Diversity training is a bit like the bastard kid no one wants to talk about, but then they feel guilty because they don’t want to talk about it, so they end up overcompensating. Okay, maybe that assessment is a bit harsh. But the fact remains that diversity training often does have this awkward air about it, and I’ve seen it handled poorly more often than well.
Now let me preface my rant with an admission that my life hasn’t been steeped in diversity as it is commonly defined. I’ve had people tell me my perspective on the subject is a direct result of not being more of a minority, and they could well be right. Whatever the reason, I have some strong thoughts on the topic that aren’t always popular.
THE GREAT DIVIDE
I think one of the problems with some diversity training is that it creates a great divide. An us versus them mentality. You’re either on one side or the other. Inside or outside. The oppressed or the oppressor. Diverse or non-diverse.
It inevitably marginalizes one group to elevate another.
I get why sometimes it is important for people to understand and accept their heritage as the oppressed or the oppressor. It can create new levels of awareness about this important topic.
However, I question any approach that leaves people on a team looking at each other across dividing lines or feeling vindicated about seeing the other side as the enemy.
DISCRIMINATION DOESN’T DISCRIMINATE
It isn’t just those people we typically categorize as “diverse” who face discrimination. While there are groups we often assume are discriminated against everywhere, it really depends on the cultural reality of your specific society. Something that is welcomed as the norm in one of part of the world or even within one company is looked down upon in another.
It’s easy to recognize the obvious diversity categories like the color of your skin or a physical handicap, and much has been accomplished to bring awareness to discrimination issues related to such groups. Which is fantastic!
Sad to say though, discrimination is still rampant in less visible instances of diversity, and it is often not identified as such because it is so subtle.
I personally have run into discrimination because I lack a formal college degree. It doesn’t matter what training I do have under my belt or what I have accomplished in my business or who I have worked with. People with formal education often look down upon those without.
Excuse it away with logical reasons if you want, but it’s still discrimination… making a distinction in favor of or against a person based on the group, class, or category to which that person belongs rather than on individual merit.
Even worse are the cases of discrimination that are actually acceptable in our culture. A good example is people of low socio-economic status. How many times do you hear jokes about “trailer trash” or “ghetto”? I don’t see anyone protesting these slurs as discriminatory. Usually such jokes are merely met with laughs and nods of agreement.
WE’VE ALL GOT WARTS
Depending on your cultural experiences and upbringing, there is often a perception that individuals in certain diversity groups have inherently had more challenges, things to overcome, painful secrets, something to hide from society or feel ashamed of, or whatever.
Sadly, there is truth to that in some cases. There are still groups today who are actively discriminated against or who face other challenges such as a physical handicap that require a person to overcome on a day-to-day basis. There’s no question that we still have a lot of work to do to eliminate bias-based hardships for different groups of people in today’s culture.
The fact remains though that automatically assigning challenges or dark secrets to certain groups is unfair to everyone and downright ridiculous. I guarantee every single individual has their own stories of hardship, challenge, or things that make them feel somehow “less than”.
A NEW STANDARD FOR DIVERSITY TRAINING
So is diversity training a lost cause? I don’t think so by any means! There are many high quality trainings out there, and here are a few things that I think could further redeem the value of diversity training.
- Remember that we’re all human, we all have warts, and we’re all in this crazy journey we call life together. We need to find ways to create connection and common ground as fellow human beings, not division. The bigger story goes far above and beyond any group, class, or category distinctions.
- What was true 50 years ago isn’t necessarily true today. Be sensitive to the cultural reality of the people on your team today at this time in history. For example, women in our country are no longer struggling with voting rights. At the same time, the movements that addressed suffrage years ago have contributed to the new dynamics in the way women interact within today’s culture.
- Understand and recognize that everyone is uniquely diverse. Just as no two people are physically alike, they each have their own personal characteristics, heritage, and experiences. We can’t continue to lump them together under the same categories and make assumptions across the board just because they share one set of qualities.
- The biggest value of any diversity training is understanding each individual team member’s “come from”. I’d like to see more training programs that create awareness of how each person is uniquely different and understanding of their singular worldview. And then brings it back around to find common ground and ways to move forward that leverage the distinct characteristics and experiences of each individual.
About Laura Ege