Prejudices can be felt in multiple ways. Perhaps someone is prejudiced with regard to your lifestyle, interests, gender, race, religion or job. No matter why you experience prejudice, it is a painful reality.
One kind of prejudice I experienced in life is that related to gender. Because I am a woman, expectations for me were often quite different than that of the boys or men around me. Though this has become less of an issue in time, some of that old time prejudice against women still exist.
For example, recently I achieved a goal that some around me felt was a goal for men alone. Those who still held on to old time myths about gender, reacted in troubling ways to my accomplishment. Their sarcasm and disinterest made me feel bad even though I knew it was rooted in old time, outdated misogyny. What they expected of me as a woman was far different than what they expected for themselves as men.
While painful, I am sensitive to the fact that the world has changed rapidly and it has been difficult for some to keep up with the social changes that have occurred. Of course there was comfort for some in those old-time roles for women as caretakers and those subservient to men--it's hard to change your outlook, and especially more difficult as you age. So with kindness and care, I'll be gentle, but firm, with regard to words or actions that continue to foist hurtful prejudices upon me. I'll also work to rid myself of dangerous and destructive prejudices that I hold--prejudices that may make others feel bad. We all hold prejudices of one kind or another, and that's never a good thing. We have to continually work against that dangerous perspective in our lives. Onward.