Experiences of racial ethnic and gendered groups

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Experiences of racial, ethnic, and gendered groups
Admittedly, the United States arguably has the world’s most diverse society. In fact, it is a country settled by people from various parts of the world. However, this kind of diversity has come with its share of blessings and desecrations. While a diverse society is expected to redefine the meaning of national unity, there has been an increasing concern over its potential of disuniting the country. Many scholars have documented the potential impacts of a diverse society given the narrative of American history where women, African Americans and persons from inferior races have suffered from discriminations. In his book, A Different Mirror, Takaki puts much emphasis on the various perspectives of multicultural America. To him, the society is so engulfed in a war of “us against them,” which he believes is the sole reason behind race and gender discriminations (Takaki 17). Multiculturalism struggles have evolved for a long time in the United States. One of the main events is the formation of Lowell Female Labor Reform Association, which aimed to create a level playground for women in the labor market.
On the other hand, Collins in writing “When Everything Changed,” agrees with Takaki regarding the disuniting of America but posits that a lot has changed for the American women since the 1960s. To her, the sufferings women used to experience in the 20th Century have evolved from a society that discriminates to one in which women are involved in many sectors including labor and education among others (Collins 27).

The difference between the two writers is the aspect of optimism. While both reckon that persons of inferior races or gender have suffered in the United States for long, Takaki calls for a different way of viewing society and enhancing multiculturalism while Collins already believes that the American woman, in particular, has achieved unprecedented milestones in society. Perhaps, what I find new from the two readings is the practice of paying women less money than men for the same job done, as captured Gail Collins in her book (Collins 53).
Works Cited
Collins, Gail. When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women, from 1960 to the Present. New York: Little, Brown and Co, 2014. Print.
Takaki, Ronald. A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America. New York: Seven Stories Press, 2012. Print.