Adventure Nine: Inclusion

I tend to avoid engaging in conversations about inclusiveness. It's not because I don't care. It's not because I'm afraid. It’s not because I’m unaware or uneducated.

It’s difficult to describe my discomfort (for lack of a better word) about the concept of inclusion. My understanding of inclusion, as well as it’s opposite, arose at a young age, and the conversation about it has only become increasingly more prevalent ever since.

I have sought out a myriad of resources to become as educated about the topic as I possibly can- acting as a social sponge in conversations with diverse groups of people, reading various political, academic, psychological works, watching a handful of documentaries and films, analyzing various aspects of news coverage – just trying to learn, to understand, to consume and digest.

So let me make myself clear: I do care. I’m not afraid. I am aware and I am educated.

Yet despite my many efforts (which admittedly take place behind closed doors) I am overwhelmed with messages that insist the opposite of my claims because of the identities that make up who I am.

I’m a woman, so I can’t understand the struggle of ____.

I’m white, so I can’t understand the struggle of ____.

I’m heterosexual, so I can’t understand the struggle of ____.

I’m a college student, so I can’t understand the struggle of ____.

I need not go on.

There is a problem with inclusion MU. This is not new news, and I’m not saying this as if people don’t already know. I’m saying this because that is how conversation – and change – begins.

There are those who hold the perspective that people who need to change their behavior aren’t interested in talking about inclusion, and race relations specifically.  These growing frustrations have reached a breaking point, and while the path that led to this breaking point differs across individuals, it has inarguably been reached.

I want to have more faith that those who don’t openly discuss issues of inclusion aren’t neglecting to do so because they aren’t interested. I do have more faith in that. Perhaps I’m too much on optimist.

We are unaware of the skeletons and baggage of people unless we communicate. We don’t receive clarification about what may be inappropriate to people who embody identities different from our own unless we ask. We remain in the dark about what we can do to minimize issues of inclusion because of the fear of what tension could arise. 

As a society:

We need to be educated.

We need to be aware.

We need to recognize.

We need to be tolerant.

We need to be consistent.