Human Diversity

Social Constructionism

Categories created and reinforced by society

Racial Formation

The process by which society creates, reshapes, and gives meaning to racial categories

Privilege

When our statuses are defined as having value within the social structure. A set of (not necessarily) earned rights or assets belonging to a certain status

Oppression

A relationship in which the dominant group benefits from systematic abuse, exploitation, and injustice directed at a subordinate group

Cultural Competence

Effectively and respectfully communicate and interact with people from diverse cultural background by understanding, appreciating, and adapting to their unique beliefs, values, customs, and practices

Cultural Humility

Remaining open to learning from others and recognizing clients as the experts of their own experiences

A lifelong process of self-reflection and self-critique

Ethnocentrism

Judging other cultures by your own standards, thinking your culture is superior

Cultural Relativism

Understanding a culture by its own values

Categories of Difference

Race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, socioeconomic status, age, disability, nationality, and language

Gender Scripts

Men expected to initiate, women expected to regulate boundaries

Hookup Culture

Socially constructed casual sexual encounters outside committed relationships

Organizational Competence

Agencies must create structures that support cultural competence

Externalization of Social Construction

People create categories

Objectivation of Social Construction

Categories start to feel real

Internalization of Social Construction

People accept categories as common sense

Skill area of Awareness

The recognition of ones own biases, assumptions, and privilege, and the understanding that culture shapes interactions - Reflect on bias

Skill area of Knowledge

Learning about the histories, traditions, and social contexts of different cultural groups

Skill area of Skill

The ability to apply strategies in practice, adapt communication, and being mindful of potential misunderstandings caused by cultural  differences

Race

Socially constructed categories (black white Asian)

Ethnicity

Shared cultural heritage, language, traditions, and ancestry (Irish, Nigerian, Dominican)

Nationality

Legal citizenship (American)

Hypo-Decent

Anyone with any black ancestry is classified as black

Power and Privilige

“Blackness” was constructed in contrast to “whiteness”, giving power and privilege to one category

Racialization

Giving racial meaning to groups, practices, or relationships that were not previously seen as racial

Five Stages of Negotiating Faith and Gender

Socialization, Conflict, Defiance, Exploration, Ongoing Resolution

Socialization

Families impose clothing/behavior norms

Schools reinforce rigid gender roles (dress codes)

Churches focus on sexuality, ignore gender identity

Conflict

Dreams of being other gender

Suppression to fit in: living as a “chameleon”

Isolation, lack of support, depression, guilt

Defiance

Toys: Punish for crossing gender lines

Clothes: Cross-dressing at events, buying clothes secretly

Performance: Online avatars and pretend play as safer outlets

Exploration

Research: Online forums, books, media

Talking: Supportive families vs rejecting families

Faith: Some stayed Christian, others shifted identities

Ongoing Resolution

Gender Identity: Comfort grows over time

Religious Identity: Core beliefs are often maintained. Some create a personalized faith practice that feels authentic

Many distance themselves due to judgement or rejection but hold on to spirituality

Essentialism

Human behavior is natural, predetermined by genetic, biological, or physiological mechanisms, and thus not subject to change

Dominant Groups

Set societal norms and roles

Hold power

Often oblivious to inequality

Subordinate Groups

Assigned devalued roles - must understand dominant group to survive

May internalize negative images