Inclusive Diversity: Everyone's Story Told

“Foul, hot, reptilian breath stirred the long curls rolling over the knight's steel clad shoulders. Yet she stood resolute, basking in the thrill of imminent death.” When I read that narrative, I immediately picture a tall, blond Caucasian warrior. I am not the only one. But, who’s to say she is not Asian or Hispanic? It is our culture to relate many words, stories, and roles with the people most prevalent in our media, white adults. Until the topic of diversity arises, then these white adults are quickly replaced by their Black and Polynesian counterparts. Tori Carter, in her TED talk “Inclusive diversity: The Game Changer,” argues that by rephrasing the ways we address diversity to include all people, we can encourage integration and ensure everyone’s story gets told. No more, the white people and the diverse, but rather the umbrella term of inclusive diversity.

Racial labeling in the media has become so common, that these stereotypes have already been ingrained in our minds. Carter tests this theory, in her TED talk, by displaying a picture-collage of multi-racial professionals, and then asking the audience to identify the CEO in the bunch. Many may have instinctively selected the bald, white male in the corner, despite the fact that all those pictured were CEO’s. She uses the example of the Google image search results of ‘CEO,’ all of which are older white males, to explain where this perception may come from. This same natural inclination towards Caucasian front runners, produces heat across mediums when, for example, African american actresses were cast as Hermione and Rue in adaptations like Harry Potter and The Cursed Child and The Hunger Games respectively. Fans were shocked to discover that the characters they loved so dearly were portrayed so differently than they instinctively imagined. One Hunger Games fan even posted: “Kk call me racist but when I found out rue was black her death wasn’t as sad,” (@JashperParas). Deborah Pope, a leading enthusiast for diverse representation in children’s books, states that with only around 9% of children books containing significant diversity, this “white default” in all forms of media “is learned and internalized early, including by children of color.” Meaning from a young age our brains are wired to imagine white protagonists. So when we tackle the topic of diversity we are also tackling years of media inflicted cultural conditioning.

A by-product of media-induced racial conditioning and an additional hindrance to advancements in inclusion is the language used to discuss the topic of Diversity. Tori Carter relates the story of her first few years as the first black government official in Hanover Park Illinois. One of her first hopes was to set up a diversity discussion group. This proposal was shot down by her Caucasian coworkers, leaving her to wonder, why? On another occasion at her day job, Carter noticed that one day while she was determined to put a qualified work team together, her white companions were worried about ‘blacks and Hispanics stealing jobs from qualified individuals’ as if those blacks and Hispanics weren’t capable. She then realized that the mere discussion of diversity effectively separated the Caucasians from all other ‘diverse’ racial minorities. The white people did not feel included in the discussion of diversity. And by definition they are not. When one looks up university statistics, they will often find a percentage representing the level of diversity at the college. For example, on Niche BYU is rated as 18% diverse whereas San-Diego State is rated at 67% with the diversity percentage relating to the percentage of non-white students in attendance. Carter believes that this exclusive perception of ‘diversity’ is what ultimately divides and weakens our efforts to promote inclusion.

I along with Carter believe that by changing the language we use to discuss diversity, both visual and verbal, we can promote diversity in a more unified manner. Carter proposes that we modify the term ‘diversity’ to ‘inclusive diversity.’ This phrase implies that ‘even though in the majority, where numbers are naturally greater, you contribute to the variety in color.’ In practice, this term means instigating discussion groups on the topic of diversity without excluding the majority. In my opinion it means, not ignoring the differences in race, but rather embracing and showcasing them on an even platform. During high school I studied how racial minorities were portrayed in musical films. In films like Hairspray and West Side Story, racial minorities were fleshed out and given a voice, yet they still fell victim to the subconscious filming technique of only being filmed singing and dancing in closed locations. Yes, their clothes, dancing and songs may look and sound different from those of the Caucasian leads; nevertheless, these minorities should be allowed to dance free in the streets just like the white characters. Better yet, let them dance together in the ultimate visual display of inclusive diversity.

Why is inclusive diversity in media and advertisements so important? Because no one is left out, and those who may have felt abandoned before, can say with confidence that their story is finally being told, by them and for them.