Abstract
Injustice generally refers to the means through which unjust actions are being conducted in our society at large. Furthermore, social injustice can be defined as the power structure where the dominant population is known for disparity over the other (Maus, 2015). Injustice can be considered in our society through these scenarios; the equals are treated unequally, and the unequal are given equals. Injustice can be seen in this common type of social injustice; discrimination, homophobia, Racism, and ageism (Farooq, 2015). Injustice from centuries has always been practiced to the extent the laws of the land play blind. Injustice exists and still prevails in our current society at all dimensions of government branches in America. And even in this century, despite the growth in information, injustice still prevails, with the mentioned types of injustices also having significant psychological effects, including stress and depression.
Research question: This literature review explores and explains the various social injustices in our society and delves into the psychological effects and tortures social injustices leave in individuals.
Types of Social Injustices and their effects
Discrimination
Discrimination exists in several fields such as election, employment, housing, healthcare, land education, and almost all sectors in American society (Find law, 2015). In my understanding, discrimination is the unequal treatment of an individual for outcomes not based on the rights, law, or ability. Racism in America is considered illegal by both federal and state rules. The existing law discourages discrimination in these fields; employment, healthcare, military, race, sex, housing, education, and more social sectors in America (Hill, 2015). Discrimination has always facilitated the unequal treatment of a specific group of people or individuals based on their partiality and prejudice. Injustice has made particular individuals and people suffer from emotional imbalance such as frustration and anger. For instance, African American women are always believed to be an aggressive and furious woman in America.
Brown University conducted census data that reveal that income differences are not the primary element that has brought discrimination among ethical groups and races in the United States of America. For example, the level of income of both the minority groups and whites are the same. However, the minority group still lives in a poor neighborhood (Goyette and Scheler, 2015). A study conducted in the Arizona State during 2006 and 2007 revealed that the population of Hispania and African American drivers was likely to be stopped by highway patrol police. For instance, today’s current events in most states reveal that as much as social injustice of discrimination is illegal, it’s still practiced indirectly.
Transgender individuals are revealed to lose their employment because they refused to conform to the gender rules of the organizations. A larger percentage claimed they are faced with transgender discrimination at the workplace. In 2008, a survey was conducted by the department of injustice on transgender. The survey reveals that the number of unemployed transgender individuals was more than that compared to another female gender. Furthermore, the survey also revealed that those transgender individuals were paid fewer wages than the rest of the employed population (Paquette, 2015). There even existed age discrimination at the workplaces. For example, in 2010, The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recorded 24,264 individuals discriminated against at the workplace due to their age. This their fore contributes to psychological torture and depression. It further instills low self-esteem in these people hence poor performance in their works or social lives.
Somebody can also consider stereotyping a form of discrimination since it discourages certain groups of people or individuals. In America, some people think that their actions are just in the radiology of women and men of certain ethical groups. However, these people do not knowingly promote discrimination in American society. For example, police agencies have been dominated by the ideology that African Americans are dangerous and should be approached cautiously. The death rate in America and globally due to police brutality due to stereotyping is very high compared to factors that cause death. The recent event of the #Black Lives matter revealed a high form of injustice practiced by law enforcement in America. Discrimination generally causes significant mental and psychological effects. Including depression, stigmatization, shoddy work and school performance, anxiety, limited social interaction or isolation, suicide, suicidal thoughts, and low or slow economic growth to nations practicing promoting these forms of discriminatory practices.
Racism
Discrimination against a person based on their color or race continues to be an epidemic, especially in America, where the people of color are marginalized. Of course, being the minority, you will have a stiff price to pay, but nevertheless, you’re still human. One of the prices the minority (in this case, the minority are the blacks) has to pay the more significant share is in America’s criminal justice system. A justice system whereby from the police officers arresting you to the judge prosecuting you are all white. This paper will also highlight in detail how Racism has impacted the criminal justice system in America over the years and highlight the damages it has caused.
Nevertheless, Racism is not just a matter of black and white, but all races thinking and believing they are different and better from the others. When one race believes it’s more superior to the other, therefore treating others like inferiors, and in this case, in the justice system. Many people have found themselves on the wrong side of the law or even in prison just because of their color.
According to the “The Sentencing Project” website, African Americans face higher chances of being arrested, then convicted and charged with longer sentences compared to whites. What is seen in documented films and movies is still a reality. Blacks and all other foreign races living in America more than once have found themselves between a rock and a hard place. Even most with visas and homes still feel as if they live in a foreign land. Blacks being the most unfortunate because most of them eventually find prisons being their homes. More blacks are being prosecuted and getting lengthy sentences for crimes; a white national must only pay a small bail. From a white supremacist judge to the jury members continue to make the lives of many blacks a burden.
However, despite strict and precise laws against racial discrimination, the number of those in jail and prisons for crimes they did not commit but found themselves guilty because of their color is very worrying. According to the research, blacks comprise more than 30% of prisoners in America. It does not mean that all are innocent, but some could be. Therefore, a Black American family will find it hard to go to the police to seek justice or help when the need arises because they will fear discrimination when handling their case.
