What is Racism and Homophobia?

Racism 

Racism has been defined as " the beliefs, attitudes, institutional arrangements and acts that tend to denigrate individuals or groups because phenotypic characteristics or ethnic affiliation" (Clark, Anderson, Clark & Williams, 1999). Racism is expressed in many forms and has many negative effects. 

Institutional Racism: Lack of access to services, resources, goods, opportunities (employment, education, health, etc.) to a race, because of laws, policy, regulations,... (inaction in the face of need).
Internalized Racism: is the internalization by people of racist attitudes towards members of their own ethnic group, including themselves (i.e. accepting their own ethnic stereotypes)

Personal Mediated Racism: differential action based on race... (e.g., police brutality, racial profiling, followed around in a shopping centre, zeroed in on, etc..)

Homophobia

Negative attitudes about homosexuality can lead to rejection by friends and family, discriminatory acts and violence that harm specific individuals, and laws and policies that adversely affect the lives of many people; this can have damaging effects on the health of homosexuals:

• Affect income, employment status, and the ability to get and keep health insurance
• Contribute to poor mental health and unhealthy behaviors, such as substance abuse, risky sexual behaviors, and suicide attempts

• Affect their  ability to establish and maintain long-term same-sex relationships that reduce HIV & STD risk
• Make it difficult for some to be open about same-sex behaviors with others, which can increase stress, limit social support, and negatively affect health