Prejudice, stereotypes and discrimination

Understanding the terms

Stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination are related but different.

A simple way to remember: stereotypes are thoughts, prejudice is feelings, discrimination is actions.

Stereotypes

A stereotype is an oversimplified belief that everyone in a group is the same. Stereotypes can be negative or seem positive, but they always ignore individual differences. Even "positive" stereotypes, such as assuming a group is naturally good at math, can create pressure and hide real people.

Stereotypes often come from limited experience, media portrayals, jokes and what people hear from others.

Prejudice and bias

Prejudice means "pre-judging": forming a negative opinion without enough knowledge.

A bias is a tendency to favour or disfavour a group.

• Explicit bias: conscious and intentional
• Implicit (unconscious) bias: automatic associations people may not realize they have, which can still affect decisions in hiring, policing, health care and schools

Everyone has biases. The goal is to recognize and challenge them.

Discrimination

Discrimination is unfair treatment based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age. Human rights laws in Canada and the United States prohibit discrimination in areas such as employment, housing and services.

Individual and systemic discrimination

• Individual discrimination: one person treats another unfairly.
• Systemic discrimination: policies and practices within institutions create unequal outcomes for some groups, even without anyone intending harm.

Examples of systemic issues:

• historical housing policies, such as redlining in the U.S., limited where Black families could buy homes and build wealth
• the overrepresentation of Indigenous people in Canada’s prisons
• workplace rules that unintentionally exclude people with disabilities
• underfunding of schools and services in some communities

Forms of discrimination

Historical examples

• Segregation and Jim Crow laws in the United States
• Residential schools and the Indian Act in Canada
• The Chinese head tax and exclusion laws
• Internment of Japanese Canadians and Japanese Americans during WWII
• The Holocaust, the most extreme example of where prejudice and hate can lead

The pyramid of hate

Educators often use a "pyramid of hate" to show how prejudice can escalate if unchallenged:

1. Biased attitudes: stereotypes, accepting negative information
2. Acts of bias: insults, jokes, exclusion
3. Discrimination: unequal treatment in jobs, housing and education
4. Violence: threats, assaults, vandalism
5. Genocide: the deliberate destruction of a people

Each level is supported by the ones below. Challenging bias early can prevent harm.

What you can do

Allyship means supporting people who face discrimination.

• Reflect on your own biases.
• Learn about others’ experiences and history.
• Speak up when you hear stereotypes or slurs, if it’s safe to do so.
• Support the person targeted: check in with them.
• Report discrimination to trusted adults or authorities.
• Include people who are left out.
• Advocate for fair policies at school and in your community.

Try it yourself

1. Give an example of a stereotype, prejudice and discrimination, and explain how they connect.
2. Analyze a media example for stereotypes. How could it be improved?
3. Research a systemic discrimination issue and propose a solution.
4. Role-play responding to a biased comment respectfully and safely.

Quick recap

• Stereotypes are beliefs, prejudice is an attitude, discrimination is an action.
• Bias can be conscious or unconscious.
• Discrimination can be individual or systemic.
• Racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, sexism and other forms harm people and communities.
• Allyship and speaking up help challenge discrimination.