Illegal treatment of a person or group (either intentional or unintentional) based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, veteran’s status and in some states, sexual orientation. The term also includes the failure to remedy the effects of past discrimination. Making decisions in prejudicial manner that may exclude or deny opportunity; making distinctions based on racial, ethnic, or distinguishing features such as usage, religious identification or disability.
• Combination of prejudice (superiority/inferiority belief system) and institutional power, the power to impose that system on others
• Without power, we all have about the same ability to be prejudiced
• Destructive “isms” (racism, sexism, ageism, ethnocentrism, homophobism, etc.)
• Use of institutional power to reinforce biased belief systems and to disadvantage others.