How Racism started
Racism has been and has remained the same for the longest time possible, only now that it’s manifested and presented differently from the past. For the longest time, Racism has been seen from the colonial period when white colonists would make the blacks work for them in their farms and beat them up, but now in the 21st century, Racism is manifested in a different way. For instance, two people go for an interview in an American company where the panelists are all white, a black male and a white male, and the white male eventually gets employed. Nevertheless, the black male was more qualified and more experienced, but he’s going through the same Racism as the black man during the colonial period because of his color. Therefore it’s proof enough we never stopped being racist; instead, it’s being passed on like a baton from generation to generation. The white colonial soldiers would teach their kids how to treat other races by mistreating them, and that is what is still being seen today.
In America, in 2020, a black man by the name of George Floyd was murdered brutally by a group of white police officers. On May 25, the world witnessed what the article has labeled race supremacy. The 46-year-old man was murdered for what was branded resisting arrest; however, security cameras and onlookers who recorded a video, which made rounds online, showed the world race supremacy. A scene has never been seen happening to a white person but black people. According to an article by Aljazeera, the police officer who pressed his knee on George Floyd, which resulted in his death, was charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter. That scene put the America’s justice system to suspicion considering that it was just a video recorded; how many others have died because of their races, and that has not been recorded for the world to see?
Several institutions do not consider employing African American individuals. All these are discriminatory practices, even if the United States of America constitution prohibits the act. The introduction of Africans into the American nation as slaves and other countries resulted in Racism. The bondage of power is fuelling Racism to a different level that has never been seen even in the previous centuries. For example, the recent campaign of Black Lives Matter. From the narration, we get to find out that the significant goal of slavery was commercial.
For instance, Africans would capture their people during the war and sell them to the whites. The act of selling their people was majorly motivated by the slave trade.
The cultural beliefs are also promoting the social injustice of discrimination. The existing cultures have made most people believe that the male gender is more powerful and more muscular than the female gender (Gender Equality, 2015). Gender inequality has created a society where men have more positions of power compared to women in the society. Considering the gender rights and equality protected by the constitution of the United States of America, we can confirm that they have failed. Gender equality is a notion that seems challenging to be put into full play because most representatives are men in both houses (Griffith, 2015).
Furthermore, since men are the large percentage of represented, they are less likely to push what will disadvantage them. Gender inequality is the injustice that exists and cannot be challenged since the hierarchy of power is dominated by men. For example, most firms in America and globally pay different wages to be male and female managers, even if they are conducting the same work. The policies of most organizations tend to consider men as immensely superior to women.
Homophobia
Homophobia is the negative attitudes or looking down upon individuals practicing homosexuality, who are generally identified as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. It further breaks down to biphobia, whereby an individual or group of individuals is hated and mistreated because they are bisexual, similar to transphobia, which is hate and mistreatment of transgender people.
For decades homosexuality has been discouraged by the churches majorly. For instance, the Roman Catholic persecuted individuals who were involved in homosexuality (Smith, 2011). With the existence of modernity transition in America, homosexual rights were implemented. As much as state laws protect that practicing homosexuality, some individuals are despised for their sexuality. The society at large has not accepted them, and they tend to experience rejection and discrimination. For example, some families discourage their children from homosexual marriages, and if they still practice it, they are not being supported by their parents. The practice of discrimination and rejecting homosexuality of individuals are going against the law and rights of clinical in America. However, religious beliefs and family affiliations have also made people discourage it at all costs globally.
Some of the effects homophobia leaves include making people feel alone and afraid to even tell what they are going through. Therefore, this form of homophobic harassment leads to suicidal thoughts and, in extreme cases, suicide itself. It also leads to depression, to some people falling people living with homophobia. This later leads to poor performance in school or at work and low communication and limited social interactions because of fear of stigmatization. It also leads to poor mental health due to substance abuse like a high intake of alcohol and hard drugs.
However, some ways to help curb homophobia include: not using offensive words or language to describe gay, lesbians, or bisexual people; supporting homosexuals in campaigning for their rights will help make them feel wanted, and most importantly, respecting them as they are.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this paper has discussed the injustice that still prevails in our society; such as Stereotyping can also be considered a form of discrimination since it discourages a particular group of people or individuals. In America, some people think that their activities are just in the radiology of women and men of certain ethical groups. However, these people do not knowingly promote discrimination in American society. For example, police agencies have been dominated by the ideology that African Americans are dangerous and should be approached with caution. The rate of death in America and globally due to police brutality as a result of stereotyping is very high compared to factors that cause death. Homophobia is the negative attitudes or looking down upon individuals practicing homosexuality. For decade homosexuality have been discouraged the churches majorly. For instance, the Roman Catholic persecuted individuals who were involved in homosexuality. With the existence of modernity transition in America, homosexual rights were implemented. As much as that practicing homosexuality is protected to buy state laws, some individuals despise them for their sexuality. The society at large has not accepted them, and they tend to experience rejection and discrimination. Further Racism that has wrecked merciless havoc across the globe continues to be seen as a pandemic yet to be solved.
These different forms of injustices, therefore having almost similar mental and psychological effects. Including depression, stigmatization, poor work and school performance, anxiety, limited social interaction or isolation, suicide and suicidal thoughts and also poor or slow economic growth to nations practicing and promoting this forms of injustices such as Racism. If the justice system is rehabilitated and these social injustices put aside, the world would brace itself for the change in livelihoods of many and more so the generations to come.