Words: Harmless, or Hurtful?

As children, we would chant a little diddle, “Sticks and stones can burst my bones, but words cannot harm me”. I now know that this saying is just a myth. Sometimes words are more hurtful than physical abuse with long-term effects. I can recall one rather humiliating experience of microaggression that I had with a colleague a few years ago. I taught his son and we were discussing some missing work. My colleague implied that I had forgotten the assignments that his son ‘must’ have turned in. He said he forgave me as it was probably that “time” of the month. He was obviously implying that as a woman I must suffer from PMS and had forgotten the assignment during the stressful time. I do not work with this man anymore, but whenever I come in contact with him, I cannot help but think of the conversation, and the way he made me feel. This was a case of gender microaggression, where I being a woman was attacked.

As a result of this week’s readings and my observations, I realize that we live in a world where attacking others based on their gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and abilities is rampant. I used to think that I did not have a problem with prejudice and biases, as I lived in a country where I am a part of the majority. I realize now that this is not the case. Sadly, I also realize that there have been times when I have been the aggressor in the situation. I vow to be more cognizant of the words I use, and the way I use them. Even when the microaggression is an unconscious occurrence, the pain is just as real and just as damaging. Whether it comes in the form of a microassault, microinsult or microinvalidation which is described as the most insidious of the three, (Laureate, 2011) they are all very detrimental. So to avoid microaggressions of any form we should seek to be accurately informed about others instead of basing our beliefs on the stereotypes. As we establish intimate contact with persons who are different from us and work together to make our communities more accepting place we inevitably pave the way for a microaggression free tomorrow. 

Reference

Laureate Education (Producer). (2011). Microaggressions in everyday life [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Perspectives on Culture and Diversity

Perspectives on Culture and Diversity  

Culture

·         Shared beliefs and traditions within a particular community

·         Behavior, norms, and beliefs of a particular group

·         A set of beliefs and traditions that a group has that sets them apart. These beliefs and traditions are passed down from generation to generation. It affects all of the different aspects of their lives from the way they eat, speak, to the way they view the world.

·         The behavior characteristics that define a people. It is concerned with how a people talk, eat, dress, what they worship, and when or what they celebrate or mourn.

Diversity

·         An understanding of the uniqueness and differences held by an individual, groups of people or a variety of things which can be tangible or intangible.  

·         Being different

·         The differences between cultures. The ways different cultures prepare their food interact with other, and how they parent their children.

·         A cohesion of multiple and varied cultures, sexes (genders), sexual orientations, religions, political views, tastes, and opinion.

The information above is a listing of definitions of culture and diversity provided by family members and friends. In this course I have studied that culture affects all aspects of an individual’s life including the way they eat, dress, and the holidays that they celebrate, as mentioned by friends and acquaintances that I questioned.  The deeper and more significant elements of an individual’s culture include their religion and the way they worship, as well as their language, and parenting choices or styles. None of the persons questioned mentioned ideas of education, housing arrangements, extended family relationships, the way emotion is showed, and the migration patterns or history as possible elements of culture.

One of the definitions of diversity that I received has enhanced my understanding and appreciation of the concept. The individual defined diversity as the cohesion of varied cultures. When I think of diversity, I think of division and difference, never cohesion. I think this is a positive, forward thinking, view of diversity. It looks at the way the different cultures, genders, political views and opinions can be fused together to create something powerful. It is a view that would lead to more acceptance, and respect for diversity and cultural differences. 

My Family Culture 

If I was in the middle of a major catastrophe that completely devastated the infrastructure of my country, I would have little trouble choosing three small items to take away with me. My family is not wealthy, with numerous material items to choose from. There are no family jewels to secure or treasure. The wealth that we have is our love for each other. So I ask myself what three small items that would I take with me, knowing that I am never to return to my Bahamas.

The first item I would choose to carry would be my Bible. The reason why I would bring the Bible is because it is the anchor of my faith, and that of my family. It informs me about why I exist and shapes the cultural experience of my family.   Even though I may be in what may seem like an exile from home, the Word of God transcends any physical circumstance or catastrophe and is able to help the believer to overcome cultural variances and issues that may arise. It teaches me in whatever state I may find myself in to be content. God’s word has the ability to provide the reader with a peace that is beyond comprehension.

The second item I would choose to bring would be my Ipad. I chose this gadget because it holds a lot of memories of my family. My Ipad also has stored notes of various subjects and ideas that my family and I have amassed over the years.   The Ipad would also be helpful in providing survival tips that my family would be sure to benefit from in a refugee situation. I feel certain that this device will be quite helpful to give my family encouragement and motivation to keep on striving.

The final item that I would choose to take with me as a refugee into a foreign country would be my hymnal. My family and I love to sing and sometimes we sing together as a group. We have found that singing brings on so many positive effects. It can calm a crying child, and give peace to an angry individual.

 I can set the pace for tiring work that must be done, and can motivate a tired body to continue on a little longer. Many of the songs in my hymnal tell the story of redemption and the plan that God has for those that love and serve Him.   This constant reminder would be vital to give my family hope when the way seems drear.

If upon arrival to the refugee camp, I was told that I could only keep one item, it would have to be the Bible. The Bible provides a guide into the future and would, therefore, be more needed than the Ipad. It is also calming and full of hope to anyone who would seek for it. There are many scriptural songs in God’s Word so the Bible could very easily take the place of the hymnal. I have seen the transforming power of the Bible so I feel confident that it is the only thing that my family and I would need to take with us.

This assignment has proven to be quite an eye-opener for me. As I brainstormed with my husband about the items we would wish to carry, I realized that we are a very spiritual family. Looking around, and thinking about my possessions, I did not come across anything that would be missed or that I longed to take with me. To me, home is where the family is, so wherever we went as long as we were together, and in good health, we would be content.