Prejudice is an idea or opinion that is not based on fact, logic or actual experience.

Prejudice is
usually referred to as a negative attitude, especially when it is a hatred or intolerance for certain kinds
of people. When a person acts on his prejudice, then it becomes discrimination.

Prejudice: Historically and Now

 Until the early years of the twentieth century, women were not allowed to vote.
 The holocaust happened partially because of a prejudice towards Jews.
 In Afghanistan, when the Taliban were in charge, women could not be educated and
had to cover their faces when outside their home.
 Women are not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia and they are required to walk behind
the man who is with them.
 In the United States, black people could not sit in the front of buses or use the same
water fountains as white people until the 1950s and 1960s.
 Private clubs are often exclusive. For example, some don't allow members who are
Black or Jewish.
 Some people will not buy a Japanese car because of the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
 After 9/11, anyone who looked Middle Eastern was looked at suspiciously and was
often the victim of prejudice.
 Some landlords will not rent to a gay couple.
 After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Japanese that lived in the US were rounded up
and put into camps because of the war with Japan.
 Hallmark, the card company, has swapped the word 'gay' for 'fun' in the song 'Deck the
Halls.'
 In the past, some companies only hired females to be secretaries.
 Some people assume that all tall people or all Blacks are good at basketball.
 Apartheid in South Africa was racial segregation where non-whites could not vote and
had to live in separate communities.
 In a divorce, women are usually given custody, which is a sex-based prejudice.
 Bullying can be caused by a prejudice against people who are different.
 Some people assume someone is gay because of the way they act.
 The hobby retailer Hobby Lobby has been known to not sell Jewish menorahs.
 Some parents will not approve their offspring marrying anyone of a different religion.
 Some corporations hire women but do not promote any of them to supervisory
positions.
 It is sometimes assumed that someone who is physically disabled is also mentally
disabled.

Prejudice in Movies and Literature

 In the movie Crash, Jean doesn't want her husband to hire a certain person because of the way he
dresses. She assumes he is violent or uses drugs, but he turns out to be respectable.
 In Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, women are thought of as objects and wives.
 Also in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, there are social class prejudices. Darcy did not
consider Elizabeth as a possible wife because of her low social status.
 In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, some citizens look down on the poorer citizens who
live on the outskirts of town.
 Also in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Tom Robinson becomes a scapegoat because he is
Black.
 Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee kept to himself because of prejudice
towards him because of his troubled past. He was only timid and turned out to be nothing like
people's perceptions.
 In the movie, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, a black doctor is engaged to a white woman. At
the time of this movie, interracial marriage was illegal in 17 states.

The term bias refers to the tendency of a person to favor one thing, idea, or
person over another. In a legal context, bias can lead an individual, such as a
judge or juror, to treat someone unfairly, in spite of the fact that hearings and
trials are designed to be unbiased assessments of the facts of a case. Bias may
also affect such issues as applications for jobs or entry into the country, and
recruitment of individuals for other purposes. To explore this concept,
consider the following bias definition.

What are examples of cultural bias?

Per Wikipedia:

 Cultural bias is the phenomenon of interpreting and judging

phenomena by standards inherent to one's own culture.
The best definition I have heard of bias is: nonrandom errors in thinking.

So, when I think someone’s behavior is inappropriate for the situation, but I am using
my own culture’s norms as a measuring stick and not theirs, that would be a cultural
bias ‘moment’—I am coming to erroneous conclusions in a nonrandom way.

