4 Real Actions We Need to Take Against Discrimination

On the outside looking in, will I ever be more than I’ve always been?

Surely, as a Moro youth, you can relate to Evan Hansen. As a member of a minority group in Philippine society, you’ve felt the suspicious glances and heard the whispers of judgment behind your back.

You know what it feels like to be on the outside, always being defined as a Moro and treated accordingly.

This treatment is rooted in discrimination, which is born out of a vicious cycle of separating people into different groups and excluding those who don’t belong. Discrimination occurs when differences in things like religion, ethnicity, gender, and class lead to one group being treated unjustly.

Chances are, you have been on the receiving end of discrimination at one point in time or another.

That said, let’s be clear: discrimination affects everyone. Yes, there are groups that feel the impact of discrimination more than others, but that only highlights why recognizing that anyone can take on the role of the discriminator is incredibly important. This also means that everyone has their own part to play in taking action against discrimination.

Here are some real things we can all do in order to create a less judgmental and more inclusive environment for everyone:

1. Change people’s ATTITUDES.

Some people tend to think that discriminatory behavior wouldn’t be a problem if people were just nicer to each other. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

More than words or actions, attitude is the most important change that needs to happen for discrimination to be tackled properly. This is something for everyone to work on. Yes, even though you might be part of a group that is more negatively impacted by discrimination, we all still have our own inner biases and prejudices against people from other groups. We need to address these first in order to create a real change in outward behavior. 

This is why it’s important to regularly check yourself to see if you happen to be negatively judging a certain group of people. Identifying your own biases is the first step. Only when you’ve done the work yourself can you start leading by example in tackling discrimination.

2. When you have the POWER, use it in a POSITIVE way.

Believe it or not, even as a young individual, you have a great deal of influence on the people around you. And you know what they say about power – it comes with great responsibility! 

Make sure to use the power and influence you have in a positive way. Don’t let the change in attitude stop at you. Set a good example for others to follow through with your actions. Start by engaging your close circle in positive conversations about how we are all affected by discrimination. A lot of people might not even be aware that discrimination-related issues are still taking place today. Encourage them to join you in striving for a better world free from prejudice.

This is a good way to put your changed attitudes into action. Others will definitely see the effort you put in, and you’ll be an even bigger inspiration to anyone who believes in peace and inclusion.

3. Support people who are victims of DISCRIMINATION.

Here’s the thing about discrimination: the person on the receiving end will always be the one most affected by any discriminatory behavior. And if you’ve experienced being discriminated against before, you know how much it means to have someone on your side. 

This is why if you are truly determined to tackle discrimination, you have to pay it forward. Be an ally to others as well. Don’t partake in discriminatory behavior towards others, and instead offer your support and encouragement to others who might be victims of discrimination.

This will show other people that there truly is a better way of moving forward. Not only does it help raise awareness that discrimination is still a problem today, but it is also a massive encouragement for other allies to keep up the fight for a better world.

4. Contradict the ideology of SUPERIORITY.

Let’s face it: no matter how much we might want to, we’ll never be able to fully eradicate discrimination on our own.

Yes, we can change our attitudes and actions at the individual, or even community, level. But if we want to fully break the cycle of discrimination, we need to address the broader structural issues that support exclusion and oppression. Specifically, we need to contradict ideologies of superiority, which keep certain groups of people in power and enable discrimination. 

Ideologies of superiority are already deeply entrenched in our society and maintained through norms, privileges, misinformation, negative stereotyping, and a culture of silence. All of these will need to be changed to effectively tackle discrimination. 

We know this will be tough, which is why it’s going to take all of us. So let’s each do our part in making the world a more inclusive and loving place.