Help me out - prejudice
Prejudice is when a person has negative feelings about someone else without actually getting to know them. Experiencing prejudice can be really unfair and upsetting – so why does it happen?
Everyone’s different
We are all unique – and it’s totally OK to notice our differences!
You might be different from other people because of –
The colour of your hair, your skin or your eyes
Your height or body shape
Whether you’re a boy or a girl
Where you were born or where you live
Your faith or religion
Your accent or the way you speak
The clothes you wear
The language you speak
Who you fancy
Having a disability or health condition
The size of your family
The things you like to do or the way you act
There are loads of things which make us all different, and that’s something to celebrate and be proud of.
But when a person faces prejudice, they may be bullied, singled out, excluded or treated badly just because something makes them different.
Racism, sexism and homophobia are all examples of prejudice.
Why are people prejudiced?
Prejudice is not fair, and it doesn’t even make sense to judge a person before you know them – but it still happens.
Some people are prejudiced because they don’t understand another person’s difference, or they feel scared or threatened.
Often using a difference to make fun of someone is just an easy way to tease or pick on them without having any real reason.
Young people may have grown up hearing prejudiced views at home, at school or amongst their friends, and they may not even realise that the judgements they make about people are unfair or hurtful.
Whatever the reason, there is no excuse for being prejudiced against another person or treating them badly.
Equal rights
Everyone in our society has equal rights, which includes being treated with respect, being safe from harm and having equal access to opportunities and education.
A person’s difference shouldn’t mean that they have fewer rights than anyone else, or that someone can take their rights away.
It is against the law to discriminate against someone (to deny them their rights or stop them doing things) because of something like their race, age, background or gender.
What should you do if you experience prejudice?
If you experience prejudice – if someone treats you badly, excludes you or bullies you because of a difference – you don’t have to put up with it.
It is never your fault (and most things which make us different are things we didn’t choose and couldn’t change, even if we wanted to!).
If you are facing prejudice –
Tell a trusted adult what is going on – don’t keep it to yourself
Keep a note of what happened (for instance if you got called a name or told you couldn’t do something)
Remember that you’re not to blame and try not to let it affect your confidence – you should be able to be happy with who you are and you shouldn’t have to apologise for it
If you think you have been prejudiced against someone
If you’re worried that you have been prejudiced against someone else –
Apologise – you might have hurt or upset them, so let them know you’re sorry
Think about why you did it – is there a reason you treated someone badly? Did you know it was wrong when you did it?
Learn from the experience – everybody makes mistakes, but you can always use the experience to behave better next time
If you’re worried about something you’ve said or done, or feel under pressure from others to be prejudiced, speak to an adult and get some help.
Be proud of who you are
Remember, our differences are what make us special and unique, and you should never be made to feel ashamed or embarrassed of who you are.
If you can be proud and confident, and stand up to prejudice, you might inspire other people to do the same.
For more information about organisations which offer advice and support, check out the Advice Helplines page.