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DEI Newsletter – March 2023

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Because we honor everyone, this work is for everyone.

Sex, Gender, Sexual Orientation

MACC is a place where all belong.
Diversity fuels the MACC spirit empowering people in our inclusive community.
We celebrate the uniqueness of each individual and multiple points of view.

Be who you are.
We like it that way.

Unfortunately, discrimination exists in our communities based on gender and sexuality. How can we make a difference and begin creating a more inclusive environment?

An important way to begin is to gain an understanding of the terminology associated with sex, gender, and sexual orientation. These terms are often misunderstood. Here, we will try to clarify the differences in these terms, as well as provide sources to help us become better allies.

Sex: “A biological construct defined on an anatomical, hormonal, or genetic basis. In the U.S., individuals are assigned a sex at birth based on external genitalia” (American Psychiatric Association, 2022). There are three main categories of sex (HRC Foundation, n.d, PsychCentral, 2022):

Male: XY chromosomes and male genitalia
Female: XX chromosomes and female genitalia
Intersex: reproductive or sexual anatomy (e.g., genitalia, chromosomes, gonads, internal sex organs, hormone production, hormone response, and/or secondary sex traits) that do not fit typical definitions of male or female.

Gender Identity: “One’s innermost concept of self as male, female, a blend of both or neither – how individuals perceive themselves and what they call themselves.” (HRC Foundation, n.d). One’s gender identity can be the same or different from their sex assigned at birth (GLAAD, n.d., HRC Foundation, n.d.).

Cisgender: gender identity and expression align with those typically associated with the sex assigned at birth.
Transgender: gender identity and/or expression that is different from the sex they were thought to be at birth.
Gender-fluid: fluid or unfixed gender identity.
Gender non-conforming: gender identity does not conform to the traditional expectations of gender, or does not fit neatly into a category.

While the graphic below does not highlight all of the complexities of the LGBTQIA+ spectrum, it is a place for people to start their journey to understanding.

Sexual Orientation: “An inherent or immutable enduring emotional, romantic or sexual attraction to other people” (HRC Foundation, n.d.). LGBTQIA+ is an acronym that most people have heard. The acronym continues to evolve as we understand more about sexual orientation. Here are the current most common sexual orientation descriptions (AAUW, n.d., HRC Foundation, n.d.):

Heterosexual or straight: attraction only or almost only to the “other” gender.
Gay: a person who is emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to members of the same gender.
Lesbian: a woman who is emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to other women.
Queer: a term people often use to express a spectrum of identities and orientations that are counter to the mainstream. Queer is often used as a catch-all to include many people, including those who do not identify as exclusively straight and/or folks who have non-binary or gender-expansive identities. This term was previously used as a slur, but has been reclaimed by many parts of the LGBTQ+ movement.
Bisexual: a person emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to more than one sex, gender or gender identity though not necessarily equally or at the same time.
Pansexual and omnisexual: describes someone who has the potential for emotional, romantic or sexual attraction to people of any gender though not necessarily simultaneously, in the same way or to the same degree.
Asexual: refers to a complete or partial lack of sexual attraction or lack of interest in sexual activity with others. Asexuality exists on a spectrum, and asexual people may experience no, little or conditional sexual attraction. This is different from deciding not to have sex with anyone (abstinence or celibacy).

Ally: “Someone who is actively supportive of LGBTQ+ people. It encompasses straight and cis-gender allies, as well as those within the LGBTQ+ community who support each other” (HRC Foundation, n.d.).

