Prejudice and discrimination have been prevalent throughout human history.discrimination refers to behaviors directed against another group, while  Prejudice has to do with the inflexible and irrational attitudes and opinions held by members of one group about another.Being  prejudiced usually means having preconceived beliefs about groups of people or cultural practices. Prejudices can either be positive or negative—both forms are usually preconceived and  difficult to alter. The negative form of prejudice can lead to discrimination, although it is possible to be prejudiced and not act upon the attitudes. Those who practice discrimination do so to protect opportunities for themselves by denying access to those whom they believe do not deserve the same treatment as everyone else.It is unfortunate that prejudices against racial and ethnic minorities exit, and continue to flourish, despite the “informed” modern mind.

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One well‐known example of discrimination based on prejudice involves the Jews, who have endured mistreatment and persecution for thousands of years. The largest scale attempt to destroy this group of people occurred during World War II, when millions of Jews were exterminated in German concentration camps in the name of Nazi ideals of “racial purity.” The story of the attempted genocide, or systematic killing, of the Jews—as well as many other examples of discrimination and oppression throughout human history—has led sociologists to examine and comment upon issues of race and ethnicity.

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Here are a few examples of discrimination and prejudice in history. Many groups have faced discrimination and oppression that stemmed from prejudicial beliefs. Some types of prejudice include:

• Racist prejudices: Prejudice played a key role in supporting slavery. Beliefs about the inferiority of blacks, notions that blacks experienced less pain and fewer emotions, and racist ideas about the behavior of blacks were all used as justifications to support slavery. Likewise, ideas that indigenous and first peoples were lazy or regressive were used to take their land, kill them, and kidnap their children. Fears that Japanese-Americans would be loyal to Japan instead of their home nation led to their imprisonment in concentration camps.

• Sexist prejudices: Sexist ideas about the intellectual and emotional inferiority of women were used to deprive them of the right to vote or own property for most of American history. The notion of female inferiority has also supported rape and domestic violence. Sexist beliefs about women’s honesty and emotions continue to be used to undermine their claims about rape, sexual assault, and other forms of abuse.

• Ageist prejudices: Ageism can be directed at both young and old people. For example, prejudices against young people suggest they are uninformed, ignorant, or impulsive. This can be used to mistreat or ignore them. Prejudice against older people may be used to deny them employment, remove their autonomy, or even abuse them. Elder abuse remains common.

• Ableist prejudices: Prejudicial attitudes about people with disabilities remain common. For instance, some people mistakenly believe that all people with disabilities have caregivers or that disabilities make people weak or meek. Others believe disabilities are uncommon, or that people with disabilities don’t have the same desires or rights as others. This is often used to support discriminatory or unfair policies. For example, people with disabilities faced forced sterilization for much of American history.

• Anti-LGBTQ+ prejudice: Prejudicial beliefs about the behavior and attitudes of LGBTQ+ people have long been used to support discriminatory policies. For example, the notion that transgender people are merely donning the attire of the “opposite” gender has been used to stoke fears about transgender people using bathrooms consistent with their gender identity. Beliefs that non-heterosexual people are less moral or less committed to family relationships figured prominently in the refusal to allow them to marry.

 

Therapists are not immune to prejudicial attitudes. Indeed, most schools offer therapists little training on the role of racism, sexism, and other forms of prejudice and discrimination in therapy. Prejudice can undermine the therapeutic process and harm clients. Some examples of how prejudice can affect therapy include:

• Altering perceptions: A therapist’s prejudicial beliefs about a group can affect their opinion of clients. For example, a therapist who thinks women tend to exaggerate things might not take seriously a woman’s claims of sexual abuse.

• Minimizing experiences: A therapist’s prejudicial beliefs about how prejudice and discrimination affects people can undermine their ability to help. A therapist might underestimate the extent to which police killings of unarmed black people affect black mental health, or may be unaware of how high-profile sexual assault cases affect sexual abuse survivors.

• Not recognizing power dynamics: A therapist who harbors prejudicial beliefs or who is unaware of the effects of prejudice might not recognize power dynamics in therapy. For example, a white therapist might not understand why a black person is reluctant to discuss racism. In family therapy, a therapist who is prejudiced might not notice power dynamics between male and female romantic partners.

• Gaslighting: A therapist who is blind to the effects of prejudice or who does not recognize their own prejudices may inadvertently gaslight by questioning a client’s experiences or reality.

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Sources:https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/sociology/race-and-ethnicity/prejudice-and-discrimination

​https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/issues/prejudice-discrimination