Reverse discrimination

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Reverse discrimination is a term used to describe discriminatory policies or acts that benefit a historically sociopolitically nondominant group (typically minorities), rather than the historically sociopolitically dominant group.

The term "reverse discrimination" is sometimes considered synonymous with the terms affirmative action and positive discrimination. Some countries, such as the United Kingdom, use the term "reverse discrimination" to describe the policies termed "affirmative action" in other countries, such as the U.S..

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History

In the early 20th century, as numerous societies and countries began to believe that both contemporary and historic discrimination had resulted in an unfair and unjust social structure, some governments and companies instituted policies intended to redress this imbalance. Some minority advocacy groups argued that reversal policies were needed. The most widespread of such policies is known as affirmative action.

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Effects and criticism

Proponents of such policies argue that they bring about a closer equality of opportunities among groups by creating an increase in opportunities for historically disadvantaged groups.

The definition or delineation of disadvantaged groups is a tricky matter, as well as the definition of disadvantage itself. For example, a purely race-based definition ignores any advantage or disadvantage from class. In the United States, where most affirmative action is mainly in favor of African-Americans and Latinos, many critics point out that such policies do not help poor whites or Asians. ¹ Critics of reverse discrimination, typically in the politically and socially dominant groups, believe proponents take a situational stand where a principled stand is more appropriate, arguing that the practice replaces one form of discrimination with another.

In some states, such as the United Kingdom, reverse discriminatory practices are not given special consideration and is considered illegal under anti-discrimination laws. In the UK, though, employers may offer benefits such as training solely to disadvantaged races or classes, where a given job role is not held by a notable proportion of members of that group.

Examples of the effects can be seen in both the job market and college admissions. With quotas of minorities to fill, it may be necessary for the common sociopolitical groups to be passed over in certain circumstances to select a candidate solely due to their sociopolitical background. It is worth noting that in particular, racial quotas for collegiate admission were held to be unconstitutional in the United States, although non-quota race preferences in admissions are legal.

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Criticism of the term itself

The term reverse discrimination has been criticized by advocates of affirmative action as casting affirmative action in a negative light, without due consideration of its aims. It is also criticized as being politically charged.

Opponents of "Affirmative Action" point out that the "reverse" in reverse discrimination indicates that "normal" discrimination is an attribute of "white" people, inherently. Thus, when racial discrimination is targeted at white victims instead on non-whites it is "reverse". This is considered a misnomer since racial discrimination is discrimination against any human being (including "white" ones) on the basis of race or color.

Advocates claim that using "reverse" or "positive" as qualifiers has been criticized as diminishing the significance of this kind of discrimination, since it seems to imply a special status for "ordinary" discrimination against women and minorities.

However, it is usually agreed that the term 'reverse' refers to the discrimination in the name of correcting for and redressing past discrimination.

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