Discrimination

Discrimination is practiced against innumerable types of people and comes in many forms. Though it is often associated with racial and ethnic prejudice, discrimination often goes far beyond this common form of the practice. People can be discriminated against because of their age-employers have been sued because of their reluctance to hire people who are older, believing they are out of touch with industry innovations. People can also be discriminated against, both in the workplace and in society, if they have a disability. Gender, religion, and national origin are other qualifiers that have provoked unjust discrimination throughout the ages. While sexual orientation has long been a cause of discrimination, emerging debates over same-sex marriage-whether two people of the same sex should be allowed to legally marry one another-have taken center stage in national discussions about discrimination and civil rights. In fact, many claim that same-sex marriage is the new face of the civil rights struggle. Same-sex marriage was first legalized by the state of Massachusetts in 2004 and next by California in 2008.