Classism

Classism is prejudice or discrimination based on a person's perceived or actual social class. It manifests as societal practices, attitudes, and institutional structures that create and perpetuate inequality by privileging the upper classes and disadvantaging the lower ones. This prejudice can involve assumptions about intelligence, work ethic, morality, or lifestyle based solely on socioeconomic status. It’s a systemic issue, not merely individual prejudice, influencing access to resources like healthcare, education, and justice. classism intersects with other forms of discrimination, such as racism and sexism, often exacerbating existing disparities. Understanding classism requires acknowledging power dynamics and systemic inequalities within society.

Classism meaning with examples

• The exclusive private school charged exorbitant tuition fees, effectively barring children from working-class backgrounds, exhibiting a clear case of classism in education. The school's focus on wealth and connections reinforced a system that favored the privileged, hindering social mobility. Their admission policies created an unequal opportunity to succeed in higher education.
• The portrayal of wealthy individuals in media often glorifies luxury and excess, while depicting those in poverty as lazy or uneducated, reflecting a prevalent form of classism. These skewed representations contribute to societal biases and perpetuate negative stereotypes, influencing public perceptions and reinforcing inequality. This perpetuation of negative stereotypes is damaging.
• Housing policies that concentrate affordable housing in less desirable areas, with limited access to resources and quality services, demonstrate institutional classism. This creates separate and unequal living environments, limiting opportunities for upward mobility. These zoning regulations often discriminate against lower class citizens.
• A job advertisement specifying “experience at a prestigious company required” is classist because it inadvertently excludes those from less privileged backgrounds. This limits access to opportunities based on factors unrelated to actual skills or capabilities. This creates an unfair barrier to entry for those seeking employment.
• A doctor dismissing a patient's health concerns because they appear to be of lower social class, based on their clothes or dialect, is a direct example of classism in the healthcare system. Such biases can lead to misdiagnosis and inadequate treatment, reflecting and intensifying existing health disparities. The doctor's prejudgment affects the patient's care.