Students >> GCSE RS >> AQA >> Revision Guide >> Prejudice
The Law
1918 Women over 30 given the right to vote.
1928 Right to vote granted to women over 21.
1953 Employment Act swept away most restrictions on the employment of women (e.g. in mines).
1968 Relations Act this made it against the law to discrimination against a person on the grounds of colour, race or ethnic origins
1970 The Equal Pay Act gave women the right to equal pay with men for similar work.
The Act was amended in 1985 to enable equal pay for work of 'equal value' (defined in relation to effort, skill, responsibility, etc.).
1975 The Employment Protection Act allowed a woman the right to paid maternity leave and the right to return to her employer after the child was born.
1975 & 1986 Sex Discrimination Acts meant that employers could not discriminate in terms of sex in recruitment and training.
General

Prejudice means pre-judgement taking a dislike to a person for no good reason or making a judgement before you know all the facts. To then take action because of this prejudice is known as discrimination.

To think that women are inferior to men is a prejudice known as sexism to then treat women badly because of this is discrimination.

· People sometimes say that discrimination = prejudice + power
· Prejudice can be about many different things: religion, race, colour, sex, sexuality, language, disability, age etc.
· All prejudice and discrimination goes against the first two Articles of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights:
Article 1. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Article 2. Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

Types of prejudice - try to think of other examples
Religion
Gender
Age
Sexuality
Colour
Region of Birth
Accent

Reasons for Prejudice
Stereotyping - women seen solely as mothers
Fear - Loosing jobs or value on property if a 'white' neighbourhood changes
Scapegoating - blaming someone else on your troubles
Parents' prejudice - copied by their children, also influence of peer group
Influence of the media - some newspapers, TV programs, books etc.
Ignorance - lack of knowledge
History
Slave Trade
African people were stolen from their own countries and shipped to Portugal, Spin, America and Britain to work as slaves - all people whose families were from the Caribbean were taken there as slaves to work on sugar plantations.
Apartheid
In South Africa, the law made it impossible for black and white people to live together. People were kept apart based on skin colour; schools, houses and any other facilities were segregated. It officially ended in 1993.
Holocaust
The murder of more than 11 million people, six million of those were Jews, during WW2 by the Nazis. Jews were discriminated against because of their religion and culture.
Ethic Cleansing
When ethnic minority groups are forced out of their homes and made into refugees in order to create a pure race in a country. In Kosovo in 1999, for example, ethnic Albanians were made to leave their homes because of their race.
Religious Teachings

Christianity
Christianity teaches that everyone is equal in the eyes of God and so it would be wrong to make anyone feel inferior or suffer because of any difference between them:
You shall love your neighbour as yourself. (Matthew 22:39)

Jesus based his teachings about other people on love:
I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. (John 13:34)

There are also two important teachings in the writings of Paul about this:
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. (Acts 17:26)
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)

However, there have been cases where Christians do appear to be guilty of prejudice and discrimination:
· For many years in South Africa the Dutch Reformed Church supported apartheid, the system which meant that black people were separated from white people and treated as inferior.
· When Europeans were colonising other countries around the world they often killed the native people there and treated them as slaves.

However, the Christian church and individuals have challenged racism, and demonstrated how Christians should live.
World Council of Churches 1980
"Every human being created in the image of God is a person for who Christ died. Racism, which is the use of a person's racial origin to determine their value, is an assault on Christ's values and a rejection of his sacrifice."

Martin Luther King Jnr
He was a black American Christian who believed that God created all men and omen equal. His beliefs inspired him to work towards equality. He campaigned against black and white people having separate schools, restaurants and separate seats on buses. He organized marches and speeches about equality. In 1968 he as murdered, but others carried on the work.

Trevor Huddleston
Was an Anglican archbishop, he lived in South Africa and fought against Apartheid. Because of his Christian beliefs, he thought it was wrong for black people to be treated as inferior to white. He said it was not possible to be a Christina if you did nothing about injustice.

Sexism and Christianity
Many people also think that the Christian Church is sexist and does not treat men and women equally. Paul said that:
Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to enquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. (1 Corinthians 14:34-35)

And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonours her head-it is just as though her head were shaved. If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head. A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. (1 Corinthians 11:3-7)

Paul sees the roles of men and women as very different.
It is only recently that some churches have allowed women to become ministers or priests (including the Church of England in 1994) but others, such as the Roman Catholic Church, will still not allow this.
Islam
The Qur'an teaches that everyone was created by Allah and that everyone is equal:
Of His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the variations in your languages and colours. (Surah 30:22)

O mankind, We have created you from a single pair of a male and a female; and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other, not that you might despise each other. Truly the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah, is the most righteous. (Surah 49:13)

There is no reason to treat people of different races differently. Muhammad (peace be upon him) showed how important this teaching was in his last sermon, when he said:
All mankind is descended from Adam and Eve, an Arab is not better than a non-Arab and a non-Arab is not better than an Arab; a white person is not better than a black person, nor is a black person better than a white person except by piety and good actions. Learn that every Muslim is the brother of every other Muslim and that Muslims form one brotherhood.

