Diversity and Marginalization

One issue within society that has been repeatedly addressed over the course of this paper has been that of diversity and marginalization. It is a topic of constant relevance, regardless of era, location or culture. Whether it is race, gender, age, sexuality, religion or any number of other possible factors, every student taking this paper will have experienced marginalization on a personal level at least once in their lifetime.

In my opinion, diversity and marginalization are two halves of a whole. It is incredibly difficult to address one without acknowledging the other. Diversity involves the acknowledgment and embracement of the differences between individuals, and a refusal to judge others purely because of their differences. Marginalization, however, involves not only judging others based on those same differences, but treating them as a lesser being as a result.

Diversity can sometimes be referred to as a negative term, a way of isolating individuals based on their differences. One example of this is the words of Lorna Peterson, who believes that “difference or diversity is not an innocent discovery made by some looking for something to celebrate, but is rather a construct devised as a form of social control” (Peterson, 1999). However, I disagree. We, as humans, are designed to be different. It is those exact differences that make each one of us unique, and create such a wide variety of wonderful people in the world. Why should we treat these differences negatively, instead of celebrating how incredible this diversity is? Why should we neglect to celebrate the individuality that nature has gifted us with? Viewing diversity as a means of creating divides between individuals is an incredibly cynical belief, and, in and of itself, ultimately creates further segregations within society.

Marginalization, however, by its very definition is designed as a word meant to degrade and demean. It originates from the word margin, a word associated with borders and divides (Hall, 1999). It includes concepts such as segregation, oppression, stigmatization and alienation, but ultimately supersedes all of these as the idea that members of society should be divided for their differences (Hall, 1999). Diversity will exist whether we define it or not. As human beings, we are diverse, whether it is in the form of our personalities, beliefs and cultures, or in our very genetics. Whether we acknowledge diversity or not, it will exist regardless. Marginalization, however, is an act, a choice. Marginalization is taking that same natural diversity and casting a negative light upon it, advocating the idea that it is an undesirable trait of society.

These concepts are very closely related to the issues that come with social and cultural diversity. Differences between members of society will always exist, but the key is to treat them as a positive, something to embrace, rather than a means of judging and separating individuals into different societal classes. It is an issue that is repeatedly addressed in modern media, an issue that we are faced with every time we turn on the news, or log in to social networking accounts. Whether it is the clear, overwhelming prejudice displayed in the sentencing of Brock Turner in what has been dubbed the “Stanford Rape Case”, or the recent Auckland City Mission count of homeless individuals showing that over half of the individuals sleeping on the streets are Maori, this is an issue that surfaces in the media every single day (One News, 2016).

Naturally, I cannot help but feel strongly about this issue. I have seen so many of my loved ones judged and marginalized for their differences, and it is incredibly frustrating to see them reduced to those differences, when they are so much more than that. Whether it is a Chinese friend constantly finding herself the subject of racist jokes, my paraplegic father spoken down to by shopkeepers as a result of being in a wheelchair, or my own experiences facing prejudice for being a member of the LGBT community, it is an issue that I cannot help but relate to on a personal level, as do many others.

The second issue addressed in The Universal Declaration of Human Rights directly relates to the issue of diversity and marginalization. “Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status” (United Nations, 1948). Everyone, every single member of society, has a right to live their life without prejudice, has the same rights in life regardless of their differences.

I feel that the world has made a great deal of progress in this respect, and the fact that The Universal Declaration of Human Rights exists is proof of this. However, there is still so much room for improvement. The fact that prejudice and marginalization is still an issue that so many have to deal with shows not only room for improvement, but a need for it.

To begin with, these issues need to be more openly addressed by society as a whole. It is not enough that it is commonly referred to in the media, nor that many members of society acknowledge its existence. It needs to be universally acknowledged as a problem, as an issue that needs addressing and solving, in order for society to progress. From there, then individuals can brainstorm ideas and possible solutions, and society can begin to implement changes in order to break down marginalization and prejudice.

