Diversity and Appreciation of Differences To better understand issues of multiculturalism and difference, it is important that we have common definitions. The following is a list of definitions that will make discussions of multiculturalism and diversity both effective and meaningful. Prejudice is an attitude, opinion, or feeling formed without adequate prior knowledge, thought, or reason. Moreover, simply presenting new facts of information that contradicts those one already has cannot change prejudice. Prejudice can be prejudgment for or against any individual, group, or object. Any individual or group can hold prejudices towards another individual, group, or object. Discrimination is differential treatment that favors one individual, group, or object over another. The source of discrimination is prejudice and the actions are not systemized. Oppression is the systematic exploitation of one social group by another for its own benefit. The phenomenon involves institutional control, ideological domination, and the promulgation of the dominant group’s culture on the oppressed. Racism is racial prejudice and discrimination—supported by institutional power and authority— used to the advantage of one race and the disadvantages of the other races. The critical element, which differs racism from prejudice, is the use of institu- tional power and authority to support prejudices and enforce discriminatory behaviors in systematic ways with far-reaching out comes and effects. Sexism is any attitude, action, or institutional practice that subordinates people because of their gender. Classism is any attitude, action, or institutional practice that subordinates people due to their economic condition. Heterosexism is any attitude, action, or institutional practice that subordinates people due to their homosexual or bisexual behavior. Able-bodism is any attitude, action, or institutional practice that subordinates people who are disabled. Your frame of reference is a filter through which you see and interpret the world. Your frame of reference includes your cultural background and your unique life experiences. Much like fingerprints, no two people have exactly the same frame of reference. Even people raised in the same family environment may have very different frames of reference. It makes sense that we tend to interpret events and behaviors based on our own frame of reference. However, this greatly increases the potential to misinterpret someone’s behaviors and/or the events around us. As Service Coordinators serving a diverse population, it is necessary to be acutely aware of your own frame of reference as well as becoming skilled at being able to look from other’s frames of reference. Also included in a person's frame of reference are their experiences with and knowledge of prejudice, stereotypes, power, privilege, and oppression. In diversity work, it seems that these are the concepts and words that people react most strongly to, both positively and negatively. As Service Coordinators, we cannot ignore the realities of these concepts. If we are uncomfortable with them, or do not understand them, we need to work through our discomfort and seek to understand them. We can then apply them to our own frames of reference. We all make judgments about people based on our experience with them. But, when we make judgment before getting to know someone, we “pre-judge” the person. When we assume everyone in a certain group is the same, we “stereotype” the individuals in that group. Prejudice and stereotypes hurt everyone when they’re negative (“only wimps cry”) or positive (“black women are strong”). They keep us from knowing the individual, cut us off from fresh ideas, limit the person’s opportunities, and can make the person feel rejected or resentful. He or she may even come to believe the stereotype.
Power is one of the key pieces in the “isms”. As stated earlier, we all have prejudices and stereotypes, however, we do not all possess systemic power and privilege. A simple equation that describes the anatomy of an “ism” is: ______________ prejudice + power= ______________ ism People have power through information, positions, representation, etc. Included
implicitly in this equation is the evidence of privilege. Privilege as defined by Peggy McIntosh, in White Privilege and Male Privilege, is defined as “an invisible package of unearned assets which one can count on cashing in each day. It’s like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, assurance, tools, maps, guides, codebooks, passport, visas, clothes, compass, emergency gear, and blank checks”. The following is a partial list of “white privileges” that Ms. McIntosh feels she possesses: I can, if I wish, arrange to be in the company of my race most of the time.
I can go shopping alone most of the time, fairly assured that I will not be followed or harassed by store detectives.
I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely and positively represented.
I can worry about racism without being seen as self-interested or self-seeking.
I can take a job with an affirmative action employer without having my co-workers on the job suspect that I got it because of my race. We all have privileges, some more than others. Think about what privileges you may have and take for granted. Some areas you may want to explore are privileges based on your race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, abilities, sex, and class. Oppression refers to the systems of power and prejudice that perpetuate privilege and intolerance. It is a system of barriers that assign advantages (privilege) to certain groups and consequently, disadvantages to others. It is important to remember that oppression is a system which would be viewed in a historical context. Each one of the “isms” (racism, heterosexism, ableism, classism, sexism, etc.) is identified as an oppression. This is just the beginning of a process. Like any other skill or competency, understanding diversity takes time, effort and resources. This is the philosophy behind ongoing, integrated diversity education. As we put in the time and effort necessary to develop this skill, we grow as individuals and contribute to the success of the organizations to which we belong and the people with which we interact. In order to understand others, you must first understand yourself. This includes understanding how you communicate, being aware of what privileges you do or do not have knowing your biases, your leadership style, your cultural background, frame of reference, etc. It also includes reflecting on how your own presence in a situation might alter it. This process involves a great deal of humility, because it involves examining our strengths and areas in need of improvement. Challenge the accuracies of your assumptions. Always assume there is an alternative explanation. This will force you to search for more information before you make a judgment on the situation. The information may conclude that your interpretations were or were not
accurate.
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