What is discrimination? Does it exist in the 21st century?

Discrimination is the diminishing of the rights of one or another part of humanity on the grounds that some external feature distinguishes it from other categories of the population. Discriminatory norms can be contained in all sources of rules governing public life: in laws, in religious codes, in morals.

Discrimination. Definition

What is discrimination today? Here are three typical examples of modern discrimination:
• The driving license can not be obtained until adulthood. The statutory discriminatory norm on age.
• Women do not have the right to visit Mount Athos. The discriminatory norm established by the Orthodox religious practice on the basis of gender.
• People not dressed in accordance with the dress code are not allowed into the nightclub. Discrimination on financial well-being, established by custom.
These three examples of discrimination exist today, are habitual and do not cause a desire to fight them. Nevertheless, the history of mankind knows both insurrections and wars aimed at combating discrimination.

History of the elimination of discrimination

Traditionally, when analyzing the question: "What is discrimination?" Two historical processes are emerging: the struggle for the rights of the African-American population in the United States and the struggle of women for equal suffrage. Both were conducted for almost a century, with numerous victims, and led to the victory of both rights-stricken parties by the 60s of the 20th century. The ban on discrimination against women eventually ended with today's painful American emancipation, when an innocent compliment could be the reason for the prosecution. This is a traditional effect, when the force of action is always or almost always equal to the forces of opposition. Therefore, the energy of resistance accumulated by the motion of suffragettes led to a sad change in the norms of morality.

The law on discrimination In the sphere of labor, on the other hand, essentially binds the hands of the economy and the army. Cases when there is no reason to refuse women in recruitment on the basis of sex, sometimes lead to a loss of the army's combat capability. Margaret Thatcher recalled that the right of women to serve in the Navy forced the British Navy to re-equip all warships, having equipped souls and toilets for women there. What remains after this from the praised fighting spirit of the British military? So what is discrimination? Sometimes this is a measure of the necessary defense.

Discrimination today is the discrimination of the majority

Today, the attitude towards discrimination has changed somewhat. The key ideology of global human rights defenders was the sly declaration of Amnesty International: there are situations where equal treatment can actually lead to inequality and discrimination. What is disability discrimination in terms of this position? This equipment for them special ramps in public buildings, for example. Accordingly, this category of the population has initially slightly more rights than other categories. The same example is the mandatory quota of seats in the parliaments of a number of countries for women or representatives of indigenous peoples.

So the rights of the minority turned out to be under the greater protection of public opinion. What is discrimination from this point of view? A double-edged propaganda tool.