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Discrimination is something people have always had to deal with. Unfortunately, it can affect mental health so much that some employees choose to leave their current job or that they develop certain coping mechanisms in the workplace that can influence their performance and, therefore, change their whole lives. In this article, we’ll have a short insight into men’s workplace discrimination and how they can fight this social construct that’s been causing mental health issues.
What is discrimination?
APA defines discrimination as “an unfair or prejudicial treatment of people based on race, gender, age or sexual orientation”. Although this might sound simple to understand, discrimination is much more than that. From childhood, we’re taught to categorize things and people to make sense of the world. As this is natural and good behavior, the problem is our values regarding other people’s looks and culture. Discrimination can also come from a place of misunderstanding or fear that our parents might’ve had too.
Workplace discrimination
Workplace discrimination happens when people treat someone differently in the workplace due to race, color, religion and more. Laws are supposed to protect workers from:
- Unfair treatment
- Harassment from manager or co-workers
- Denial of a workplace change caused by your religious beliefs or disability
- Improper questions about your genetic history or medical data
Regardless of the laws, more than 8.2 million workers in the UK feel they’ve been discriminated against regarding their gender. Men are especially experiencing this type of discrimination when it comes to being overlooked for promotion or denied in interview jobs due to gender. According to this recent study, 28% of men say they’ve been victims of discrimination and notice that women get away with more at work.
Effects on mental health
Judging someone or treating them badly due to their characteristics can impact their mental health by inducing higher stress levels, anxiety, depression, high blood tolerance, and substance abuse. Discrimination can also affect individuals that haven’t been targeted but are just part of a discriminated group (such as LGBTQ+). Continuous fear of being treated poorly can lead to chronic stress, as daily anticipations of being discriminated against can make people avoid going to work or talking to people.
Reverse sexism, a serious problem
Discrimination against men is also called reverse sexism and is currently lacking research as it’s an overlooked subject. But this is a sensitive topic to pick and discuss because acknowledging that women are more affected by gender inequality puts men in a place where they can’t talk about their feelings.
Men were always supposed to be strong and never show off their emotions. Still, as times change and men feel safer expressing themselves and being emotional, they might face discrimination regarding their workplace behavior. Plus, homosexual men are more prone to stigma and discrimination. Homophobia be difficult to face when it comes to men, and it can:
- Affect their income;
- Limit their access to high-quality health care;
- Develop poor mental health and substance abuse as a coping mechanism;
- Affect their ability to maintain long-term relationships;
What can you do to fight discrimination?
Dealing with workplace discrimination as an adult isn’t easy, especially when you’re expecting adults to be understanding. Depending on the situation, you can call an advisor and claim workplace discrimination in the UK if the continuous stress has caused you serious mental problems. For example, for severe psychiatric damage, you can get up to £115,730. You can even claim if you’re able to prove that you’ve suffered financial damages, maybe from being fired wrongfully due to your race or sexual orientation. Accessing https://www.howmuchcompensation.co.uk/ will answer any of your questions related to workplace discrimination.
Another thing you can do is to seek professional help, as discrimination can often lead to depression, which is usually undiagnosed in men. Unfortunately, due to depressive thoughts, men are more likely to commit suicide than women because they can act more impulsively and show fewer warning signs.
If, however, you find the strength to move on, here are some ways to deal with discrimination:
- You can try overcoming this issue by focusing on your core values. Think about what are your life principles and morals.
- Look for support from family and friends. You can create a support network of people that genuinely care about you to reassure you of your value and worth.
- Provide support. Besides having someone to hang onto, you can also get involved in anti-discrimination programs and events to know and help people who have gone through similar experiences.
- Try not to dwell on it. Although discrimination is a serious issue that can have tragic impacts on people, if you can, try not to ruminate on the problem too much. It can only make you more stressed and anxious, while the problem is not you but how others have their core values instilled.
Common questions regarding workplace discrimination
1. Can your employer fire you due to your mental health condition?
It is illegal in the UK to discriminate regarding mental health issues, including rejecting or promoting someone.
2. Can you keep your situation private?
You can keep your mental health condition private, as long as it doesn’t affect you doing your job or put your safety at risk.
3. Can age discriminate against you?
Employers may want older employees because they are experienced or younger workers, as they are willing to work more, but age discrimination is also illegal.
4. Do workplace discrimination laws apply to small businesses?
For companies with as few as three employees, most laws don’t apply, but sexual harassment is still covered, no matter the number of employees.
5. Can you be fired if you complain about discrimination?
All anti-discrimination laws prevent retaliation, so you don’t have to worry if you make a complaint. However, if your employee fires you, you can make a lawsuit that you’ll easily win.
Final thoughts
Workplace discrimination is a serious topic that should be discussed and observed more, especially in men and how it affects their mental health. Unfortunately, the subject is overlooked, but we hope that in the future, men won’t be stigmatized anymore due to their race, sexual orientation or culture in the workplace.
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