Tag Archives: discrimination

Green as a Religion?

I am constantly reading magazines and am always on the lookout for an article about green living. I was a bit taken aback when I was reading an issue of The Week (great magazine BTW) and there was a small blurb about a case in Britain in which a man claimed he was dismissed from his job for his beliefs…in global warming. Now, we’ve all heard of religious persecution, but could this going too far? Tim Nicholson claimed he was let go from the property management firm in July 2008 for which he worked because of his beliefs in man-made … Continue reading →

Hairspray (2007)

I didn’t have the faintest idea what to expect going into “Hairspray.” I knew it was a comedy and I had heard rumors that John Travolta was in it and wore a dress, but I wasn’t expecting what I got. He wasn’t just in a dress – he was in a dress, fat suit, wig, and full makeup, portraying Edna Turnblad, mother of the main character. Her name is Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonksi) and she’s a little on the portly side. That doesn’t keep her from bustin’ a move at every chance – she loves to dance and is pretty … Continue reading →

When Size Affects Income

Size discrimination affects skinny people as well as obese people. One does not have to be anorexic to have an ultra thin frame. One of my aunts is 5’8” tall and wears a size 6. She doesn’t like to talk about weight although she has never been larger. Occasionally, she hears negative comments about her size which makes her angry. These are rude, insensitive comments that she has heard for most of her life. Throughout her twenties and thirties, she was no larger than a size 4. In her adolescent years, she could wear a size zero. She has been … Continue reading →

Mom Retains Custody of Son Suffering from Obesity

Nicola McKeown, age 35, a resident of Wallsend, in northeastern England, was permitted to keep her son after a child protection meeting with officials of North Tyneside Council. As part of the agreement, McKeown had to agree to place her son on a stringent diet and exercise regime. How did it come to this? Under the Children Act, local law officials must investigate if there is reason to believe that a child in their jurisdiction is being harmed or suffering. Connor McCreaddie, age 8, would have been placed on a child protection register and taken from his family because he … Continue reading →

Lilies of the Field – William E. Barrett

Making waves in Hollywood in 1963 as a major motion picture starring Sidney Poitier and Lilia Skala, “Lilies of the Field” first appeared as a gentle novella, a triumph for author William E. Barrett. Homer Smith, a black man from South Carolina, was just honorably released from the Army and has decided to travel around the West for a while before returning home. He carefully saved his pay packets and had plenty of money for his travels, but every so often the urge to work strikes him and he stops for a while to do odd jobs. He’s never seen … Continue reading →

Challenging stereotypes with your children

Despite all children having one set of rights that protect them, they are still all unique individuals with their own abilities and age or culturally appropriate behaviours. These unique parts of a child may at times need challenging if other children or parents attempt to make a child feel bad about themselves. Over the years, I have heard many people say that they hate Aboriginals, Japanese, Americans or Irish. It doesn’t matter if the person from another culture is an adult or a child aged two years old. A person with a hatred mindset will not engage with the little … Continue reading →

Racial Discrimination in Restaurants? Part II

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Note: Please see “Racial Discrimination in Restaurants? Part I” Faithful readers, you know so far that my husband, daughter, and I were mistreated at a Denny’s restaurant in South Carolina. We believe it was a result of racial discrimination. The following is a continuation of this story. When we returned to Maryland, I knew that I needed to call Denny’s customer service. So, I went to the Denny’s website and found the phone number. I was greeted by a customer service representative who asked how she could help me. Humph…she was in for a surprise. I don’t remember her name, … Continue reading →

Racial Discrimination in Restaurants? Part I

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My husband, daughter, and I recently made a trip to Florida and back to Maryland. On our way home, we decided we would drive as far as somewhere in South Carolina, have dinner, and rest for the night. It was about 8:00 p.m. when we decided to stop at a Best Western in Point South (Yemassee) that had a Denny’s attached to it. We settled into the room and relaxed for a little while. Around 8:30, we decided it would be a good idea if went ahead to the restaurant so that we could get to bed. We walked across … Continue reading →

Why “Special Needs” Applies to You, Too

Alright, I’m going to be brutally honest. Before I became a parent of a special needs child, people with disabilities made me feel uncomfortable. For example, if I saw a mentally handicapped person in an elevator, I might wait for the next one. It wasn’t out of revulsion, but some kind of inexplicable fear. What was I afraid of? At the time, I wasn’t entirely sure. Inexplicable Fears I remember when an old friend from high school met my son Kyle. At the time, I believe he was seven or eight, and I explained to my friend that he was … Continue reading →