This document discusses four major forms of discrimination or "isms": sexism, racism, ageism, and heterosexism. It provides examples of how each ism manifests in society through questions individuals are encouraged to reflect on regarding their own experiences. Specific behaviors and attitudes associated with each ism are defined, such as negative stereotypes, prejudices, and inequitable treatment. The document also addresses abusive, hurtful, and stigmatizing language and how certain words can perpetuate discrimination or harm marginalized groups. Overall, the summary aims to raise awareness of social injustices and promote more inclusive, respectful treatment of all people.

1. The
Four
Major
Deadly
Isms

2. Questions
Sexism
How many women have been wolf-howled, whistled at, or have been yelled
at “hey baby?”
•How many men have felt suppressed from their vulnerability (such as crying
or expressing softer emotions)?
Racism
•Have you ever been a victim of racial profiling for example being stopped by
an authoritative figure because of your skin color or ethnicity?
•How many people have someone in their family who are prejudice towards
certain groups of people?
Ageism
•How many of you have ever spoken in an abnormally high volume when
talking to an elder?
•How many of you have been rejected of a job due to age and lack of
experience?
Heterosexism
•How many people have witnessed someone who used a derogatory term
such gay, retard, queer, faggot, etc?
•How many people know someone who is homosexual?

3. Sexism
Definition: Negative attitudes
and beliefs about a about a
particular gender; prejudicial
attitudes and beliefs about
men or woman based on
rigid beliefs about gender
roles.
Seen in our society:
•Media
•Workplace
•Religion
•Gender biased language

4. Sexist Language
• "Questions and criticisms of sexist
language have emerged because of a
concern that language is a powerful medium
through which the world is both reflected
and constructed. . . . Some have claimed
that the use of generics (such as 'mankind'
to refer to both men and women) reinforces
a binary that sees the male and masculine
as the norm and the female and feminine as
the 'not norm.' . . .

5. Gender Biased Language
Words referring to position:
•Fireman
•Postman
•Chairman
•Freshman
What can you say instead?

6. Sexist Language
Words referring to the entire universe
•Mankind
What can you say instead?

7. Sexist Language
Other:
•Manpower
•Manmade lakes
•“Oh, man, where did I leave my keys?”
•“Manning” the table
What can you say instead?

8. Sexist Language
HEY YOU GUYS
•Imagine guys, if someone walked up to a
group of friends and said “Hey you girls?”
•Is Hey you guys a problem for you?

9. Racism
Definition: Negative attitudes and
beliefs that individuals or a
society as a whole hold about
specific ethnic groups.
“We must learn to live together as
brothers or perish as fools.”
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

10. How People Use Racism
• Name calling (derogatory terms for members of a particular
culture, group or race)
• Using words to stereotyping different groups of people
• Organizing hate groups using hate words
• Inequity of access to education and public services

11. Ageism
• Refers to the prejudice against older people and other age groups.
• It is “any attitude, action, or institutional structure” that subordinates a
person or group of age.
• Everyone will experience ageism and age classification through out
the life cycle.

12. Ageism cont’d
•Stereotyping (physical impairments,
memory loss, loss of hearing/sight)
•Describes someone in terms of his of
her age
 Denotes old age as a period of
incompetency (Old lady; the old man;
blue hairs. You don’t look 56?)

14. Heterosexism
Definition: Negative attitudes and
beliefs about gay men and
lesbians; the belief that all sexual
behavior that is not heterosexual
is unnatural and deserving of
criticism and condemnation.
•Heterosexism involves assuming
all people are heterosexual, and
believing heterosexism is superior
than other orientations.

15. Words that HURT and WHY

16. Words that HURT and WHY
• These words create an environment that
perpetuates violence and discrimination against
women of color, queer and trans people.
• People with disabilities, and other marginalized
communities.
• People can reclaim these words for themselves as
a form of empowerment. Don’t reclaim words on
behalf of others!

17. Words that HURT and WHY
BITCH
•Targets and dehumanizes women and men
•Devalues women and femininity
•Reinforces sexism

18. Words that HURT and WHY
GHETTO
•Describes something or someone who is cheap,
worn out, poor or dangerous.
•Reference to housing communities that are
improvised and disproportionately impact people of
color.
•Associates people of color with these negative
characteristics.

19. ILLEGAL ALIEN
•Reduces undocumented immigrants to something less than
human.
•Fixates on legal status instead of people as individuals.
•Asserts that some people belong here more than others do.
•Ignores political, social, and economic factors that negatively
impact people of color.

20. Words that HURT and WHY
NO HOMO
•Stresses the speaker’s heterosexuality, masculinity,
and/or other traits to avoid being perceived as
gay/queer.
•Goes to great lengths to avoid assoication with
anything queer.
•Reinforces that it to be queer is bad.

21. Words that HURT and WHY
RETARDED & LAME
•Targets mental, emotional and physical
disabilities as objects of ridicule.
•Used as synonyms for “worthless,” “bad,”
•“unintelligent,” “incapable,” etc.

22. Words that HURT and WHY
THAT’S SO GAY
•Stigmatizes gay and queer people.
•Uses their identities to describe
something as undersirable and bad.
•Replaces negative adjectives with
words related to queer/LGBT identity.

23. Words that HURT and WHY
WHORE/HO & SLUT
•Dismisses anyone seen as being “too”
sexual- particularly sex workers, women,
queer people, and people of color.
•Perpetuates negativity toward sex itself.
•Regulates who is allowed to have it.

24. Words can Hurt.

25. Emotional Abuse
• Constant belittling, criticizing,
and pulling down a child or adult.
• It often includes lack of nurturing and acceptance.
• A steady diet of gloom acts like a cancer eating a child’s
soul.
• Silence is also a form of verbal abuse.

26. Why do Adults abuse?
• Adults feel isolated, under stress, unable to cope.
• A lack of knowledge of child’s needs or abilities.
• Low self-esteem.
• Emotional abuses are rarely aware of their verbal
assaults or stop to listen.
“I wish you were never born.” (Person is annoyed,
had a hard day. Child interprets differently.)
http://www.childhelp-usa.com/pages/statistics

28. Some facts about Abuse
• Child abuse occurs at every socioeconomic level, across
ethnic and cultural lines, within all religions and at all levels
of education.
• About 30% of abused and neglected children will later
abuse their own children, continuing the horrible cycle of
abuse.
• In at least one study, about 80% of 21 year olds that were
abused as children met criteria for at least one
psychological disorder. 1
• The estimated annual cost of child abuse and neglect in
the United States for 2008 is $124 billion.

29. Words can kill!

30. Words can heal.

31. Words can heal.
I have a dream that my four little children will
one day live in a nation where they will not be
judged by the color of their skin but by the
content of their character.
~ Martin Luther King

32. Words can heal.

33. Thoughts are Things
• What you say is the single biggest factor
that determines your happiness in life.
• Positive thoughts/words, create positive
life/happiness!

34. Word Check

35. Group Exercise