Final answer:
Discrimination involves preferential treatment or mistreatment based on personal characteristics like race or age, and it's prohibited by laws in the U.S. and addressed by international conventions. Despite legal frameworks, discriminatory practices like ageism, racial inequality, and gender bias continue to affect society.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Discrimination
Discrimination refers to the unjust or prejudicial treatment of individuals based on characteristics such as race, age, gender, or ethnicity. This behavior can manifest as both preferential treatment and mistreatment. Laws like those in the United States aim to combat discrimination, enforcing equality in realms including employment, education, and housing. However, biases and discriminatory attitudes persist, affecting various demographics including the elderly through ageism, as well as minorities and women. Historically, discriminatory practices have marginalized specific groups, leading to social and economic disadvantages that can span generations.
Examples include racial discrimination that has led to inequalities such as redlining or biased hiring practices, ageism that restricts opportunities and healthcare for older adults, and historical gender discrimination that limited academic and professional opportunities for women. Efforts continue globally to address and rectify these injustices, with organizations like the United Nations spearheading conventions against racial and gender discrimination.