Race

Racism and gender discrimination are present day issues that affect the lives of Brazilians not only in the workplace but in education and in society as a whole. Although races are not thoroughly distinguished in some people as a result of interracial marriages, people are generally grouped into those who have light skin or dark skin. The distinction between light and dark skin is different than it is in the United States because of the general difference in skin tone. Since Brazilians tend to have darker skin, a person whom the United States considers black may be considered white in Brazil. The four basic races listed from high to low status are whites, morenos, mulattos, and pretos. Note that they are also in order from light to dark skin color. The whites and morenos, or those of lighter skin hold the high positions in the work force. The mulattos and pretos, or those who have dark skin have low positions in the workforce. The whites and morenos are also allowed a more formal education than the mulattos and pretos and make higher wages.

In the workplace, whites and morenos hold the higher positions. They are the doctors, lawyers, engineers and C.E.O.s, whereas the mulattos and pretos are the semi-skilled workers in minimum wage jobs. When a company in Brazil seeks an individual to hire, they ask for a picture to see what color their skin is and what features determine their racial group. In 1992, a survey was done to see the difference in salaries among the different racial groups. The whites in general made about four-hundred eighty-five dollars more than the pretos, and the men generally made seventy dollars more than women. Women are not allowed to have some jobs that men have which also limits their salary; "Probably because unlike race, gender is socially and culturally constructed from abstract principles that reorganize the differences of sex." (108) Although there is discrimination in the work place, there may be more to it than simply the color of one's skin.

It is plausible that the lack of education has a lot to do with job status. Since the preto's and mulattos are given a less formal education than the whites and morenos, they cannot possess the same skill of those who have had a formal education. This may be the reason why they are not allowed high standing positions in the work place. Reichmann states, "The restriction of preto men's access to more skilled and better remunerated occupational