
cultural progress
– Placed Whites in most advanced ranks
and stage of human evolution
Flaws in Racial Arguments
• “African-Americans are better at
sports”
– What about hockey, gymnastics,
swimming, soccer, cycling, sailing,
rowing, archery, volleyball, skiing, and
other sports that generate less money?
– Sports are seen as a way out
environmental situation
Flaws in Racial Arguments
• Sociologists look for what channels
people into certain fields
• Which has a higher visibility of a
certain group
• What access does the group to the
requirements
• Environmental factors
Sexism
• Belief that one sex – and by
extension, one gender – is innately
superior
• Justifies inequality between the
sexes
Sexism
• Based on 3 notions:
1. People can be placed into two
categories – male and female
2. A close correspondence exists between
a person’s sex characteristics and
characteristics such as emotional state,
body language, personality, intelligence,
the expression of sexual desire, and
athletic capability
3. Primary sex characteristics are viewed
as so significant that they can explain
and determine behavior and the
inequalities that exist between the
sexes.
-Sexism underlies any differential
treatment of, or thinking about, males
and females that ignores the individual
Extreme Hate of Sexes
• Misogyny: extreme hate for females
• Misandry: extreme hate for males
– Leads to hate of homophobia
Homophobia and
Hypermasculinity
• Homophobia has 2 definitions
– Irrational fear held by some
heterosexuals that a same-sex person
will make a sexual advance to them
– Fear of being in close contact with
someone of the same sex
Hypermasculinity
• Involves exaggerating the traits and
behaviors believed characteristic of
males
– Excessive emphasis on strength to the
point that a man’s muscles and
reproductive organs are presented as
impossibly large
Hypermasculinity
• Belief that people who behave in
ways that depart from ideals of
masculinity or femininity are
considered deviant and in need of
fixing
– Should be subjected to negative
sanctions
Feminism
• Perspective that seeks to understand
the position of women in society
relative to men and that advocates
equal opportunity
– Real question is what is considered
equal
Sociologists view on
feminism
• All groups advocate common themes
• 7 Themes of feminism
1. The right to bodily integrity and
autonomy
2. Access to safe contraceptives
3. The right to choose the terms of
pregnancy
Themes
4. Access to quality prenatal care,
protection from violence inside and
outside the home, and freedom from
sexual harassment
5. Equal pay at work
6. Workplace rights to maternity and
other caregiver leaves
7. Freedom for both men and women to
make choices in life that defy gender
expectations
Prejudice
• An unfavorable judgment about a
category of people that is applied to
anyone who belongs to that category
– Supported by stereotypes and
confirmation bias (selective perception)
Stereotypes
• Generalizations about people who
belong category that do not change
even in the face of contradictory
evidence
• Confirmation Bias/Selective
perception
– Only noticing behaviors that support
your ideas
Stereotypes
• Any person who does not fall into the
stereotype is seen as the exception
to the rule
• Stereotypes vs. personal short
comings
Stereotypes
• Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: people start
behaving in ways to confirm a false
definition of a situation
Discrimination
• Intentional or unintentional
• Unequal treatment of racial or ethnic
groups without considering merit,
ability, or past performance
Discrimination
• People can be separated into 4
groups
• All-weather liberals
• Fair-weather liberals
• Timid bigots
• Active Bigots
Discrimination
• All-weather liberals: accepts the creed of
equal opportunity and their conduct
conforms to that creed
• Fair-weather liberals: accept the creed of
equal opportunity but discriminate
because they simply fail to consider
discriminatory consequences or because
discriminating gives them some advantage
Discrimination
• Timid Bigots: reject the creed of equal
opportunity but refrain from
discrimination, primarily because they fear
the possibility of sanctions or being
labeled a bigot
• Active Bigots: Reject the notion of equal
opportunity and profess a moral right,
even a duty, to discriminate.
Types of discrimination
• De facto: discrimination that is
practiced but not officially a law
• De jure: discrimination that is
inherent in the law
Assumptions
They
are________________, so
I figured they would
act___________.
Stereotyping
They are all like
that.
“Stereotypes are devices
for saving a biased
person the trouble of
learning.”
Prejudice
Thoughts and
Beliefs
I think women/ blacks/
teenagers/ Arabs ...
Discrimination
I will not hire
women.
Behaviors and
Actions
My daughter will
not date
interracially.
I won’t cheer for
Latin ballplayers.
Racism and Homophobia
A societal
policy
No blacks will be
admitted to this
school.
All people of
Japanese
ancestry must
be relocated.
Homosexuals may
not legally
marry.
Scapegoating
Blaming society’s problems
on innocent groups.
The _____________ are
ruining this country.
and finally Genocide