Learn about Diversity

Learning about Diversity

                   Diversity exists in many forms and our communities are diverse in many ways: culture, language, socio-economic status, ability, gender, age and sexual orientation.

Statistics Canada provides relevant information about diversity.
  • 1 in 5 people in Canada is foreign-born and this is expected to increase to 28% of the population by 2031 (2011).
  • Females out number males by approximately 300 000 (2016).
  • Aboriginal groups, visible minorities and women earn less money than majority groups and men (2011).
  • More than 200 languages are used in Canada as home languages or mother tongues (2011).
  • The most common disabilities are mental/psychological, 3.9%; dexterity, 3.5%; hearing, 3.2%; seeing, 2.7%; followed by memory and learning disabilities, 2.3% each (2012).
  • LGBTQ experience more stress than heterosexuals (2014).
  • Number of children aged 24 and under living with female same-sex parents is 7700 children and male same-sex parents 1900 children (2011).

                To begin the process of inclusion, acknowledging and promoting the importance of diversity and equitable practices in our schools and communities are vital to our individual development and the good of all. People live in different ways, and everyone should value the differences and contributions of others.  It seems like a simple  practice, but Shields (2013) illustrates how even young children respond positively or negatively to different groups based on parental associations that affect their treatment of people. Moving forward, collective action is needed to ensure everyone responds positively to diversity, practices inclusion and moves beyond tolerance to accepting, adapting and adopting diverse perspectives and practices for greater innovation. There is immense capacity for greater local, national and international progress in addressing social injustices in our society. 
                   
               "As diversity has grown so has the divisions that separate the advantaged and the disadvantaged" (Ryan, 2006, p. 4). Inequity does not happen randomly. There are patterns associated with culture, social class, gender, sexual orientation, mental and physical ability and language depicting how certain groups are favored and unfavored (Ryan, 2006). Those who are favored have greater opportunities and power than those who are unfavored, and this negatively affects overall local and global progress. In fact, Ryan (2006) finds groups who are marginalized are more likely to drop out of school and continue to suffer injustice. The achievement gap is not caused by diversity, but reflects systematic inequalities (Shields, 2013). As Shields (2013) explains these negative responses to diversity, systematic inequalities, highlight inadequate inclusion of diverse groups in a shared vision and/or pedagogical approaches.

               To address systematic inequalities, people must move beyond tolerance to accepting, adapting and adopting diverse perspectives and practices for greater equity and innovation. There is immense capacity for significant local, national and international progress. Therefore,  understanding diversity and inclusion in schools and communities is a critical change. To engage people in this process, they must acknowledge that "educational equity is entangled with social, cultural and political dynamics that extend beyond the school (Oakes & Rogers, 2006, p. 31 ). This awareness allows schools and communities to better challenge inequalities and develop inclusive practices for a more culturally rich, linguistically diverse and innovative society.

Lisa Goolcharan, March 2017. Updated 2018
 Statistics Canada outlines changes in Canada and predicts greater international exchanges and relationships as well as a greater presence and influence of certain groups. Moving forward there must be more focus on multiculturalism and inclusion.
The immigrant population/foreign-born are nearly 7 million people. Each new wave of immigration has added to ethnic and cultural diversity. The largest source of immigrants over the past  5 years are people from Asia.
Privilege is having access to things that others do not have. These many include things such as basic needs, rights and freedoms and opportunities.

Different Kinds of Diversity

Race
LGBTQ
Language
SES
Ability
Gender
When considering different kind of diversity, it is important note that individual identities are complex and there are individual differences as well as intersectality of different kinds of diversity. Each person's unique identity forms their unique reality.

Visible & Invisible Diversity
Most diversity cannot be seen at the surface level. An understanding and exploration of both invisible and visible diversity is necessary in diversity education to support .
Adapted from the Avarna Group, 2017

Responding to Diversity

There are many ways to respond to diversity. Challenging and questioning our assumptions and biases and recognizing our actions and those of others provides a pathway for change. 
Positive Responses to Diversity
  • Tolerance- acknowledging there are differences, and it is okay
  • Acceptance- accepting differences, and respecting different groups. Open to greater understanding
  • Cultural Relativism- principle of regarding the beliefs, values and practices of a culture from the viewpoint of that culture itself
  • Integration- beginning to include diverse groups into  mainstream culture​
  • Celebration- celebrating differences and learning new things
  • Adapting- creating a more just society through equity. This includes things such starting to challenge biases and taking affirmative action
  • Pluralism- existing peacefully with other cultures
  • Adopting- collaborating and utilizing diverse ideas. Diverse groups working together. Able to relate to different identities and be innovative together
  • Philanthropy- a concern for the welfare of others and acting on their behalf
  • Inclusion-including diverse groups and perspectives on a deep level of participation.
Negative Responses to Diversity
Colorblindness- treat people equally and ignore differences
  • Deficit Thinking- having lower expectations for different groups
  • Prejudice- a feeling, favorable or unfavorable toward a person or thing prior to contact. It is not based on experience
  • Discrimination- an act of treating people unjust based on culture, age, sexual orientation, ability, language and gender
  • Stereotyping- creating a mental picture about members of a group. It is an oversimplified opinion, attitude or judgement
  • Xenocentrism- believing your own lifestyle and ideas are inferior to other cultures
  • Ethnocentrism- believing your own lifestyle and ideas are superior to other cultures
  • Hegemony- a group of people dominating over another group of people
  • Totalitarian- a type of government with no individual freedoms
  • Exclusion- segregating into different groups
  • Oppression- exploitation, marginalisation, powerlessness, cultural imperialism, violence (5 faces of Oppression)