Islam also teaches that men and women are equal and will be judged equally by Allah:
For Muslim men and women
For believing men and women…
For men and women who are patient and constant…
For men and women who give in charity…
For men and women who often remember Allah
For them Allah has prepared forgiveness and great reward. (Surah 33:35)

However, their rights are different because their roles are different. Men must support the family:
Men are the protectors of women because Allah has given the one more strength… and because they support them from their means. (Surah 4:33)

Although the rights and responsibilities of women are different to those of men, they do have the right to choose who they marry, to divorce, to study, to own property, to conduct business and to take part in politics.
Muhammad (peace be upon him) stressed the importance of women and the respect which should be shown to them when he said:
Paradise lies at the feet of your mother. (Sunan An-Nasa'i)

The teachings of Islam direct Muslim women to wear modest clothes that cover their bodies when they are in public, so that men will show them the respect that they deserve:
O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women that they should put on an outer garment when they are outside so that they should be recognised as who they are and not troubled. (Surah 33:59)

Exam Questions
Try to answer these questions.
a) Describe five different causes of prejudice which might exist in a society that includes many different religions (5)
b) Why would most religious people believe that they should not be prejudiced against other religious groups? Refer to religious teachings in your answer. (10)
c) "The teaching of Religious Education in schools is the best way to stop prejudice." How far do you agree with this statement? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. (5)
Model Answers

(a) Why might religious people feel that they have a responsibility to break down prejudice in society? (7 marks)

General answers could include: prejudice is unfair; Jesus mixed with everyone; against Christian idea of love; prejudging is morally wrong; prejudice cannot be justified; stereotyping and scapegoating are wrong; prejudice is dangerous e.g. could lead to genocide (e.g. WW2 - Hitler; Bosnia - Slobodan Milosevic); the church houses a large number of different races and cultures.
Christianity - Leviticus 19:33-34; Luke 7:1-10; Luke 10:25-36; "Love your neighbour…when you make distinctions between classes of people…this is a sin and breaks the law" (James 2:8-9); reference could be made to Martin Luther King Jnr or Desmond Tutu.
Islam - Qur'an 49:13; Hadith; understanding of Ummah; everyone is a Khalifah working on behalf of Allah, therefore equal; all are equal, but different, but just as important; Muslims united by their support of the Five Pillars; equality shown through wearing of white (Hajj; death); Qur'an is against discrimination; Islamic law based on justice, therefore no prejudice.

6-7 marks - Candidate makes very good reference to religious teachings and ideas from both religions. The issues are clearly understood and good insight is shown.


(b) Using the religion(s) you have studied, explain their attitude(s) to the role of women in society. (8 marks)

General answers could include: traditional ideas are opposed to women's roles today; less discrimination than in the past; more equality in the workplace; change of roles in some homes etc.
Christianity - Galatians 3:28; Genesis - male and female created in His image; Jesus showed respect for women e.g. Martha and Mary; Jesus showed compassion e.g. woman with haemorrhage; women witnessed the Resurrection; women missionaries; women as social reformers e.g. Elizabeth Fry - prison reform; women not allowed to be priests in Roman Catholic Church but allowed in Church of England; prejudice against women in early church; 'wives should submit to husbands' Ephesians 5:28-33.
Islam - women should dress modestly (Surah 33:59); women are not sex objects and should keep themselves for their husbands (Surah 24:31); some women wear veils (hijab); leader of Pakistan was President Bhutto - shows women are not repressed and have opportunities; the Qur'an is liberating to women; women created from same single soul as men and judged in same way; women have different roles - home is very important but can have careers e.g. teaching, nursing (Muhammad accepted this); after marriage a woman can keep her maiden name although expected to marry a Muslim.

7-8 marks - Very good insight. Very good explanation of religious teaching and ideas. Very clear understanding of roles of women in the two religions studied.


(c) "Religion can't stop prejudice; only a change in the law will bring an end to it."
How far do you agree with this statement? Show you have thought about different points of view and give reasons to support your answer. (5 marks)

4-5 marks - Evidence used to back up a balanced argument.