Examples I can think of:

1. I’m treating a Native American patient. When I ask questions, she consistently
does not meet my eyes. I interpret this as evasiveness, shyness, lack of
assertiveness. Perhaps I come to the erroneous conclusion that she is currently
being abused because she’s acting so submissive. In fact, in her culture,
averting her eyes is a sign of respect, which she is trying to afford me as her
physician.
2. I see two Arab men walking in the streets, holding hands. I conclude they are a
gay couple. In fact, in their culture, this is a common and acceptable physical
contact between two males who are close but not in a romantic relationship
with each other.
3. I get outraged by how meek a Japanese wife appears, and how domineering her
Japanese husband appears. In fact, for their culture, they may be behaving
completely normally. I judge what’s “right” by what is considered normal or
right in my culture, not theirs.
4. I see an Asian child come in with bruises on the back looking like large circles
and thick lines in a pattern clearly denoting intent. I conclude that he is getting
 abused. In fact, in his culture, cupping is a traditional folk remedy for various
ills and is not abuse.
5. I’m eating with some Koreans. They are slurping their soup. I think that they
don’t have good table manners. In fact, in the Korean culture, slurping soup is
the norm.
6. I’m dining out with some Japanese friends. At the end of the meal, they order a
bowl of rice and then let it sit on the table as we head out. I’m confused about
the waste of food. In fact, in their culture, ordering that last bowl of rice is the
signal to the waiter to bring the check and that it is the end of the meal.
7. I’ve been invited to a Portuguese household for dinner. I don’t care for the
food, but I finish everything on my plate so as to not cause offense. I
immediately get another serving placed on my plate without asking me. I’m
really frustrated that they overstepped their bounds. In fact, in their culture,
polishing off your plate is a signal that you want more food. To signal that
you’re done eating, you leave some food on your plate.

Pretty much any bias can be cultural. For example:

 Gender: In some cultures, women are still property. There are still remnants of
this in the West, too. Women may also be considered inferior in various other
ways.
 Religion: When one religion is dominant within a culture, there will likely be
bias against other religions (and other systems of belief).
 Age: In some cultures, older people are respected (eg. village elders) while in
others they are considered incapacitated (eg. age bias in getting jobs).
 Children: In some cultures children are celebrated. In others, they are treated
like china. They may also be seen as a source of family income or support.

Gender equality is a hot issue. And in a profession such as IT, where an

overwhelming number of workers are male, it's easy to overlook gender
biases. When these biases occur, the workplace can become tense and
lawsuits can follow. But lawsuits aside, one must remember this: Gender bias
is a form of prejudice and discrimination and it has no place in business. With
that said, when you're a part of a mostly male-dominated profession, how do
you spot those biases so they can be addressed? Although it shouldn't be too
much of a challenge, it's surprising how often these things go unnoticed.

Let's take a look at 10 kinds of gender bias you might encounter in the
workplace and what you can do to prevent them. These occurrences range
from the simple to the complex, and with the complex, you may not find the
solution here. But getting the dialog started is often half the battle.
1: Unequal pay
This one is obvious, but it's a challenge to solve. Why? Because the issue of
pay equity between genders goes all the way up the flagpole to the United
States government. In fact, this is often a hot button issue during political
debates. The good news is you don't have to be a part of the issue. If you hire
engineers and/or administrators, make sure you base their pay not on gender,
but on performance and experience. The moment you allow gender to play a
part in pay, you become part of the problem.

2: Interview questions
This is a subtle one. Ask yourself one simple question: Do you interview men
and women differently? Do you ask women questions like "Do you have
children?" or "Do you plan on having children?" Both of those inquiries have
zero business in an interview. Questions about family and family life should be
out of bounds—and in some cases, they're illegal. Whether a woman has or
plans to have children does not affect her skills any more than it does a man's.
Once hired, if the issue of childbirth comes up, deal with it in the moment. Do
not predicate the hiring or firing of potential employees on the idea that they
may require maternity leave.

3: Diminished responsibilities
When you're unloading boxes of servers from a truck, if a woman wants to
help, let her. Don't offhandedly say, "We got this sweetums." You might be
surprised to discover that some of the women in your department can deadlift
more than the men. This is the kind of subtle gender bias that shows
employees that inequality is accepted. The same holds true with standard
positional responsibilities. If you have two equally qualified administrators, one
male and one female, give them equal responsibilities. Period.