Video (more appropriate for staff/faculty): How to be a good LGBTQ+ Ally
Video (more appropriate for students): How to be a better Ally

Ambassador Corner

I recently had the opportunity to attend a DEI training called “Learning to Unlearn”. This training focused on examining the relationships between identity, culture, and power that make up our society. It challenged us to examine our biases and reflect on things we have been exposed to that have shaped our perceptions, while also trying to identify areas for growth. It explored ways to unlearn some of this old information and gave tips for replacing it with new information that aligns with the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. During this training, a quote was mentioned that I thought was very insightful. “It takes curiosity to learn. It takes courage to unlearn. Learning requires the humility to admit what you don’t know today. Unlearning requires the integrity to admit that you were wrong yesterday. Learning is how you evolve. Unlearning is how you keep up as the world evolves” – Alan Grant. Although some would say we have made a lot of progress towards DEI in society, there is more work to be done. I think having the opportunity to attend these trainings to learn more about DEI is very beneficial and helpful in becoming the best versions of our-selves. There are many free online DEI trainings and workshops and I encourage others to look into these great options for additional learning as well. The value of being culturally competent and promoting a DEI centered system with fair treatment for all means a more positive and just society for everyone and I am honored to be a part of the MACC mission to ensure we are continuously striving for this at our college.

References

AAUW. (n.d.). Dimensions of Diversity & Identity, DEI Toolkit: Sexual Orientation. https://www.aauw.org/resources/member/governance-tools/dei-toolkit/dimensions-of-diversity/sexual-orientation/

American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Definitions of Gender, Sex, and Sexual Orientation and Pronoun Usage. https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/diversity/education/transgender-and-gender-nonconforming-patients/definitions-and-pronoun-usage

GLAAD. (n.d.) GLAAD Media Reference Guide, 11th Edition. https://www.glaad.org/reference/trans-terms

Human Rights Campaign Foundation. (n.d.). Glossary of Terms. https://www.hrc.org/resources/glossary-of-terms

PsychCentral. (2022). Sex and Gender: What’s the Difference? https://psychcentral.com/health/sex-vs-gender

 

Additional Resources

Fall 2020 PD Day presentation from The Center Project, Creating a Gender Inclusive Campus: https://macc.instructuremedia.com/embed/427cc9b6-63e9-4d62-bebc-b63db2479c4f

2021 MCCA Presentation, A Look Back and a Look Forward on LGBTQ Rights in Education: https://macc.instructuremedia.com/embed/5063b2f1-6ac2-4886-b87b-33271ce03990

National Geographic Gender Revolution documentary (2017): https://www.natgeotv.com/ca/gender-revolution. This documentary can be found on Disney+ or in the LARC.

Spring 2021 Gender Revolution documentary MACC discussion panel: https://macc.instructuremedia.com/embed/a7c97dc9-689b-4b78-ad97-c24621671d45

https://www.thetrevorproject.org/

https://transequality.org/issues/resources/frequently-asked-questions-about-transgender-people

https://interactadvocates.org/

https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2019/12/asexual-heres-asexual-spectrum-asexual-quiz-everything-else-youre-curious/

https://promoonline.org

DEI Newsletter – February 2023

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Because we honor everyone, this work is for everyone.

Race, Ethnicity, Nationality

MACC is a place where all belong.
Diversity fuels the MACC spirit empowering people in our inclusive community.
We celebrate the uniqueness of each individual and multiple points of view.

Be who you are.
We like it that way.

If you have ever filled out a job application or completed a survey for the US Census, you probably had to answer questions regarding your demographics. These questions often offer limited answer choices and may leave some to question what certain terms mean. To help us gain a better understanding of who we are, and how we can describe ourselves and others accurately, let’s explore three of these demographic terms.


Race: A term historically used to classify people based on common physical characteristics. Scientists have proven that while these characteristics can define people from ancient populations, there are no physical characteristics that can distinguish one race from another. Instead, it is recognized that race is a social construct. The racial categories included in the census questionnaire (and other similar questionnaires) generally reflect a social definition of race recognized in this country and not an attempt to define race biologically, anthropologically, or genetically.

Examples (as categorized by the US Census): Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, White

Ethnicity: A term used to describe cultural characteristics, such as language, accent, religion, styles of dress, hairstyles, social customs, and food and dietary preferences or restrictions, that define a person as being a member of a specific group.

