Affirmative action policies benefit minority groups, women, disabled persons, gays and lesbians, and people of different ethnic or religious backgrounds. Increasing the employment or education opportunities of these groups is commonly achieved through targeted programs which can in some cases accord preferential treatment to groups deemed to be at a political disadvantage.
Opponents of affirmative action policies argue these methods are merely another equal form of discrimination resulting in the refusal of certain qualified applicants who do not belong to these groups.
Alternatively, rather than according an advantage to a particular group, some tend to focus on ensuring equal opportunity.
