Reply #41: I think you have it...

[handmade34]

when I turned fifty, I realized people weren't so quick to hire me. But the discrimination I experience in regards to financial status is much more pointed. Its not about being a person of color - its about being a person of color with no money. It is most certainly about class.

My experience: I work on the road and do not usually have to interact with people for business, so I dress down a lot. I am a diamond member of all the major hotel chains (I spend $50,000+/year as my housing is paid for by the company). When I go into a hotel to check in, the difference in how I am treated is distinctly marked by whether I present myself by my membership there or not. I realized a long time ago that if all people -regardless of status - were treated as special (such as people with money are) our society would be much, much healthier.