How Different Young Australians Experience Racism

Introduction Everyone experiences or witnesses racism at some point in life. Race is not a biological categorisation, but is rather an artificial grouping of persons based on social constructions. Racial classification has little to do with scientifically certifiable facts such as genetics (Doane 2006).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on How Different Young Australians Experience Racism? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the contrary, races are classified according to the way societies conceive certain ideas, faces, skin colour, practices, and certain cultures. Though racism is a global dilemma, young Australians are particularly faced with this problem due to the diverse nature of Australia’s population. How different young Australians experience racism According to a study conducted by the Foundation for Young Australians (FYA) on racism and its impact on young Australians, 70% of students in secondary sc hools within Australia report having contact with racist confrontation frequently (Mansouri et al. 2009). Many young Australians face racism in school. This kind of racism takes several forms ranging from provocative slang names to certain racist jibes and stereotypes. Racism in Australian schools also takes the form of exclusion from certain activities or groups based on race or ethnicity. Young migrants who have lived in Australia for a short period (four to five years) are more predisposed to racism than those born in the country (Mansouri et al. 2009). They are closely followed in their predisposition to racism by second or third generation migrants. Young female migrants are more likely to face racism than their male counterparts. This vulnerability is closely linked to the already existent gender disparities. However, racist experiences are not a confine of a specific group (Pruitt 2013). This is particularly evident when looking at racism in a broad context. For instance, mor e than fifty percent of young Anglo-Australian population is regularly confronted with racist experiences. The FYA reports that cases of racism are more rampant among older students in schools than those aged between seven and eight years (Mansouri et al. 2009). This indicates that attitudes and tendencies towards racism are acquired as students grow and interact. Racist exposure reduces the victim’s self-confidence. Students who have experienced racism may get the impression that the culture to which they subscribe is not valued. This negatively impacts their degrees of self-esteem and encourages feelings of worthlessness.Advertising Looking for essay on ethnicity studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Exposure to racism at this critical stage in the psychological development of the victims may cause the victims to feel the need to distance themselves from their own cultures, values, norms, and languages. From the ri dicule they experience by being associated with these cultures, the discriminated students associate the cultures with inferiority. In addition to distancing oneself from one’s culture, racism also contributes to psychological suffering among the young victims. This kind of psychological distress is often evident in increased anxiety levels, depression, elevated temperament and lowered self-esteem. Some suicide cases are linked directly or indirectly to incidences of racial abuse. The effects of racism are not limited to the mental health of the young Australians. There is evidence to indicate that the effects of racism extend to an individual’s physical health. For instance, young Australians who confront racism undergo several physical experiences ranging from elevated heart rates and impaired concentration when performing certain activities such as schoolwork (Bulbeck 2012). Other relatively serious physical effects of racism on young people include relentless heada ches, post-traumatic stress and pre-emptive anxiety. Some of these physical and psychological conditions affect other physical and mental functions such as sleep and moods. Conclusion Australia has for a long period been under the radar of the international community for the way cases of racism especially among the young are handled. Concerns raised about racism, especially among the young cannot be fully addressed. However, given the far-reaching effects that racist experiences have on the younger members of the society, institutional measures ought to be devised to help fight racism when the children are still young. References Bulbeck, C 2012, Imagining the future: young Australians on sex, love and community, University of Adelaide Press, Adelaide. Doane, A 2006, ‘What is racism? Racial discourse and racial politics,’ Critical Sociology, vol. 32 no. 2-3, pp. 255-274.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on How Different Young Australians Experience Ra cism? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Mansouri, F, Jenkins, L, Morgan, L Taouk, M, 2009, The impact of racism upon the health and wellbeing of young Australians, https://www.fya.org.au/. Pruitt, L 2013, Youth peacebuilding: music, gender, and change, SUNY Press, Albany. This essay on How Different Young Australians Experience Racism? was written and submitted by user Kristen W. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

My sisters wedding

My sisters wedding Photographs are a wonderful way to capture moments in an instant. This picture is an important part of a special memory, which is of my sister's wedding. My sister's wedding was an amalgam of excited, felicitous, and somber feelings. Whenever I look at this picture, the whole occasion relives in my mind.An important part of the wedding was the selection of dresses and beauty salon. I remember when my cousins and my sisters, and I used to go to different malls daily, scouting for the perfect outfits. We purchased elegant dresses of different colors with exquisite jewelries, such as, ear rings, necklace, and bangles. The color of bride's sharara (special outfit of brides) was orange, golden, and maroon. Every one was very excited, because we all wanted to look beautiful for that event. Our joyful excitement was like a forest fire which could be seen from a mile away.In my culture, wedding ceremony consists of two days function. The first day called "mehndi" is the day for youngsters to celebrate. I can still remember the girls and boys singing songs and dancing. There was a fun-filled singing and dancing competition between relatives of the bride and the groom. Girls were painting beautiful designs on the bride's hands and their own hands with mehndi (a paste of leaves, which makes temporarily tattoos). The second day was the actual wedding day. My sister and her husband were looked stunning in their wedding attire. While our four hundred guests dined on a delicious meal in the festively decorated banquet room, the family was holding a photo session.At the end of the ceremony, there is a time for the bride, to go to her new home by leaving her own family. Her departure created a gloomy mood for many of us.