Discrimination, bias and prejudice

To discriminate against somebody means to treat them differently due to a characteristic. Aspects of our identity might cause people or society to treat us differently, for example, social status and body size. In the UK, the Equality Act 2010 makes it illegal to discriminate against somebody based on several so-called protected characteristics. Bias is the action of supporting or opposing a particular person or thing unfairly, because of allowing personal opinions to influence your judgment. Bias and prejudice often have their origins in our upbringing and our experiences. They are created and influenced by many things, for example, family, our education and the media we consume.