How does positive discrimination help minority groups?

Discrimination is an offense that should not be tolerated in a civilized society. Yet, positive discrimination, which claims to level the playing field in favor of the minorities, has been viewed negatively by different sectors in society because of ethical and moral grounds.

What is positive discrimination and how does it benefit marginalized members of the society? As a process, positive discrimination works by granting special treatment to minority groups. Essentially, its aim is to advance equality and wipe out any traces of discriminatory practices. In promoting the benefits of positive discrimination, the proponents have explained that this policy can serve as a foothold to reduce marginalization owing to several factors like gender, sexual orientation as well as social, economic, and racial backgrounds. To address this issue of underrepresentation, the followers have emphasized one major advantage.

One particular benefit of positive discrimination is the increased representations of women in various industries. This so-called preferential selection, particularly selecting women in employment settings, can effectively compensate for the strong bias that could otherwise prevent women from getting higher professional roles. Female figures with stellar academic and employment records can serve as a source of inspiration especially among women.

Furthermore, this policy is also seen as a form of women empowerment in the political sphere, which could hopefully uncrack the glass ceiling that separates a huge number of men, holding high political roles, versus a very few number of women with subordinate positions.

Finally, putting high premium on positive discrimination can significantly help more women to take on roles that are predominantly taken by men. The crucial point in implementing positive discrimination is the constant adjustment to ensure that it remains functional and fair to all.