Week 5 Assignment.edited

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Cindy Edwards 10/1/2023 Week 5 Assignment: Identifying Institutionalized Discrimination In our first example, a summer job application only considers the applications of those with a photograph on their form. The community potentially being excluded is individuals who may not have access to or choose not to provide a photograph of themselves. This requirement excludes individuals who do not have access to a camera or who may have personal reasons for not wanting to share their photograph. While the prompt does not provide specific information about the context or intentions behind this requirement, this exclusion may unintentionally disadvantage certain groups of people. The policy or procedure in this example can be considered a form of institutionalized discrimination. Our textbook defines institutional discrimination as “discrimination that pervades the practices of whole institutions, such as housing, medical care, law enforcement, employment, and education” (No author, 2016, pg. 363). By requiring applicants to submit a photograph with their summer job application and stating that applications without photographs will not be considered, the institution creates an opportunity for bias and discrimination based on appearance. This policy can lead to unconscious biases and discrimination in the selection process. Hiring decisions should be based on an individual's qualifications, skills, and experience rather than their physical appearance. Requiring a photograph can give the employer subjective criteria to judge applicants, potentially leading to unfair treatment based on factors such as race, gender, age, or disability. To be more inclusive and avoid institutionalized discrimination, the institution involved can change its approach or policies, removing the requirement for a photograph. By eliminating the need for a photograph during the application process, the institution can focus solely on evaluating an applicant's qualifications and capabilities. This helps ensure that hiring decisions are based on merit rather than appearance. In our following example, an apartment complex is requiring applicants to state whether or not they have or plan to have children. This policy can potentially exclude a specific community, namely families with children. By asking applicants to disclose their family planning intentions, the apartment complex is effectively screening out individuals or couples who have children or are planning to have children. This exclusionary practice can limit the housing options available to families and may be seen as discriminatory. In the case of the apartment complex, this policy could be seen as discriminatory because it potentially discriminates against individuals with children or those who plan to have children. It assumes that having children would be a negative factor for the complex or that it would create problems. This assumption may be unfounded and could lead to unfair treatment of individuals who are otherwise qualified to rent an apartment. To be more inclusive and avoid institutionalized discrimination, the apartment complex could change its approach or policies. They could shift their focus from parental status to factors that directly relate to an individual's ability to be a responsible tenant, such as their rental history, income stability, credit score, or references. By evaluating applicants based on objective criteria, the complex can ensure fairness and eliminate discrimination based on parental status. In the following example provided, the community that is being excluded is students with hair longer than chin length. The new policy implemented by the public school restricts their ability to wear their hair as they prefer, excluding them from expressing their personal style and identity. It is important to note that this policy may disproportionately affect specific communities, such as those with cultural or religious practices that require longer hair. Therefore, it is essential to consider the potential impact on various communities when
Cindy Edwards 10/1/2023 Week 5 Assignment: Identifying Institutionalized Discrimination implementing such policies. If the policy of requiring students to wear their hair no longer than chin length disproportionately affects certain racial or cultural groups, it could be seen as a form of institutionalized discrimination. To be more inclusive, the institution could revise the policy to allow for diverse hairstyles and engage in open dialogue with stakeholders to ensure fairness and consideration of all students' needs. In this example, the community that is being excluded is individuals who require the assistance of an interpreter in a courthouse setting. The courthouse fails to inform defendants that they have the option to request an interpreter if they need one. This exclusion can have significant consequences for individuals who have limited English proficiency or those who are deaf or hard of hearing. By not providing this information, the courthouse is neglecting to accommodate the needs of these individuals, potentially hindering their ability to understand and participate fully in the legal proceedings. It is essential for institutions like courthouses to ensure that they are inclusive and provide equal access to justice for all community members, regardless of their language or communication needs. The policy or procedure described, where a courthouse does not inform defendants that they have the option to request an interpreter if needed, can be considered a form of institutionalized discrimination. This is because it creates a barrier for individuals who require language assistance, potentially denying them access to fair and equal treatment