Saturday, May 21, 2016

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

        •       Jennifer
Jennifer defines culture as the way people live.  Jennifer believes that culture reaches beyond ethnicity and race, but extends to an individual’s way of life.  Jennifer is culturally different from me because she is a Caucasian female. 
Jennifer defines diversity as the inclusion of different cultures in an environment.  Diversity is ensuring there is representation of different cultures in that particular environment.  Her definition of diversity is most impacted by equality in representation. 

Jaleel
Jaleel defined culture as how you live, your way of life.  Culture, to Jaleel, has to do more with family and what your family taught you as you were growing up . Jaleel is different from me because he is an Asian male.  
Jaleel looks at diversity as making sure there are different people in every group.  Jaleel looked at diversity as a necessity for understanding culture.  
Brandon
Brandon defined culture in relation to his sexuality.  Brandon is homosexual and relates to that culture in activities and lifestyle.  Brandon is different from me because he is a homosexual male.
Brandon defined diversity by the inclusion of all members of the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transexual, Queer) community.  Brandon related most of his diversity comments to the most recent inclusion of Caitlyn Jenner and the recent acceptance of Transgender individuals.


Jennifer’s answers were very direct and backup what we have been reading this week. Culture is a way of life and diversity is a mixture of cultures in one environment. Jaleel’s description of culture and diversity comes from a non traditional perspective. Like me, they work together in a family business and value family over everything. James’ views on culture and diversity derive from his recent years. Several years ago he “came out” and while everyone in his family was excepting, he reals more comfortable hanging and relating to people who are like him. Conversations with the people I interviewed altered my opinion about culture and diversity greatly.  In our discussion, my impression about culture changed based mostly on Jaleel’s opinion.  Culture, in my opinion, was mostly
based in how you currently live.  Jaleel helped influence my perception in considering my family's upbringing and what was taught as I grew up.  In relation to diversity, I looked at Brandon as being responsible for the biggest change in perception. Diversity, before this exercise, looked mostly a race and gender. Conversations with Brandon helped me look to sexual orientation and gender reassignment.  I have always been accepting of all individuals, my opinion about the acceptance of individuals with different sexual orientations has broadened. I also attribute popular cultures and entertainment in assisting with this change in my perception. 


6 comments:

  1. Andrea,
    Jennifer and Jaleel was right on point with defining culture. It amazes me how everyone describes culture so differently. I too have always been a person who accepts everyone for who they are and I feel everyone should. There is no family that has the same culture we are all different. Good Post

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  2. Good post! I feel the same as your friends - no one should be treated differently just because their culture teaches them to do something one way while others tend to do things differently, everyone should be treated with respect.

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  3. Wow in reading your posts, I would have never taught that someone would actually based their culture on their sexuality. In a sense I guess that makes sense because how they feel is based on how they grew up, what they saw growing up and or what was done to them growing up. This assignment has allowed me to be even more open minded to people who may necessarily flow with me. I think it will bring a lot more understanding as well.

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  4. Great post. From your post I learned how people view their culture in relation to sexuality. We view diversity based on sex and gender why not believe the way we were raised have something to do with what sexuality we chose.

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  5. Wonderful Post ! I enjoyed reading your post from all your friends. Culture can define in so many different ways and everyone have different opinions which is understandable. I have learned a lot just from view your post.

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  6. Hi there!
    I think right now the term diversity is front and center in our minds as their is so much focus in the media right now on transgender people. I am truly trying to understand the hurdles they are facing. Many people do have opinions and I am sure sooner or later this will become something I face in the classroom. It was interesting to read your take on this subject.
    Heather

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