Examples: American Indian, English, Hispanic, Jewish, Middle Eastern etc.

Nationality: A term used to describe the legal sense of belonging to a specific political nation state, or citizenship (birthright or naturalized).

Examples: American, German, Russian, Nigerian, British, Greek etc.

 

Ambassador Corner

DEI will help to create a conducive and productive learning environment where everyone is free to communicate without fear of being harassed or segregated and this drives a sense of belonging or being part of a bigger progressive community.
                   – DEI Ambassador

 

Further reading and viewing

Teaching Race: Pedagogy and Practice. Vanderbilt University.
https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides–sub–pages/teaching–race/

How Do Sociologists Define Race?
https://www.thoughtco.com/race–definition–3026508

Underpinning Principles: Identity, race, ethnicity, nationality
https://www.salto–youth.net/rc/inclusion/archive/archive–resources/inclusiongroups/inclusionethnicminorities/InclusionUnderpinningPrinciples/

Historical Foundations of Race
https://nmaahc.si.edu/learn/talking–about–race/topics/historical–foundations–race

Race and Biology
https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/71/2/119/6101069

Are You There, Race? It’s Me, DNA
https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/health–general–science/are–you–there–race–its–me–dna

Human geneticists curb use of the term ‘race’ in their papers
https://www.science.org/content/article/human–geneticists–curb–use–term–race–their–papers

Race Is a Social Construct, Scientists Argue
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/race–is–a–social–construct–scientists–argue/

About the Topic of Race (US Census)
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/note/US/RHI625221

DEI Newsletter – December 2022

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Because we honor everyone, this work is for everyone.

Religion

MACC is a place where all belong.
Diversity fuels the MACC spirit empowering people in our inclusive community.
We celebrate the uniqueness of each individual and multiple points of view.

Be who you are.
We like it that way.

“Map is not territory.”

All for ourselves, and nothing for other people, seems, in every age of the world, to have been the vile maxim of the masters of mankind. (A. Smith, 1776)

Historically, scholars, theologians, and states have used “religious studies” as a tool to measure, abstract, and manage other humans. To illustrate, let’s look at “Moral
and Political Chart of the Known World”, an incredibly dense map from 1845 by W. C. Woodbridge. Further, we will look at a colorized version along with a crop of the
legend, the ideas behind it, an example from the eastern Cape, and end with a challenge to the imagination.

Fig 1: Colorized version of “Moral and Political Chart of the Known World”

When making a map, the maker has to make a series of small choices, each with a question and reason behind it, and each which shapes data for ideological reasons behind the purpose. Asking about what might have influenced those reasons and questions can tell us something about what was going on. And with that, let’s zoom in on the legend.

Fig 2: Crop of the legend. (Woodbridge, 1845)

Many questions come to mind here, but let’s focus on why Woodbridge thought this was a moral map of the world—after all, the full name of the map is Moral and Political Chart of the Inhabited World – Exhibiting the Prevailing Religion, Form of Government, Degree of Civilization, and Population of Each Country. Quite the map of ambition. What is the deal with the clear ranking of degree of civilization and why are six religions represented, three of which are various forms of the same religion?

In the biz, these are called “hierarchies of exclusion,” and are made to fit to-gether by sovereign powers. (Katz) On this map, Turgot’s hierarchy of soci-etal forms is joined to Tiele’s hierarchy of religious forms, which were formu-lated in part as a response to what’s known as “the indigenous critique” of Europe. (J. Z. Smith, “Religion, Religions, Religious”; Wengrow and Graeber) The key bit here is that these forms were assumed by the professor, priest, and prince to be more or less natural or enculturated traits, rendering the peoples they encountered as in need of “saving” by means of North Atlantic approaches to religion and politics.

