Wealth, income, occupation, and education help define these social positions. The US government has established a poverty index that sets a conservative ceiling on poverty. See figure 3.2 on page 81 for percentage of children living in poverty in industrialized nations. National origin is an important part of identity for many individuals. Native American tribes are the only indigenous ethnic group in the United States.
National origin is the primary determinant of one's ethnicity.
Race and gender are among the first things one notices when one meets another person. See quote by Dr. King, Jr. on page 82. A major difference between males and females is how they are treated in society. Many cultural groups place high value on heterosexuality and denigrate or outlaw homosexuality. Language interacts with our ethnic and socioeconomic background to socialize us into linguistic and cultural communities.