In particular there is extreme prejudice occurring in the workplace against woman. The effects of the "glass ceiling" prevent woman from getting higher ranking jobs. Therefore when men receive higher ranking jobs, they are retaining the advantages from the glass ceiling without necessarily realizing it. This trend has affected me personally as I had received a job at an attorney's office over the summer. My position was that of a clerical assistant, and a woman held the position before me. My boss had fired her knowing that I was going to replace her, as he actually told me that he would rather have a male working for him in that position. I couldn't believe that he had made such a sexist statement to me, and as result I mentioned something to him. Unsurprisingly he didn't take it to well, but my message that his actions were unjustified was made clear. This was a clear and obvious example of the unearned advantages of being a male. Women have been treated inferior to men, throughout much of American history. Today sexism is being supported and unknowingly encouraged by both men and women through benevolent sexism. We have all been guilty of this form of sexism whether we have realized it or not. For example I protect and support my mother by preventing her from carrying heavy packages to mowing the lawn. With aspects of sexism such as these it seems impossible to escape the ideologies of sexism itself. It seems as if woman will always be held in an inferior status to men.
Furthermore sexual orientation has an enormous affect on the members of its cultural group. While I do believe that heterosexuals do suffer from homophobia as well, homosexuals definitely suffer a much greater amount. Recently my good friend's brother was actually jumped because he was a homosexual. This is actually the first instance in which homophobia has directly and obviously affected me. As my friends" brother is in the hospital now because he was hit in the face with a fist full of quarters I am reflecting on how dangerous homophobia can be.
