Understanding Diversity and Social Identity

Learner diversity represents a wide spectrum that includes not just students with disabilities, but also international students, culturally diverse learners, racialized students, Indigenous students, LGBTQ2S+ students, and first-generation students.

Source: unsplash

The term diversity, in the context of this module and course, is used to indicate not only that we are different in many ways, but that this difference (in backgrounds, orientations, and identities that may be different from one’s own) is genuinely welcomed, appreciated, and valued.

What Is a Social Identity?

We all describe ourselves in many ways. Some of us are commuters or interested in video games, or maybe we are artistic in the way that we express our ideas. These attributes are often included in definitions of diversity.

Source: http://UDLOntario.georgebrown.ca Alt: Six shapes that loosely interlock. Three hexagons are coloured blue. Each has a label. They are: “Race,” “Class,” and “Gender.” Four circles are coloured yellow. Each has a label. They are: “Prefers to read,” “Likes video games,” “Commutes to school,” and “Artistic.” At the top left, there is a legend. It indicates that the hexagons represent “social identity,” and the circles represent “attributes.”

However, a deeper consideration of diversity makes clear that many differences, for example, differences in race, gender, or class, carry a value judgement that is socially constructed and has serious impacts on individuals and communities. These differences are not merely attributes but are either subject to oppression (marginalization) or aligned with the dominant culture (privilege), and are referred to as social or cultural identities.

Reflect

Take a moment and identify at least five of your social identities. You might notice that your social identities move in and out of your awareness or overlap differently as you continue through this course and engage with the materials.

Source: UDLOntario.georgebrown.ca Alt: A hand-drawn flower with seven petals. At its centre is a circle that contains the word: “Me.”

The value system that creates the social construction of identity is made up of a system of binaries based on a mythical norm. For example, let’s consider gender. Gender (socially constructed) and sex (anatomy) are not the same thing. People whose identity aligns with the gender they were assigned at birth have the social identity of cisgender. This is the identity that our dominant culture privileges as the “norm.” Individuals whose identity (and thus lived experience) does not align with being cisgender may use identity terms such as transgender, nonbinary, or genderqueer. These identities make up the corresponding half of the gender binary, and are generally viewed through the dominant lens of cissexism.

Source: UDLOntario.georgebrown.ca Alt: An inverted triangle. The top portion represents 3/4 of the triangle and is coloured light blue. At its centre is the word: “Cisgender.” The bottom portion represents 1/4 of the triangle and is coloured dark blue. At its centre are the words: “Transgender, genderqueer, non-binary, agender.” An arrow outside the boundaries of the triangle points from the top portion to the bottom portion. It is labeled “Cissexism.”

We can look at all social identities in a similar way. For instance, in terms of class, we see that the identities at one end of the binary, middle and upper classes, are ones that our dominant culture privileges as the “norm.”

Source: UDLOntario.georgebrown.ca Alt: A triangle. The top portion represents 1/4 of the triangle and is coloured light blue. At its centre are the words: “Upper class.” The bottom portion represents 3/4 of the triangle and is coloured dark blue. At its centre are the words: “Working class, poor, living in poverty.” An arrow outside the boundaries of the triangle points from the top portion to the bottom portion. It is labeled “Classism.”

Use this matching activity to try applying the above ideas. Check what you already know and see what you discover while doing the activity. There is no limit to tries!

Identity & Ism Discovery

What Is Intersectionality?

We all have many social identities, and while each identity has a powerful impact, they also impact each other and are continuously impacted by our external environment throughout our lives. Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw coined the term intersectionality in 1989 to describe how race, class, gender, and other socially constructed identities “intersect” with one another and overlap to create a unique experience. We will return to this idea many times throughout the course. Click here for an example of what this might look like: Power/Privilege Wheel.

Source: https://www.thisishowyoucan.com/post/__wheel_of_power_and_privilege Alt: Image title reads: “Wheel of Power/Privilege” A circle with 12 spoke-like divisions of different colours. At the centre of the wheel in a white circle is the word: “Power.” Farther out from the centre is the word: “Marginalized.” Each division is a category that has been arranged in terms of least power to most power. Going around the wheel by category, the text in each “spoke” reads as follows: Skin colour: dark, different shades, white. Formal education: elementary education, high school education, post-secondary. Ability: significant disability, some disability, able-bodied. Sexuality: lesbian, bi, pan, asexual, gay men, heterosexual. Neuro-diversity: significant gence, some neurodivergence, neurotypical. Mental health: vulnerable, mostly stable, robust. Body size: large, average, slim. Housing: homeless, sheltered/renting, owns property. Wealth: poor, middle class, rich. Language: non-English monolingual, learned English, English. Gender: trans, intersex, nonbinary, cisgender woman, cisgender man. Citizenship: undocumented, documented, citizen.