Racism and misogyny are two very real issues that continue to plague society. Being an ethnic minority or (to a lesser extent, I think) a female means being faced with a whole lot of preconceived notions that individuals automatically assign to an entire group of people. It is pretty simple to observe, especially when race is considered. It’s hard not consider one’s race or ethnicity when faced with a situation in which one has been mistreated, or judged unfairly. The power in the United States continues to be held by a rather homogeneous group of people. Power in the government, the mainstream media, and bureaucracy means that ethnic minorities are associated with evil (take note of most “bad guys” on TV and in movies) and that women are associated with weakness (cleaning products are always advertised by women). Of course we have made, and continue to make strides, but like laureth said, traditionally power has not been ours.
By the way, I love this topic! I could go on and on about the status of minorities and women in the U.S.!