Diversity Definitions

Key Terms: Majority Minority Diversity Ethnocentrism Prejudice Stereotype Discrimination Tokenism

Majority

Refers to that group of people in the organization who hold the most positions that command decision-making power

Have the greatest access to system rewards

May also refer to the group that has the largest numbers

Minority

Refers to the group that are usually smaller in number

The group that has less access to decision-making

Group that has less access to system rewards

In the larger society, the minority group has a perceived lower status

What is Diversity?

Diversity includes the more obvious demographic differences (primary characteristics): Race/Ethnicity/Language Nationality Gender/Sex Age Sexual Orientation Physical Ability/Physical Attributes

What is Diversity

Diversity also includes other differences such as (secondary characteristics): Religion Socio-economic Status/Income Level Education Level Military Experience Marital Status Parental Status Political Affiliation Regionality/Geographic Location

Ethnocentrism

The belief that one’s own group, culture, country or customs are superior to others’

Prejudice

A preconceived judgment, opinion or assumption about an issue, behavior, individual or group of people

Stereotype

A positive or negative assessment of members of a group and/or their perceived attributes

Discrimination

The act of treating an issue, person or behavior unjustly or inequitably on the basis of stereotypes or prejudices

Tokenism

Refers to being one of a very few members of a group in an organization

The practice of hiring only one of a certain group simply to fill a quota without proper evaluation of the person’s skills

Sex/Gender

Sex is the biological difference between individuals…in this case, male and female individuals

Gender is a psychological and social construct formed to explain masculinity and femininity within a social group

Leisure choices are often strongly influenced by both sex and gender

Sexism

Language (calling women “girls”, etc) Lack of paid parental leave for men Social (and agency) pressure to prevent

girls from participating in rugby, boxing, etc (see Title IX)

Social pressure to prevent boys from participating in sewing, cooking, ballet, etc

Lack of available child-care in leisure facilities

Status

The amount of esteem and prestige one can elicit from others in society

May be based on any of the primary or secondary characteristics that form the dimensions of diversity

Culture

Surface Culture Deep Culture Subculture

Surface Culture

Those elements of a culture that are visible, or able to be picked up by the immediate senses Music Clothing Food Appearance Gestures

Often people make judgments based on surface culture elements alone

Deep Culture

Those elements of an individual that are not visible to others, yet may be even more important in terms of self-identity World views Social systems Beliefs Values Unstated (informal) norms Religion

Subculture

It is common for people to belong to one primary culture and one or more than one subculture

Subcultures may be associated with groups relating to work or leisure activities or with an individual’s economic or social status

Subcultures

Middle class Single Country western line dancers Stamp collectors ΔΔΔ CPRS

Classifications

While cultures, subcultures and other categories of diversity are convenient methods of classifying people, recreation agencies must always be aware of over-generalizing to the point of stereotype

Diversity in Rec and Leisure

Leisure services are not alone in being affected by the changing demographics of the US

In many ways, diversity is the term that replaces the term multicultural

How it Affects Us California became a “minority majority” in

2000 The number of people age 65 and older that

will remain at work is increasing Individuals with disabilities will compete more

effectively for employment within leisure services organizations

ADA requirements are still being implemented Two out of three new workers are now women

and by 2008, women will be 48% of the workforce

Affirmative Action programs are being questioned

How it Affects Us

Increased day care services and flexible work schedules

New types of benefits Multicultural programs and

employee training Changing facility design Increased programs for the “elderly”

How it Affects Us

Lawsuits related to discrimination and sexual harassment

Responding to changing societal values

Sensitivity and political correctness Equal opportunity in hiring and

delivery of services

How it Affects Us

Privacy regarding HIV and AIDS Inner-agency growing pains