Well, it seems no one is listening, so I will feel free to say whatever I want.
Some examples of unknown (or semi-unknown) minorities are: short people, poor white people, homosexuals before the 1950's, navy wives (according to an acquaintance who was one), possibly polyamorous people, and outliers.
Short people:
I'd categorize this as semi-unknown. If someone brings it up, no one disagrees that short people are discriminated against; and there are organizations that exist to fight against discrimination based on stature; but when people talk about 'visible' minorities, they talk about skin color, accent, and facial features; they don't include body type (they don't include visible disabilities, like being in a wheelchair, either).
The state of Massachusetts, which tends to be on the forefront of these things, is just beginning to consider anti-discrimination employment regulations regarding height and weight. I haven't read all the articles about it, but in what I read, the focus was clearly on the problem of obesity. Stature was barely mentioned, except to the extent that it is included in the phrase "height and weight."
To some extent, this is part of the process by which minorities are (or aren't) recognized. One of the things that happens to minorities is that they are made silent and invisible. When one is silent and invisible, one has to scream very loudly, and jump up and down a lot, before the outside world hears and recognizes that you are a minority; once you have that recognition it gets a little better - people who want to think of themselves as tolerant will make an effort to listen to you.
The behavior pattern I've most often observed that denies short people a voice is this: someone brings up the fact that short people are discriminated against; the rest of the people listening immediately agree with them, and then drop the topic and start talking about something else.
no subject
Some examples of unknown (or semi-unknown) minorities are: short people, poor white people, homosexuals before the 1950's, navy wives (according to an acquaintance who was one), possibly polyamorous people, and outliers.
Short people:
I'd categorize this as semi-unknown. If someone brings it up, no one disagrees that short people are discriminated against; and there are organizations that exist to fight against discrimination based on stature; but when people talk about 'visible' minorities, they talk about skin color, accent, and facial features; they don't include body type (they don't include visible disabilities, like being in a wheelchair, either).
The state of Massachusetts, which tends to be on the forefront of these things, is just beginning to consider anti-discrimination employment regulations regarding height and weight. I haven't read all the articles about it, but in what I read, the focus was clearly on the problem of obesity. Stature was barely mentioned, except to the extent that it is included in the phrase "height and weight."
To some extent, this is part of the process by which minorities are (or aren't) recognized. One of the things that happens to minorities is that they are made silent and invisible. When one is silent and invisible, one has to scream very loudly, and jump up and down a lot, before the outside world hears and recognizes that you are a minority; once you have that recognition it gets a little better - people who want to think of themselves as tolerant will make an effort to listen to you.
The behavior pattern I've most often observed that denies short people a voice is this: someone brings up the fact that short people are discriminated against; the rest of the people listening immediately agree with them, and then drop the topic and start talking about something else.
I've run out of time again... more later.
Kiralee