Tokenism

The concept of "tokenism" will help us understand discrimination better. A "Token + Noun" is something that is present or an action that is done only because of a sense that it has to be there or has to be done. For example, a "token gesture of kindness" would be an act of kindness that doesn't mean very much but is made just out of a sense that someone has to look nice.

With regard to prejudice, consider this example. A business owner doesn't like to hire women to work for him, but he doesn't want to be accused of sexism. So the owner hires one woman, but he doesn't give her any meaningful work, and he doesn't respect her. One might call this woman the "token woman employee." If someone were to accuse the owner of sexism, he would reply that, because he hired a woman, he can't be sexist.

Tokenism is very common in popular culture. For example, people in America often talk about "token black characters" in TV shows and movies. A movie or TV show will give a very small role to a black actor so that the show will appear more diverse.

I was on the bus a few weeks ago to go buy some airplane tickets. The woman in front of me started to talk to me; she thought I looked worried. I told her I was just worried about missing my bus stop. We talked for some time, and then she got up and talked to a woman in the back of the bus. When the girl came back, she asked me, "Do you know who that is? She's a TV star!" The woman to whom she spoke was getting off the bus; she was a large woman. After the woman got off the bus, I said to the girl, "So is she the Fei Fei of Taiwan?"* My question was a little rude, but my idea was that, because Taiwan strongly values thin women, I thought that this large female TV star would be the "token fat person" on Taiwan television. Having this woman on television might reflect a desire not to be thought of as discriminatory toward fat people.

*Fei Fei was a very famous female Hong Kong celebrity. She recently died. You probably know who she is.
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