4: Restrooms
This one, I have found, is usually far less than subtle. I've worked in a couple
of IT-related gigs where it is clear that the majority of employees are men. To
find this out, all you have to do is step foot in the restroom. I actually worked in
a place where the bathrooms were so disgusting, I'd walk down the block to
use another company's facilities. First and foremost, do not let your restroom
reach this state. Second, if you do... do not expect the women to clean them!
The female admins and engineers are not your maids or your mothers.
5: Conversations
Consider how you converse with your employees. Do you speak differently to
the men and the women? If you're unsure, the next time you are addressing
the entire staff, take note—or record yourself. Then, the next time you speak
with a female staff member compare how you speak to her versus how you
addressed the entire team. What is different (if anything)? If you find that your
style differs between conversations with men and with women, make
adjustments. This doesn't necessarily mean you should start speaking to
everyone as if you are speaking to a man. But if you find your style of
conversation is really suited only for male company, that is what you need to
address. While in the workplace, adopt a gender-neutral style of conversation.

6: Glass ceilings
Can your male and female employees climb equally high on the ladder of
opportunity? If not, why? What makes a male or female better qualified to
climb higher in your company? If there is no justifiable reason for this (and
there probably isn't), remove that glass ceiling. Each employee, regardless of
gender, should have the same opportunity. All things being equal, men and
women should be able to reach as high as possible, given their skills and
performance.

7: Positional bias
What makes a woman better suited to be a secretary or receptionist? Why
shouldn't a man fill that position? Why shouldn't a woman serve as your first
line of security? This type of gender bias is rampant in all types of businesses.
Don't fall into the stereotype nightmare; otherwise, you might miss out on
hiring the best-suited applicant for the job. If you get a male and female
applying for the same position—be it secretary or security—hire based on who
you believe can perform best based on skills and past experience, not gender.
Be open to men working in roles traditionally filled by women and women
placed in positions typically held by men.

8: Terminations
What are your reasons for terminating an employee? Have you ever fired a
female employee for asking to be treated equally? Have you ever NOT fired a
male employee who was involved in sexual harassment? The termination of
employees needs to be handled without bias. If you fire XX for A, you'd better
be sure that XY would be fired for A as well. Rules and policies should apply
for both genders—across the board.

9: Outdated views
Let's face it. Society has changed a great deal over the last decade. If you're
still holding onto views that were popular in the nineties (or earlier), you are
way behind. Consider this: I was once associated with a company that
required women to wear dresses and pantyhose. The men? There was no
dress code—it was assumed they would all wear khakis and button down
shirts. The notion that women should adhere to some outdated fashion
standard—and similar kinds of obsolete thinking—should be eradicated from
the workplace. Women can be professional without dresses and hose just as
men can be professional without a tie.

10: Sexual harassment

I would be remiss if I did not mention sexual harassment with regard to gender
bias. It amazes me that this type of behavior still occurs in the workplace.
There is a reason why companies have had to implement policies regarding
sexual harassment. And because IT is such a male-dominant profession,
harassment is often either overlooked or not even perceived. This is the
danger zone of gender bias. Not only can it cause serious issues with your
staff, it can come back to haunt your company legally and in the court of
public opinion. There are no circumstances where sexual harassment should
be permitted. None.

Age discrimination is alive and well in America. And it’s affecting more than the
community of retirees who want to re-enter the workforce. Ageism is rearing it’s
ugly head in interviews and recruiting conversations amongst 40- and 50-year-olds.

Can’t believe it?

Neither could we, at first. When we published “5 Ways Older Workers Can Combat
Age Discrimination”, we thought we were speaking to the 60+ crowd, those who
were looking to repackage their skills for a new career chapter. However, when we
read the comments on that article, we realized the issue wasn’t as simple as we
thought. Heightening tech skills and showing enthusiasm were only so helpful for
mature job seekers. The stories of discrimination and implicit bias that older
candidates said they had faced were shocking and disheartening.

