Bigotry Definition And Meaning

People have their own personal faith and belief. Our cultural and parental upbringing influence our life’s principles and beliefs. We may encounter differences with other people based on views and perception on things. And these differences among people comprise the earth’s diversity. There are people who are intolerant of other’s opinion and prejudice. They are also raged by other people belonging from a different race or ethnic background (“Bigot”). They may also feel outraged by other’s lifestyle and identities that are different from their own. Bigotry is the characteristic and attitude of a bigot.

It is the corresponding mindset of people who are extremely judgmental other people. Bigot is a term used in describing people who are firmly devoted in their prejudices, especially when their views are threatened or challenged. It is used to refer to people who hold blindly and intolerantly of their personal creed, opinion and belief (Adamson 200). Bigot is often mistaken by people as prejudice. Most people are confused between the two words. Prejudice happens when we tend to easily judge someone or something based solely on our personal opinion or attitude. Prejudice is also a learned behavior.

We are taught of what to think about people of different gender, race and disability. It is influenced by our parents and neighborhood. Bigotry is hate. It is a form of prejudice carried to an extreme manner (Martin 149). There are various kinds of bigotry such as religious, racial, political, national and cultural bigotry. Bigotry is most likely seen in aspects of religious and political field. Many people hold fanaticism in their religious and political views. Individuals and groups tend to be blindly deluded by the belief that their religion, race, political party, nation and culture are more superior than the others.

Such beliefs made them blindly and intolerant of others (Adamson 200). Based on the canonical definition of psychopathology, it seems to apply on visceral bigotry. Bigotry is not considered as a sickness but it can be regarded as a dysfunction based on some influential definitions of psychopathology. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders define mental disorders based on distress, disability and increase in harmful effects. Alvin Poussaint, a Harvard psychiatrist, believes that bigotry fits the definition and advocates in putting it on the list.

Bigotry may be a dysfunction in responding to large segments of humanity. It may constitute impairment in responding healthy and responsible ways toward the targeted groups because of irrational hatred and contempt and other negative attitudes (Martin 130). If a person professes negative remarks blaming single mothers on the impairments of the society, it may be a form of bigotry. This may be under sexism or the belief that one judged the other based on their sex or gender and not through their capability as an individual. They believe that one sex is superior than the other.

This is evident in the workplace environment where performance and capabilities are judged based on sex rather than having better qualifications. Sexism may also happen at home, school and society or community (“Forms of Bigotry”). In the case of having blamed the single mothers for the social ills in the society implies many unverified perceptions toward our women, specifically our single mothers. Single mothers refer to women raising their children in the absence of the father or their husband. Being a single mother is never an easy task. They take on many difficulties in trying to raise their children while earning for a living.

Single mothers do not have the aid of their husband either partially or totally. This may cause difficulty in their part. Bigots toward them may blame them for taking part on the national aid extended by the social welfare department. The government extends financial aid on poor families with unemployed head of the family. There are also shelters that welcome homeless individuals. Sexists may blame the single mothers for their incapability to find decent jobs and provide the needs of the children. They may also blame the single mothers if their children turned nuisance to society.

The delinquency of the children is blamed on their mothers for their incapability to rear them appropriately to become good citizens of the society. If their children become problems of the society, mothers are on the line questioning their eligibility and capability as a mother. It does not question the single fathers trying to raise their children and earn a living at the same time assuming that single fathers can perform the two tasks flawlessly at the same time. This may be viewed as a bias for some women, who may do better than some single fathers.

Some single fathers also may be involved in neglecting their children or other types of child maltreatment. It may be a form of bigotry for it generalized single mothers as the culprit of social ills in the society. Being a sexist undermines the qualifications and abilities of people belonging on the other sex to take on a job or task. A sexist may view their sex as superior to others. They may view the other sex as inferior to them and not at their level. Viewing one sex as superior to other creates biases and prejudice toward the views on sex. Bigotry is involved when there is an extreme prejudice, hatred and contempt towards the other sex.

Works Cited Adamson, Joseph J. What the World is Coming To?. Lincoln, NE: I Universe, Inc. , 2004. “Bigot”. Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2009. 26 January 2009 <http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/bigot>. “Forms of Bigotry”. articleworld. org. 24 January 2006. 26 January 2009 <http://www. articleworld. org/index. php/Bigotry>. Martin, Mike W. From Morality to Mental Health: Virtue and Vice in a Therapeutic Culture. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, Inc. , 2006. Martin, Renee J. Practicing What We Teach: Confronting Diversity in Teacher Education. Albany, New York: State University of New York, 1995.