within the judicial system. By not providing information about the availability of interpreters, the courthouse is effectively excluding individuals who may have limited English proficiency or hearing impairments. This lack of awareness about their right to request an interpreter can lead to misunderstandings, inadequate communication, and ultimately hinder their ability to effectively participate in court proceedings. To address this issue and promote inclusivity, the courthouse can provide comprehensive training to all staff, including judges, lawyers, and court clerks, about the importance of language access and the rights of individuals with limited English proficiency or hearing impairments. This training should emphasize the need to inform defendants about their right to request an interpreter and provide guidance on how to do so. In this following example, the community or communities being excluded are individuals who do not identify as female. By specifically advertising for "stewardesses" (a term traditionally associated with female flight attendants), the airline is implicitly excluding individuals who identify as male from applying for the job. This exclusion is based on gender and perpetuates gender stereotypes within the airline industry. It is essential for companies to use inclusive language and avoid gender-specific job titles to ensure equal opportunities for all individuals, regardless of their gender identity. The procedure in this example of an airline posting an advertisement in an online job board for stewardesses could potentially be considered a form of institutionalized discrimination. The reason for this is that by explicitly targeting stewardesses, the policy may exclude individuals who do not identify as female or who do not conform to traditional gender roles. To be more inclusive, the institution involved, in this case, the airline, could consider adopting a more gender-neutral approach in their recruitment practices. Instead of advertising for stewardesses specifically, they could advertise for cabin crew members or flight attendants, thus opening up the opportunity to individuals of all genders. This would help to create a more inclusive work environment and ensure that the airline is not engaging in discriminatory practices.
Cindy Edwards 10/1/2023 Week 5 Assignment: Identifying Institutionalized Discrimination The procedure described in this following example can be considered a form of institutionalized discrimination. By explicitly stating that they are seeking waiters within a specific age range of 18-25, the restaurant chain is discriminating against individuals who fall outside this age bracket. This can be seen as discriminatory because it excludes potential candidates solely based on their age, which is a protected characteristic under anti-discrimination laws in many countries. We know that this act of discrimination, as defined as the “arbitrary denial of rights, privileges, and opportunities to members of these groups” (No author, 2016, pg. 360), perpetuates bias and restricts opportunities for individuals outside the designated age group. To be more inclusive and avoid institutionalized discrimination, the restaurant chain could revise its approach and policies in several ways. Firstly, they could remove any age-specific requirements from their advertisements or job postings, instead focusing on the qualifications and skills required for the position. This would open up opportunities to a broader range of individuals without discriminating based on age. In the final example provided, the hospital includes questions on race, ethnicity, and religion on an emergency room intake form. It is important to note that the inclusion of these questions on an intake form does not necessarily mean that communities are being excluded. In fact, the intention behind including such questions is often to ensure that healthcare providers can better understand the diverse backgrounds and needs of their patients. However, it is also crucial to consider the potential impact of these questions on specific communities. For instance, individuals who do not identify with any particular religion may feel excluded or uncomfortable with this question. Similarly, some individuals may find questions about race and ethnicity to be invasive or discriminatory. Therefore, while the hospital's intention may be to gather helpful information, it is essential to approach the inclusion of these questions with sensitivity and consider the potential exclusion or discomfort they may cause specific individuals or communities. Healthcare providers should strive to create an environment that is inclusive and respectful of diverse backgrounds and beliefs. This can be achieved by ensuring that patients have the option to decline answering these questions or by providing explanations for why the information is being collected. The hospital could implement training programs and workshops for its staff to raise awareness about implicit biases and discrimination. By educating healthcare providers about the importance of treating all patients equally and providing culturally competent care, the institution can work towards eliminating discriminatory practices and fostering a more inclusive healthcare environment. References
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Cindy Edwards 10/1/2023 Week 5 Assignment: Identifying Institutionalized Discrimination No Author. (2016).   Sociology: Understanding and Changing the Social World Links to an external site. . University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing. https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/sociology-understanding-and-changing-the- social-world Chapter 10, “Race and Ethnicity” o 10.4 “Discrimination” (pp. 350-359)