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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Does anyone else cringe at the word "diversity"?

281 replies

SunniDelite · 26/02/2022 12:26

I had this email from someone on Crowdfunder...
"I am raising funds for the Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity at Birmingham City University.
In the last year, the centre has revealed the racism and prejudice actors face when they go auditions and, for the first time, exposed the lack of gender diversity of sound recordists. We're now building programmes to address this problem. So far, our research has highlighted specific problems for disabled people working in the industry and created more job opportunities for Black people behind the camera. Additionally, we are working with major broadcasters to change how they report on race, gender and disability."
I have no problem with the race and disability part, but what on earth does "lack of gender diversity of sound recordists" mean? That there aren't enough women? or that there aren't enough blue-hairs who can't decide what they are? or there aren't enough transwomen?
It's come to a point where I'm suspicious that any organisation that mentions diversity is a TRA, even if they're talking about hedgehog populations! :)

OP posts:
aliasundercover · 26/02/2022 13:20

I'm right with you, and as JellySaurus says there are a whole bunch of other words that also make me wary now, words that used to bring me hope. I'd add:
LGBTQI+
lesbian
gay
non-binary (I used to think it was kind of meaningless but harmless)
multicultural (now often seems to mean white male claiming he had an Irish great-grandfather)
identify
empowering
privilige
oppression ...

These are all terms that I would have been pleased to see in any organisation I was in contact with, now I instantly think "what exactly do you mean?"

Toseland · 26/02/2022 13:18

Anything that says diversity or inclusion makes my heart sink - and any rainbow flags.

Whatwouldscullydo · 26/02/2022 12:48

I do too.

Diversity , seems to now just mean.a self declared qualification. So instead of actual diversity we have able bodied straight white males covering most aspects Hmm

DisappearingGirl · 26/02/2022 12:46

I agree. Whenever I see anything about diversity, inclusion and equality my heart sinks. Which is really sad as I always strongly believed in those values!

Ditto when someone says gender diversity, I don't know if they mean between men and women or between trans and non-trans.

Also when I see blue-haired teens it makes me sad, as I was one once and still have a lot of love for alternative scenes, but I can't help thinking they're probably into gender ideology.

Maybe I'm just getting old!!

JellySaurus · 26/02/2022 12:44

'Diversity' is one of those words which have a clear meaning, but have been misappropriated to mean whatever the loudest shouters want them to mean.

Other words misappropriated this way include

^Intersectional
Kind
Harmless
-phobia^

and, of course,

Woman.

buckeejit · 26/02/2022 12:35

I don't think you're wrong. Gender diversity, unless then mean male or female dominated roles, seems irrelevant. I don't see anyone desperate to have a proportionate number of transmen make up artists etc

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