Representation When It Matters
When Hillary Clinton was in the running to become President of the United States several years ago, it had a huge impact on the history of the country. It was the first time that we saw a female candidate compete for the highest leadership position attainable in the nation.
Political scientists believe that having women in politics has tangible effects on the well-being and function of a democratic country. Representation across all identities of race, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation are also much needed. The body of research that shows women running and attaining political office continues to grow.
Basic fairness is one of the first arguments for the equal inclusion of all gender and identities present in America. If our current system is intended to represent democracy, then it should equally represent the diverse populations it serves.
Unfortunately, women are still deplorably underrepresented in US politics. In 2021, only 142 (or 26.5%) of the 535 seats in the 117th US Congress are being held by women. Only 24 women have attained a role in the 100-seat Senate and only 118 in the House of Representatives.
Having women and people of color attain political positions is beneficial to the nation because it’s a sign that the political system is open to everyone. The public will see that anyone can take part no matter their current position or circumstances in life.
Aside from fairness, the inclusion of diversity in American politics is vital because it brings a sense of symbolic power to the public. This is essential because it’s difficult to become something that you cannot see. Increasing the number of women and people of color in leadership positions improves the likelihood of people seeing themselves as an equally-natural fit for leading roles. This can disrupt the pattern of white male dominance that is seen in many aspects of American society, especially true at the presidential level where no woman has yet served.
Politics, however, is not the only aspect of society that requires representation and diversity.
Diversity in the Media
The media and film industries have long held a poor track record of representing diversity accurately. Although Hollywood is a major exporter of culture, it has ignored the importance of diversity for far too long—ever since its inception.
The roots of this industry involve institutionalized racist practices—in the form of appearing in disparaging roles or simply not appearing at all. Minorities have long been the victim of an industry that heavily relies on old ideals so that it can appeal to the majority. Despite the protests, the industry still remains guilty of providing limited opportunities for minorities.
The evolution of the media industry from print to television has further emphasized its power and placed a heavier influence on inaccurate minority portrayal. The rise of the television made it easy for millions to access the technology. The influence of the media has a tremendous responsibility on its shoulders, yet many studios continue to create false narratives.
As people continue to view skewed depictions and false information, it eventually becomes mentally harmful. When these ideas and images are presented to viewers at a young age, they can take hold and reinforce themselves over years of viewing. Once the misconceptions and stereotypes become ingrained in the psyche of American youth, they can later become self-perpetuating.
Within newsrooms nationwide, there is a minimal representation of decision-making people of color. This means that they have little influence over what is going to be shown in the media.
According to findings, men deliver 67% of crime segments, 65% of politics, 64% of global issues, and 63% of scientific and technological reports. Alternatively, women receive minimal air time with a screen time allotment of only 32%. Stories are also often limited to just lifestyle and educational pieces.
Biases in the media are also rampant in featuring minorities as terrorists, criminals, uneducated individuals, highly sexual beings, and so on. Such depictions have a negative impact on viewers, creating subconscious biases in their minds that then affect the way they interact with one another.
Diversity in the Workplace
Meanwhile, the workplace is another area in which representation and diversity are lacking. Many untapped talents are wasted every year due to reasons that are not relevant to their skills. For instance, female candidates are often at a disadvantage to men despite having talents that could benefit a range of industries.
Countless disabled individuals are not given the opportunities to achieve their dreams due to prejudices against their status. Many employers assume that they are not capable of completing tasks even when physical strength or certain skills are not needed.
Improving diversity and representation will have a number of benefits to those in the workplace community. Some big businesses have already started to realize the necessity of diversity in the workplace. They found that it enhanced creativity, productivity, and overall happiness. In fact, numerous employers mentioned that an increase in diversity had also resulted in better employee performance whilst boosting collaborative approaches.
The field of nursing is an example of a career that has started embracing cultural awareness and diversity. Nurses are now being required to follow a code of ethics that promotes working in a realm of inclusiveness and sensitivity towards all human differences. Increasing equal representation and diversity continues to enable nurses to more thoroughly account for the code in their daily work patterns.
As for people with disabilities, a number of opportunities are presented to them to gain skills that can help them compete for workforce positions. One example is the nonprofit organization Ability Beyond, which obtained a grant to help expand its capabilities in promoting career development for individuals with disabilities. The goal of this organization is to help disabled people develop skills whilst also navigating the job hiring process together.
As for the media, fair representation and diversity is a crucial component in changing the perception of the lives of minorities. At present, media representation is often focused on negative stereotypes that don’t accurately represent real-life for most individuals. Furthermore, there continues to be severe underrepresentation when it comes to televised broadcasting.
Moving Forward
Although some improvements have been made, many more are necessary, particularly since representation and diversity have significant and positive effects on everyone.
If you’d like to learn more about how diversity can benefit your organization, feel free to contact us at info@israelgreene.com, and we will provide you with all of the information and skills that you need to develop your understanding and D&I programming!
