Race and Ethnicity
In my first chapter about race and ethnicity, it gives several types of discrimination that are targeted against a certain group of people. Today there are still problems regarding race around the world. One current and close to home for Americans is the hostility against Arabs and Jews in the Middle East. This goes along with government parties in Germany that won the election in 1998 but was considered a “right wing racist party.” In Italy they have been trying to deal with the increase of undocumented immigrants coming in from Tunisia and some feel this is an act of racism. There have been acts of violence against African farm workers in southern Italy that left several people injured. In England, there have been bombs exploded in areas of ethnic minority. In all corners of the world people are still finding reasons to exploit hatred towards certain ethnic groups. We have seen this behavior for centuries and will continue to live in a world that sees people color and not their heart.
Gender
The gender chapter ties in with discrimination as well but is directed more specifically towards whether you’re female or male. Today women are intentionally forced in less working condition, less pay for hard labor, or sexually abused. All of over the world women and children are the poorest population. Sex trafficking is an issue for young women that are used to sell their bodies for sex. An estimated 600,000 women and children are trafficked across international borders each year. Some common areas are in Asia, Latin America, and Europe. One other very sad situation that happens to women is female genital mutilation. This is altering women’s sex organs for no medical purpose. These procedures often can cause severe bleeding, problems urinating, and childbirth complications. An estimated 100 to 140 million girls between infancy to 15 years old are targets of female genital mutilation. Most of the population comes from many areas within Africa. All of these cases are just a few that persecute women and make the inferior to men. There are several organizations that help in the prevention of these horrible acts worldwide and provide more information if you're interested.
Religion and Sexuality
Sexuality used to be thought as something conservative but today it’s thrown in your face everywhere you go. In the media, its portrayed in commercials, T.V. programs, and even the way we dress. Abortion seems to be a heated topic today. Worldwide it is usually seen in developed countries and restricted in undeveloped countries. This has to do more with religions like Muslim and Catholicism. In Peru, Chile, and Brazil the abortion rate is higher than in countries that have it on demand. Abortions have dropped in the United States because of birth control being available. Other issues like homosexuality can be seen as something that is “controlled.” Certain religions believe that being a homosexual can be prayed away. There have been debates whether gays should receive the death penalty in Kampala, Uganda. This was tested in the Anti-Homosexuality Bill in 2009. They believed that is wasn’t natural but a lifestyle that was seen in Western civilization, America, and was desired. Many Christian’s were in favor of this bill to save the concept of traditional family. In the U.S. we have a mixed culture of liberals and conservatives. It is slowly emerging more towards liberals but this is not seen in other parts of the world. They keep to traditional beliefs probably because they are surround by the culture they grew up in, whereas the U.S. is diverse. Religion seems to be a key role in people's belief system.
