Communicating Diversity

In this semester’s Communicating Diversity class, I have left with the skills to recognize and embrace our differences.  I have learned the importance of understanding our differences and by doing so; I feel that I have become a more dynamic person.  Recognizing the obstacles minorities have endured have taught me that the strength inside is more important than the differences on the outside.  My classmates through their shared stories in class and their blog posts have taught me a lot about diversity as well.  We all are living a similar, post-secondary student lifestyle right now, dealing with part time jobs and continuous papers, but have come from a variety of backgrounds.  I found that this class, more so than others, has allowed us to unite and share our own stories.  I feel what encouraged our sharing habits was the work of Brenda Allen.  Beginning her chapters with stories of her own experiences to relate to her topics of diversity really helped with my own relating to the course content.  Exercises in class that helped us identify who we are helped in my recognition of diversity and minority status as a woman.  However, I feel that Communicating Diversity made me appreciate who I was even more so, and understand that my identity as a woman is only singular to whom I am and what it is that I have to offer.  This was a class I enjoyed attending and liked the individual approach we were given through the use of our blogs to share how we interpreted the weekly lessons.  I particularly enjoyed that controversial topics, such as religion, were spoken about in a judgement free environment where we were all welcome to share our opinions based on our own experiences. 

I thank Dr. Pierce and classmates for what you have taught me while communicating diversity.

Digging Deeper

We spoke this week in class of the things we have learned this semester.  I shared that I learned to not take things at face value and to look further than what meets the eye.  This is something that I find is vital in many aspects in life such as work, home, between friends and family, and while making important decisions.  As taught in class, I have learned to be overly aware of minorities and my behaviour and demeanour towards them.  I have recognized that the media contains many underlying messages and shares subliminal information damaging to the ethnic, racial, gender, sexual, religious, etc identities for many.  Not only have I learned to be more aware of others stereotypes and forms of suppression, I have learned of my own.  As a white female, I am part of the female minority.  I do recognize my own White privilege, but fear the future in terms of my career as a woman.  I wonder if I would lose a job opportunity to a man, not be taken as seriously because of my gender, or face a limited income.  I consider all of these thoughts but do my best to be aware of my minority status, but do everything in my power to work against it and not accept it at face value.  I would like to embrace being a woman, and use other powerful women as examples for my possibilities and not use my identity to tolerate mediocrity or limitation. 

Follow the link to view Forbes List of The Most Powerful Women of 2011.

http://www.forbes.com/wealth/power-women

I also looked to a famous pop-star icon, Beyoncé Knowles, a black woman who continues to top the music charts, and has established an acting career as well.  Beyoncé lives with rapper husband Jay Z, both African American, together beat the odds and became one of the highest earning couples of 2011.

Works Cited

Beyoncé Knowles. (2012). Biography.com. Retrieved from http://www.biography.com/people/beyonc%C3%A9-knowles-39230 on March 29, 2012

Jay-Z. (2012). Biography.com. Retrieved from http://www.biography.com/people/jay-z-507696 on March 29, 2012

Sibley-O’Brien, A. (2010). Privilege and Interracial Adoption. White privilege. Retrieved from http://whitepriv.blogspot.ca/ on March 29, 2012

Social Media

This week we were asked to present a topic based around Social Media.  We chose to consider blogging, Facebook, social media campaigns and technology as a form of persuasion. I thought about myself in terms of all of these concepts and examined how often I utilize Social Media.  I found that I use Social Media to update me on up and coming events or topics, and use traditional media to confirm what I have heard, and gage accuracy.  Funny to think although I have learned about the biases in traditional media, I continue to consider the information as accurate and a confirmation of what is the truth.  A study I found from 2008, showed that 85% of respondents to a survey used social networking sites and shared that two years after it had dramatically increased – just imagine the amount for 2012 with the inclusion of Twitter.   This article looks at the contrasting use of social networking sites (SNS) as a Freshman to later use during a career.  As mentioned during our presentation, students typically use SNS for ways to confirm their identity, feel as though they belong, and assume that the more they put in to – the more they get out, redefine the concept of friendship etc.  In contrast to university graduates who need SNS as a way to market themselves to potentially make or break job opportunities.  Current laws share that possible employers are allowed to ask for Facebook passwords in order to confirm if they would like to hire or not.  Attached is an article sharing an instance where someone resigned their candidacy upon being asked for the password as an invasion of privacy.  As I will be graduating within the near future, I have taken down my Facebook account.  I do not wish to have this situation occur and would like to be evaluated based on my qualifications, experience, and impression. 

