journal
Approaching Diversity with Kindness
August 6, 2008
I was recently asked, “How can we approach introducing the topic of the problems of discrimination in a way that fosters openness and curiosity about this societal problem, particularly when people believe it no longer exists?” It is a a very good question. In the past half century, the U.S. has come a long way in dismantling racism and sexism. We have gone from Jim Crow to seeing blacks, women and other minorities gain a strong foothold in our economy. Yet, we also see in events like the beating of Rodney King and here in my own hometown, an attack a few years ago on Daisy Lundy, an African-American student at UVA by white men in retaliation for her run for President of Student Council that these problems still exist. Those who self-identify as gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgendered probably face the most difficult hurdles today for basic civil rights.
While these are more aggregious examples of blatant discrimination and hatred, they exist at the tip of the iceberg of the legacy of hatred and oppression of others due to the color of their skin, their gender, or their sexual orientation, among other identities. Outside the U.S., other identities are more salient, such as the Kurds in Iraq or the Chechens in Russia. Identity is a fluid thing and very much based on culture, history, geography, and other factors.
I believe the foundation of all such tensions rests in our shared experience of violence and trauma. To that end, addressing such issues with others must be approached first through the lens of our shared, human suffering long before we leap to asking others to see how they may be benefiting socio-economically from the color of their skin, their gender, or sexual orientation. Discrimination is a form of violence as powerful and insidious as war. We are also all affected by all forms of violence, even if we live in relatively protected and privileged circumstances. None of us are immune. And whether we are privileged by virture of birth, education, race, gender, or any other appellation, in this day and age, we are all at risk. Here at the heart of our common human pain is the ground of our shared plight and humanity. From here, we can open up in kindness to ourselves and one another and find new ground upon which to approach the very loaded and often scary topic of discrimination in all its forms.