Ambassador Corner

My name is Steph Hills and I am excited to be a DEI ambassador because I get to be a part of helping all students feel welcome and supported at MACC. I believe that diversity, equity and inclusion for students is very im-portant and I love having the opportunity to work with other students, as well as faculty and staff, that see the importance of DEI as well. I have the opinion that when all students are treated equally with respect and encour-aged to be themselves, our educational experiences will be more positive and influence our lives both inside and outside of the classroom.

If you are interested in how this worked, David Chidester’s Savage Systems shows how the Dutch and English invaders denied — but then discovered —the very capacity for religion among the Xhosa-speaking peoples of the Cape of Africa several times. This intellectual warbling suspiciously mirrored how smoothly things were going for the occupiers at the time. (Chidester) More generally though, the “Masters of Mankind” Adam Smith warned us about have used similar reasoning to justify class, gender, racial, and other power imbalances, which have disastrously reformatted so much of the world since.

Figure 3: Crop of the Cape of Africa (Woodbridge, 1845)

With this in mind, we can see why scholars like Korzybski and J.Z. Smith are quick to point out that “map is not territory”! (Korzybski; J. Z. Smith, Map Is Not Territory) Maps sometimes show us a dark mirror of ourselves–Woodbridge’s map certainly does for the North Atlantic study of religion. As someone trained within this tradi-tion, it can be difficult to navigate and grapple with the complex history that helped set the stage for some of the challenges the world faces today. Having realized many of our prior base assumptions about hierarchies of humanity were just plain wrong, the discipline has been working through such assumptions in both theory and fieldwork.

Trying to describe a singular essence of religion doesn’t seem possible. In fact, we can’t even really define “religion” in religious studies! Rather than despair, this might actually free us to use religion as a tool to understand and talk with others about who they are and how they understand and act in the world. (J. Z. Smith, “Religion, Religions, Religious”) Returning to our purposes, perhaps speaking in a similar spirit about and with religious others might create the circumstances that can lead to a more hopeful and understanding discussion in our classrooms. Reli-gious studies has come a long way since Woodbridge, but there is still room for im-provement. Perhaps we might even experience the social pleasures of getting to know one another along the way.

If you’d like to read more, consider the following from MACC’s library!

Bayyah, Abd Allah bin Mahfuz bin, et al. Open Letter to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. 2006.

Chidester, David. “Anchoring Religion in the World: A Southern African Histo-ry of Comparative Religion.” Religion, vol. 26, no. 2, 1996, pp. 141–59, https://doi.org/10.1006/reli.1996.0012.

Katz, Ethan B. “Shifting Hierarchies of Exclusion: Colonialism, Anti-Semitism, and Islamophobia in European History.” CrossCurrents, vol. 65, no. 3, 2015, pp. 357–70. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10/grbfh5.

Korzybski, Alfred. Science and Sanity: An Introduction to Non-Aristotelian Systems and General Semantics. International Non-Aristotelian Library Pub-lishing Company, 1933.

Mills, Charles W. The Racial Contract. Cornell University Press, 1997.

Pateman, Carole. The Sexual Contract. Stanford University Press, 1988.

Smith, Adam. “Chapter IV: How the Commerce of the Towns Contributed to the Improvement of the Country.” The Wealth of Nations, vol. III, W. Strahan and T. Cadell, London, 1776.

Smith, Jonathan Z. Map Is Not Territory: Studies in the History of Religions. University of Chicago Press, 1978.

—. “Religion, Religions, Religious.” Critical Terms for Religious Studies, edit-ed by Mark C. Taylor, University of Chicago Press, 1998, pp. 269–84.

Suzie, By, et al. All in God’s Family: A Jewish Guide to Creating Allies for Our LGBT Families. National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s Institute for Welcoming Resources, 2014.

Wengrow, David, and David Graeber. The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2021.

Woodbridge, William C. Moral and Political Chart of the Inhabited World – Ex-hibiting the Prevailing Religion, Form of Government, Degree of Civilization, and Population of Each Country. 1845, https://digital.library.cornell.edu/catalog/ss:19343168. PJ Mode Collection.