One thing I may do is while applying for jobs create a Facebook account that highlights myself in a way that would be of interest to an employer.  Learned in a Communication Ethics course, I saw how to design a site in which validates my professional interests, and is not overshadowed by my personal life.  Some examples we learned are to put job and education experience, have ‘Likes’ which represent an interest in your field – in my case Communication and communication disorders.  I could also display photos of myself while at school, or volunteering, in opposition to myself at the latest Drake concert sponsored by Coors Lite.  All of which, is something that differs greatly than my concept of Facebook during my first year in University four years ago.

Religion or Fashion?

As we spoke in class about our viewpoints on religion and spirituality, I was reinforced of the seriousness religion holds in some people’s lives.  I have not been raised to follow religious practices, but brought up to act as person with good character, to tell the truth, and follow the golden rule of do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  I, at times, have negative feelings towards religion due to some of the experiences I have had with close companions who follow strict religious beliefs.  I also have noticed that some people seem to use their religion as a fashion statement, and not a reflection of their views.  An example of this is the Kabbalah religion many celebrities started to follow and symbolized their faith by wearing a red string bracelet which became an article of fashion.  I feel like trivializing the importance of religion by popularizing it as a fashion statement, when it can be a powerful and liberating part of someone’s life, is disrespectful even as a non-religious individual.  I think aspects, such as these, are reasons why I have a difficulty with religion, as well as those who seem to excuse their behaviour with the fact that they are religious.

Lindsay Lohan, Ashton Kutcher and Madonna seen above wearing the famous red string bracelet representing the Kabbalah faith.

Having Class vs. Social Class

After blogging my first post about the study on social class, I found defining social class as something that is seen externally by many but I wanted to find more information.  I was pleased to come across a video posted on the Oprah website.  This video had multiple women share their knowledge of social class, and I learned that many of them disagreed with basing social class on appearance similar to me.  One woman shared that she is no longer in the upper class, although many would consider her with disregard to her current unemployment status.  They continued to share thoughts on defining social class on your looks, education, and wealth.  One lady shared her thoughts of social class being different than having class and being a gracious person, something I find vitally important.  Watch the video and see if you agree or disagree with these women.

Social Class and Unethical Behaviour

I was interested to read current news articles referring to social class.  I came across a study online that examined social class in relation to unethical behaviour.  The article stated that it will “reveal something the well off may not want to hear” and inquires at the top of the page “come on, before you read the article, which one...”(Which social class is more likely to behave unethically, 2012).  Results indicated that individuals among those in the upper class are more likely to conduct unethical behaviour.  I thought that this was interesting to see.  I also thought that though this was a university study conducted by psychological scholars, there are racist and stereotypical inferences made.  I found it odd that they thought it was necessary to state that we were going to find something we did not want to hear making me think that they assume something I would want to hear is that low class citizens are the ones behaving unethically.  I thought it was interesting as well to see what it was they defined as high or low class citizens.  They conduct multiple studies but one of the ways to categorizing high class citizens was solely by the car they were driving.  I find this was a very limited perspective to judging people on a topic that is relatable to their identity and how to world views them.

Work Cited

Which social class is more likely to behave unethically. (2012) In Kansas city infozine. Retrieved on March 2, 2012 from http://www.infozine.com/news/infozine/50934.html

 

What's Love Got To Do With It?

Based on this week’s in class presentation on Love, I started to think about the three topics analyzed.  The girls in class considered same sex relationships, polygamy, and interracial/cultural couples.  I came across a webpage sharing the upset of gay couples in terms of Kim Kardashian’s 72 day marriage to Kris Humphries.  I personally find Kim a poor role model to young girls and feel as though her marriage was a publicity stunt in order to gain more attention.  Homosexuals are arguing that what is ruining the constitution of marriage are not same sex couples, it is, for lack of better term, idiots like Kim and Kris who are trivializing the sanctity the union of marriage represents for those who believe in it.  I agree with this and feel that I would much prefer seeing an in love gay couple take a chance at marriage than a heterosexual couple engaged in a marriage for juvenile reasons.  This article outlines the same sex argument, but responds by saying that those against gay marriage would feel that it is both same sex marriage and quick divorce cheapening the institution.  They justify that a gay marriage could end just as quickly.  I understand the articles perspective, but I feel that in this instance, same sex couples have a valid point.  Although same sex marriage shares the same possibility of ending quickly – a public multi-million dollar reality television show wedding, only to end 72 days later is the problem with marriage, not an in love same sex couple trying to make it work. 

What do you think?