Here are a few of the most eye-opening revelations of age discrimination

and companies who are specifically hiring mature talent.

Scenario #1
“I met with a recruiter this week. After getting through the look of disappointment
when she saw how old I am, she told me that many of their requests are for “a
recent college graduate because they haven’t developed bad habits yet”. What a
slap in the face. I guess checking your phone constantly, instead of working, is not
considered a bad habit. If I am willing to work for entry-level wages, why wouldn’t
you want my years of experience? I am sick of hearing older workers haven’t kept up
with technology. I have been through MS-DOS, the many variations of Windows,
WordPerfect, Dbase, Access, Word, Excel, and on and on. Each time I have had to
learn and adapt. Give me a break.” —Adrienne Lake
Scenario #2
“I have taken all dates off of my resume, and I have shortened it to only include my
work history after 2000. I am considered by others to be at the very top of my field. I
don’t have young children, so I don’t ever miss work because of sick children. Having
lost my job when our clinic was closed, I have spent over a year looking for work.
Agree with Deborah below. There is basically nothing you can do to combat age
discrimination, and it is rampant. Illegal, but it is definitely out there. And yes, Jerry.
The online applications, with hiring managers that aren’t familiar with the actual
work being done, is not helpful.” —Barbara Jennings
Scenario #3
“In my mid-40s, I think this issue of ageism starts quite early, as far back for me as
my late 30s. Getting that interview is almost impossible, which makes me ponder
about what to omit in terms of work history and years of service. Disconcerting. But
it’s good to have a community to share best practices and experiences.” —Giovanna
Aguilar
Scenario #4
“I have been a “bridesmaid” 4 times in the last 3 months of job searching and
interviews thru all of these online sites. I don’t look a day over 43 (I’m almost 51). I’m
smart, assertive, good in a room, adaptable, sense of humor…I could go on. But I feel
like today’s employers think it’s normal to expect 50+ hours /week, low pay, and
employees who are desperate-hungry like they’re just out of college. If you’re at all
laid back, confident, relaxed, employers are turned off. Everybody wants a
workhorse, but with no hay as a reward. I remember my first job at a big law firm in
L.A. I had my review, asked for my small raise, and the COO (woman) looked at me
and said, “I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t get the best person for the least
amount. Do you want to keep your job, or not?” 25 years later, I feel like nothing’s
changed. It sucks because I’m statistically slated to live another 30 years! I’m not
gonna sit around, get lazy and encourage Alzheimer’s to set in. I plan on working for
another 15-20 years, but where?” —Laurie Nelson Altenbern
Scenario #5
“This is an issue I’ve been reading more and more about every day from all over the
world. I think most of us over 50 understand the necessity of keeping up with the
latest trends, technology, etc etc. Afterall, we were using the first version of
Windows and had to continually update our skills to keep up with the multiple
versions that were to follow. And that’s only one small example, there are so many.
Think about all your work experiences, no matter how insignificant you think they
are, incorporate all those learnings in a resume. Trying to prove age discrimination
from a legal perspective is virtually impossible unless a hiring person blurts it out –
“you’re too old, and because of that we’re not hiring you.” Every article I read says
the same thing, that’s because there is no real solution to the problem. The only way
out of it is to: keep looking for that job, start a business — after all, all that
knowledge has to be worth something to someone, and network your butt off.” —
Lois Brown
Scenario #6
“I never thought I was going to be in this situation, having to deal with age
discrimination. I was let go after 8 hard working years, the company personnel was
restructured and I was the oldest & [highest paid] in my department, they did not
consider the fact that I was the hardest worker there, I can beat any twenty-year-old
when it comes to stamina! I have been thru so many interviews that when they see
me I notice the look on their faces as”oh, she is older” even though I don’t look 53! I
am beginning to doubt my skills and wonder if I chose the wrong career. I am a
Technical Designer in the fashion industry and there is a lot of competition. So I am
thinking on reinventing myself, so I will try to start something on my own and work
my butt off networking.” —Dari Roldan