Race, Class, and Gender Inequalities

Race, class, and gender inequalities share many similarities but differ from one another in myriad ways. Inequality regarding race, class, and gender are all perpetrated on the grounds of socially constructed ideas. As Paula Rothenberg explains in The Social Construction of Difference: Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality, “Rather than being 'given' in nature, they reflect culturally constructed differences that maintain the prevailing distribution of power and privilege in a society” (1998, p. 7). These constructs are created and reinforced to allow for those in a better position to remain there and those less fortunate positions to be unable to gain any ground. This exists for the poor, for women, and for people of color. It exists for wealthy, white males, insofar as they are able to benefit. This is how other instances of inequality are perpetuated.

Another aspect of inequality shared between race, class, and gender is the fact that all three suffer if they attempt to exhibit any of the traits for which the more privileged are praised. The traits that are praised in the ruling class (the wealthy, white males) are disparaged in people of color, females, and the poor. Rothenberg lists an example about women, writing, "Traits that [are] considered positive in a man [are] seen as signs of dysfunction in a woman” (1998, p. 7). We see the same thing in people of color who attempt to gain wealth or become successful being seen as too aggressive, where a white person in the same position would be described as “headstrong” or “determined.” In all three cases, it is impossible for those negatively affected by inequality to use the same strategies as those positively affected by inequality for their own benefit.

A third way that race, gender, and class inequalities are similar is in the fact that all three have histories built on legislation that allowed for these inequalities to persist. Changing the laws has not removed the stigmas associated with these constructs. If anything, laws that attempted to remove the power from the people of privilege have only done harm in reinforcing these stigmas in a social, if not legal, sense. For Black Americans, the obvious example is even though slavery was abolished, massive levels of inequality still exist today. A quick look at the laws listed on the website, The Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia: “Using Objects of Intolerance to Teach Tolerance and Promote Social Justice” shows how laws actually allowed for gross discrimination. There are laws listed that would lead to imprisonment for at least one year if a white and non-white individual shared a room. Billiard halls, restaurants, and hospitals were legally required to keep races separate. It was not even at the establishment’s discretion (2010). Similarly, laws that attempt to ensure that women are paid wages equal to those of their male counterparts have caused women to be looked at as attempting to gain undeserved compensation

While many issues of inequality are similar in nature, they cannot all be treated the same. Racial, social class, and gender inequalities do have differences, which cannot stand up to comparison. Racial inequality in regards to pay is one such example. It is important to note, as described by the “Study: Median Wealth for Single Black Women: $100, Single Hispanic Women: $120, Single White Women: $41,000” video, while women, no matter race, do make less then men, women of color see an enormous disparity between what they earn and what their white, female counterparts earn (2010). As Amy Goodman explains in the video, “The report found nearly half of all single black and Hispanic women have zero or negative wealth, meaning their debts exceed all their assets,” which is not the case for nearly as many white women (2010). This is only one way in which racial inequality differs from class and gender inequalities.

One way that gender inequality differs from racial and social inequality is that because the United States patriarchy allows for a male-identified, male-dominated and male-centered society, all men, regardless of race or social class can find ways to identify with male leaders. Allan Johnson’s “Patriarchy” provides one example: “When upper-class U.S. President George Bush 'got tough' with Saddam Hussein...men of all classes could identify with his acting out of basic patriarchal values” (1998, p. 168). Women, viewed as inferior across the board, have no such equivalent.

Social class inequality differs from race and gender inequalities because it suffers from the “if you don’t like it, change it” argument perpetuated by wealthy, white males in a way that racial and gender inequalities do not. Racial and gender inequalities are often blamed on unfounded biological differences instead. As Professor Catherine Lavender explained in her lecture, “The Cult of Domesticity and True Womanhood” it was once believed “Female nurturance, intuitive morality, domesticity, passivity, and delicacy, and male rationality, aggressiveness, independence, and toughness were all due to their physical makeup” (Lavender). These qualities are still often used to explain away female behaviors. This is similar to people of color being treated as “savage” or “less evolved” than white people in order to justify unequal treatment. Those in lower social classes are often just blamed for being lazy. It is their “fault” that they are poor, as opposed to race and gender issues which are often blamed on biology.

Very few people go through life without experiencing some form of inequality related to their social class, race and/or gender. Unless an individual is lucky enough to be a wealthy, white male, there is likely something that exposes them to these inequalities. While this is the case for nearly everyone, the types of inequalities experienced can differ depending on social standing, race, and gender. This is not to say that there are not also similarities shared between these various categories. Overall, inequality is a complicated concept. Understanding how groups are similarly and disparately exposed to inequalities can help make clear how inequality affects all.

References

Johnson, A. (1998). Patriarchy. Race, class, and gender in the United States: an integrated study (4th ed., p. 165). New York: St. Martin's Press.

Rothenberg, P. S. (1998). The Social Construction of Difference: Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality. Race, class, and gender in the United States: an integrated study (4th ed., p. 7). New York: St. Martin's Press.

Lavender, C. (Director) (2014, February 24). The Cult of Domesticity and True Womanhood. The Cult of DomesticityC and True Womanhood. Lecture conducted from The College of Staten Island of CUNY, New York.

The Origins of Jim Crow. (2010, January 1). The Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia: "Using Objects of Intolerance to Teach Tolerance and Promote Social Justice". Retrieved February 24, 2014, from www.ferris.edu/htmls/news/jimcrow/origins.htm