My argumentative essay

ALL PEOPLE ARE CREATED EQUAL

 People misinterpreting religion think that women are created for bringing up children and dealing with the problems faced at home. She doesn’t have to work outside the home. But I think this is just an illogical comment done inconsiderately.

                 

There are many supporting reasons. First of all, working outside the home, seeing different faces, interacting with people and so many things are enough to make people happier and healthier. As a result, the more interactive relationship we take part in, the healthier we are tend to be. For an example, according to a survey, Employed women of all ages and occupations have a lower mortality rate and better reported and perceived health than women who do not work outside the home. If there’s a change to make people healthier, how can we make a selfish decision by not letting women have it too? Second of all, Working provides people mental growth. It helps people think creatively and makes easier to come up with a solution in everyday life. All people have the right to be independent. Thinking logically makes women stronger. When they face a problem, they are able to deal with it. What about the others?  Will women who are dependent on their family or husband be able to rebuild their life? Can we tell that Religion would like to see women in misery? Of course, answers would be NO. Last of all, as I mentioned before, it doesn’t need to have reasons. As No one has the right to take another’s life, we can’t have the right to comment on whether women should work outside the home or not.

                   All people are created equal in rights, dignity, and the potential to achieve great things. True opportunity requires that we all have equal access to the benefits, burdens and responsibilities of our society regardless of gender.

Understanding PREJUDICE through paper plate portraits

I was researching campaigns against prejudice.And I found this story done for children.
          This lesson is most effective if students have already begun exploring social justice issues like racism or gender stereotypes.You will need one paper plate per student.First, review the meaning of the word prejudice, breaking down the word into its parts, “pre”and “judge.” Begin brainstorming about the types of judgments people might make without getting to know someone. Ask, “What is something someone might think about you just from looking at you?” I usually model with an example about myself.Younger children often mention judgments based on gender, age, size or clothing. My students have said, “Some people might see I’m a girl and think my favorite color is pink,” and “People might think that just because ’I'm a kid, I don’t know alot.” Older students may mention stereotypes based on race, ethnicity, religion, class or sexual orientation. Chart students’ responses, writing the broader categories onthe board, such as “gender” and “age.” Explain that students will be reflecting on the difference between what others might assume about them and how they truly are on the inside.Students will draw theirfaces on the outside or“bump” of the plate.They will then write a few words or phrases that they think someone might assume about them. On the inside or “crater” of the plate, students color in a heart and write words or phrases that describe their character/personality— who they really are.For example, I have seen boys write down “rough” and “violent” on the outside of their plates and “gentle” and “loves stuffies” on the inside of their plates. One of my students wrote down “small,” “dumb” and “weak” on the outside of her plate, while she wrote down “strong,” “curious” and “loves sports” on the inside. When students are finished, give them time to participate in a short “gallery walk” to admire the collective work of the class. Then facilitate a discussion about the activity, asking such questions as: What did you discover? Were you surprised by anything?Did you make any connections between your plate and a classmate’s? How did this activity help you understand the meaning of prejudice?What can we do if we notice or experience prejudice? How can we try to stop it from happening?
                Creating these “paper plate portraits” is a powerful, concrete and handson learning activity that encourages students to reflect on prejudice. It also helps them see how multifaceted they are as individuals (thinking about their “outside” versus “inside” selves). The lesson helps students to better understand the complex, pervasive issues related to prejudice andstereotypes, revealing why it is important that we all challenge biased assumptions.Vanessa D’Egidio The School at Columbia University  New York, N.Y.

PREJUDICE

    

         As commonly used in psychology, prejudice is not merely a statement of opinion or belief, but an attitude that includes feelings such as contempt, dislike, or loathing. Where prejudices lurk, stereotypes are seldom far behind. Journalist Walter Lippmann (1922) likened stereotypes to "pictures in the head," or mental reproductions of reality, and from there, the term gradually came to mean generalizations -- or, quite often, overgeneralizations -- about the members of a group. As with prejudice, these generalizations can at times be positive (e.g., women are nurturing, Japanese excel at math), but for the most part, they tend to be negative and resistant to change. Stereotypes concerning race, gender, religion, and sexual orientation remain widespread. For instance, as recently as 1999, Merriam-Webster (the largest dictionary publisher in the United States) listed thesaurus terms for homosexual such as "fruit" and "pederast. Stereotypes are not onlyharmful in their own right; they do damage by fostering prejudice and discrimination. Prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination often go hand-in-hand, but it is also possible to have one without the others. When an ethnic group is stereotyped with a neutral or positive attribute such as "family-oriented," prejudice and discrimination may not be involved.