Similarities and Differences

Everyone’s different. We all look different (apart from identical twins), we all think differently, and we all have different personalities. Some differences are more obvious than others. For example, people with red hair tend to be more noticeable because there are fewer of them. But we must be very, very careful never to use peoples’ appearance as a way of making them feel excluded or unliked. This is called discrimination.

One of the most obvious differences between people is the colour of their skin. This has been used to discriminate between people for centuries. Some white people used to believe that black people weren’t as good as them. These views are now seen as stupid and horrible. We all feel similar emotions no matter what colour our skin is.

People sometimes use the physical differences between us as a way of making them feel better than others. This could be skin colour, hair type, freckles, height, weight or even the way people walk or laugh. Bullies can be very good at picking on other people and making them feel insecure about who they are. It’s really important that you don’t let your opinions about others be affected by that type of thinking.

Other differences that cause discrimination are peoples’ disabilities. Lots of people have been disabled for all or part of their lives. Sometimes the disability is easy to recognise as with a person in a wheelchair, but often you can’t see a person’s disability. They could have a mental disability that makes them think and act differently to you. None of these disabilities should ever be used to treat people in a way that causes them to feel less equal to anyone else no matter what the circumstances.

Always try to see the person inside. We all share the experience of being human. We all have ideas, ambitions and emotions and we all have times when we are scared, unhappy and uncertain. No matter what our physical appearance, we all need friends and understanding. Try to remember this.

Another way in which people discriminate is by other peoples’ culture. Their culture might be reflected in the clothes they wear, the things they eat (or don’t eat), the way they talk, the traditions they follow at different times of the year and what they believe. If you are surrounded by children from lots of different cultures at school, you are very lucky indeed. All these cultures coming together gives you a chance to enjoy the richness of the whole world on your own doorstep!

For many years the two main cultural traditions in Northern Ireland were Protestant and Catholic. That’s not so true anymore. However, you still might hear things on the news about it. The important thing to remember is that no matter what our beliefs and our culture, we all have to share the space we live in and treat each other with respect.

This means listening to others and making space for their way of living and thinking. Some people think that they are better than other people just because they look different, go to a different church or school, or believe different things - but you don't need to agree with them. Everyone is human. Everyone is equal.