                                                                                    Lisa Goolcharan, March 2017

Sharing Positive Responses to Diversity

Social Experiment: Trust vs. Islamophobia
               In October 2015, Canadian Muslims, Assma Guluta and Mustafa Mawla and Time Vision production company did a social experiment on the streets of Toronto about the Muslim community being stereotyped as terrorists. These stereotypes are a growing concern for all Canadians and affect how Muslims feel about themselves and their identity. 
                         In the experiment, Mustafa stood on the street blindfolded with two signs. One said,"I am a Muslim. I am labelled a terrorist," and the other sign said, "I trust you. Do you trust me? Give me a hug." Guluta reported to Huffington Post that the purpose of the blindfold on Mustafa was to show his trust of others and his membership of Canadian society. While blindfolded, Mustafa was vulnerable and exposed with the potentially to act in anger or harm him. They were prepared for people to shout obscenities, but it did not occur. Many people hugged Mustafa and one man actually stopped his car and got out to do so. 
 Inspiring Contributions by Canadian Immigrants
Disability Arts Movement: Unique and Compelling 
          Disability arts and culture are changing the arts and moving the arts forward with their unique, multifaceted identities. As Reid (2016) perceptively points out, "many mad, Deaf, disabled, sick and crip folks identify with their experiences as an aspect of their identity, and not simply as a medical diagnosis." Furthermore, there is not one identity in the disable community because  individuals are also affected by "racism, classism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, poverty, indigeneity and colonialism."
          Reid emphasizes that people need to "understand the process, content, product and/or intervention related to our creative work."
Some Artists of the Disability Arts Movement
The Mighty Rhino, singer
Carmen Papalia artist
Lynx Sainte-Marie, poet
Syrus Marcus Ware, visual artist
Lisa Bufano, performance artist
Sins Invalid: An Unshamed Claim to Beauty in the Face of Invisibility
Photo of Lisa Bufano by Julia Wolf (foxgrrl)
Share positive responses to diversity from your life, school or workplace.

Ideas for sharing your:
1. Stories about diversity and inclusion (video, story, article, comic, poster)

2. Reflections on events, resources and other artifacts that show positive responses to diversity and inclusion

3. Action Research and studies about the positive effects of diversity and inclusion

3. Art about positive responses to diversity and inclusion

4. Photos and information about inclusive programs and projects

5. Videos related to inclusive practices and strategies in the classroom, school and community.


Sharing Negative Responses to Diversity

Sexism Experienced Around the World
By sharing your story you’re showing the world that sexism does exist, it is faced by women everyday and it is a valid problem to discuss.
Read about negative events that happen to females and males because of their gender

The Everyday Sexism Project exists to catalogue instances of sexism experienced by women on a day to day basis.
https://everydaysexism.com/country/ca
Failing Canadian's First Nations Children
Global News:  Failing Canada’s First Nations Children
According to Statistics Canada (2011):
  • 9.8% of Aboriginal people had a university degree compared to 26.5% of non-Aboriginal people
  • 28.9% of 25-64 year-old Aboriginal people had “no certificate, diploma, or degree’ compared to 12.1% of non-Aboriginal people
Stereotypes of Disable People
“Is that a person?” one says to another.
“it’s a she.”
“a she?”
After the videographer documenting the work explains a bit about Lisa, her practice, and her qualifications as an artist, one of the women reply:
“But is she handicapped?”
To which the videographer tries to respond respectfully and accurately about the limitation of Lisa’s limbs.
“Mentally fine though?” they respond.
“ah… yes”, he responds.
“Did she come up with this all by herself?” they ask
“yes”.
Lisa’s work challenged these viewers’ assumptions about what a “mentally fine” human being looks like, and perhaps even redefined for them what a disabled person “can come up with” all by themselves. Instead of failing to fit her atypical body into traditional dance practices, Lisa Bufano instead redefined entire notions of body and movement. (See complete article at nomorepotlucks, 2014).
Hear Me Out! Stories about Equity and Inclusion
Students share their stories depicting the short and long term impact of social inequity. There is a  focus on racism, homophobia and sexism. Also, students and adults share their perspectives about the importance of inclusion. It is developed by the Ontario Teachers' Federation (OTF) and the Centre ontarien de prévention des agressions (COPA), 2012.
Share negative responses to diversity from your life, school or work place.

Ideas for sharing your:
1. Stories about diversity and inclusion (video, story, article, comic, poster)

2. Reflections on events, resources and other artifacts that show discrimination

3. Action Research and studies about discrimination and oppression

3. Art about negative responses to diversity and inclusion

4. Photos and information about exclusionary programs and projects

5. Videos related to oppression and discrimination in classrooms, schools and the community

REFERENCES

Oakes, J. & Rogers, J. (2006). Learning power: Organizing for education and justice. New York: Teachers College Press.
Ryan, J. (2006). Inclusive leadership and social justice for schools. Leader and policy in schools, 5, 3-17.
Shields, C.M. (2013). Transformative Leadership in Education: Equitable Changes in an Uncertain and Complex World. New York, NY: Routledge.
           

Inclusion Canada
Diversity is Our Reality. Inclusion is Our Choice.

Winnipeg, Manitoba
Canada
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