One of the definitions of Diversity in The Workplace is: “The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. It means understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizing our individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. It is the exploration of these differences in a safe, positive, and nurturing environment. It is about understanding each other and moving beyond simple tolerance to embracing and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity contained within each individual.”
Sexual orientation
“Sexual orientation” pertains to an individual’s physical and/or emotional attraction to the same and/or opposite gender. “Gay,” “lesbian,” “bisexual” and “straight” are all examples of sexual orientations. Sexual orientation is distinct from gender identity and expression.
Gender identity
“Gender identity,”pertains to a person’s innate, deeply felt psychological identification as a man, woman or some other gender, which may or may not correspond to the sex assigned to them at birth (for example, the sex listed on their birth certificate).
Gender expression
Gender expression refers to all of the behaviors and external characteristics that are socially associated with males or females, such as dress, social interactions, grooming, mannerisms, and speech patterns. Social or cultural norms can vary widely and some characteristics that may be accepted as pertaining to male or female or neutral in one culture may be differently assessed in another.
Transgender
Transgender – or transg – is an umbrella term for people whose gender identity or expression is different from those typically associated with the sex assigned to them at birth (for example, the sex listed on their birth certificate). Not all people who consider themselves (or who may be considered by others as) transgender will undergo a gender transition.
Race and Ethnicity Defined
Race refers to groups of people who have differences and similarities in biological traits deemed by society to be socially significant, meaning that people treat other people differently because of them. For example differences and similarities in skin color are treated as socially significant while differences in hair or eye color are not.
Ethnic Identity or Ethnicity
Ethnic Identity or Ethnicity refers to shared cultural practices, perspectives, and distinctions that set apart one group of people from another. That is, ethnicity is a shared cultural heritage. The most common characteristics distinguishing various ethnic groups are ancestry, a sense of history, language, religion, and forms of dress. Ethnic differences are not inherited; they are learned.
Ethnic expression
Ethnic expression refers to all of the external characteristics and behaviors that are socially associated with a certain ethnic group. Social or cultural norms can vary widely and some characteristics that may be accepted as pertaining to any one ethnic group in one culture may be differently assessed in another.
Transracial
Transracial – or transr – is a new umbrella term for people whose racial identity or expression is different from those typically associated with the race assigned to them at birth (e.g., the race listed on their birth certificate). Not all people who consider themselves (or who may be considered by others as) transracial will undergo a race transition or change of skin color.
Sexual orientation and race/ethnicity are two of the many components of diversity. We have come a long way to accepting the fact that gender identity may change as the individual realizes that there are psychological issues involved with the gender given the individual at birth mostly because of the sexual organs that came with their body. Why can’t we accept the fact that racial identity may change because there are psychological issues involved with the race given the individual at birth mostly because of the color of the skin that came with their body.
There needs to be a new component added to the components in Diversity. Just as the T in LGBT stands for transgender, there should be a T in Race and Ethnicity declarations and that T should stand for Transracial. ( Hashtag #transracial)