Another evident issue is that The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, while an incredibly positive influence on the world as a whole and an excellent source of guidelines for every member of society, it is not legally binding. Many countries have embraced The Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a part of law - such as New Zealand’s own Human Rights Act in 1993 (New Zealand Government, 1993) - but it needs to be embraced, in full, by every country as a fundamental part of the legal system, worldwide. Without this, there is nothing to prevent countries from acting outside of the guidelines set in the Declaration. The Declaration needs to be made law, in order to force countries to adhere to it.

In conclusion, the subject of diversity and marginalization is one that many individuals have a strong personal link to, and one that many cannot help but feel strongly about. It is a topic that this paper has, understandably, repeatedly addressed over the course of the semester, and I feel that it is incredibly important to learn about both in regards to our degrees, and in regards to our roles within society.

References:

Peterson, L. (1999). The Definition of Diversity. Journal of Library Administration, 27:1-2, 17-26. doi: 10.1300/J111v27n01_03

Hall, J. M. (1999). Marginalization Revisited: Critical, Postmodern, and Liberation Perspectives. Advances in Nursing Science, 22(2, 88-102.

One News. (2016, June 8). ‘Maori at the bottom of inverted pyramid' in count of Auckland city's rough sleepers. Retrieved June 10, 2016, from https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/maori-bottom-inverted-pyramid-in-count-auckland-citys-rough-sleepers

United Nations. (1948). The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Retrieved June 6, 2016, from http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/

New Zealand Government. (1993). Human Rights Act 1993. Retrieved June 7, 2016, from http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1993/0082/latest/DLM304212.html

Reflection

How have your photos depicted specific concepts that we have dealt with in this paper so far? How have your ideas about these concepts been influenced since you shared your photos with others in this paper?

When I first began my photo board, I struggled with ideas for each of the concepts presented. The first photo, on culture, was the most difficult for me, as I come from such a mixed heritage that I have little cultural background to call upon. When I was browsing through earlier posts, I was actually intimidated by the cultural photos from other students. At times, I feel jealous of those who have a strong cultural background, and that was a large part of why I found this part of the assessment so difficult.

Conversely, the second photo on identity was the easiest, as my family has always been a large part of the person that I am. Before I started on the assessment, I spent several hours scrolling through the posts others had already made, and it was interesting to see the differences and similarities between posts. A large number of students also spoke about their own families in their identity posts, and I found it fascinating to see such a parallel between all of us, regardless of age, gender or nationality. Our family are the very first people we come into contact with in life, and many of our earliest experiences - the very ones that shape our identity - come from our family members. Perhaps that is why so many members of the class chose to talk about their families.

Despite the fact that I found culture the most difficult to talk about, I spent the most amount of time on the third photo. The human rights subject I feel most strongly about is one that is very close to my heart, and a topic that I do not generally feel comfortable sharing with others. It is for that exact reason that I eventually decided to talk about the rights of the LGBT+ community. I have struggled with my own sexuality for a very long time, and still find it incredibly difficult to define. However, I am by no means the only person who struggles with this topic. Whether it is sexuality or gender, many others around the world share this struggle, and it is often made worse by the opinions and actions of those around us - which is exactly why LGBT+ rights are so important.

For my final photo, I struggled to find a topic. History as a whole directly shapes society, and I could link every single point in the history of humanity to modern society. The invention of the printing press, however, is directly linked to modern education, and the experiences that we all have at AUT.

I found it fascinating to look through posts within the Google+ community, particularly posts for the subject of human rights. This subject was perhaps the most varied among the class, and many of the stories shared were on issues that I was not aware of. Culture was another interesting subject, as it gave me a unique insight into multiple cultures that I knew little about. This assignment not only allowed me to glimpse the personalities and experiences of my classmates, but taught me a great deal about the culture and society of those around me.