Identity and Perspective

Our Identities Shape Our Perspectives

Different life experiences influence our values and expectations of others. This is why The Platinum Rule is so important when we are trying to be intentional about our interactions.

Consider the following scenario:

Shan and Harper are classmates in a seminar where students are expected to share their ideas and respond to the ideas of their classmates. Shan is fluent in English, but it is not her first language. She appreciates the points that Harper has made and frequently speaks to agree or expand on them. Each time she has responded to one of Harper's comments, she refers to Harper as "she" or "her". Towards the end of the class period, Harper finally says, "Shan, why are you so determined to think of me as a girl? Do they not have non-binary people where you come from??" Shan is hurt and confused, not sure what her comments had to do with Harper's gender. She doesn't speak at all during the next meeting of the class.

In this situation, neither person is blameless because they have both said harmful things. Shan should have used Harper's correct pronouns and Harper should not have used the phrase "where you come from" to make Shan feel like an outsider. At the same time, the behavior of both is understandable in this context. The potential differences in culture and language make Shan's confusion about Harper's pronouns fairly easy to understand. At the same time, it is reasonable and valid for Harper to feel upset when a classmate continues to misgender them.

Can you think of ways you could help them better understand each other's perspectives?

No One Person Represents The Whole Group

With such a wide variety of intersectional identities and life experiences, it's important to make sure a variety of perspectives are present in learning and decision-making spaces. However, when people in positions of authority attempt to diversify on a more superficial level, it can lead to tokenism. Tokenism is hiring/appointing/admitting a token number of people from underrepresented groups to be able to say you included them, which often leads to situations where someone who is the only person in the space with a particular underrepresented identity is put on the spot and expected to speak for everyone with that underrepresented identity. The experience of being tokenized can lead someone to feel as though their individual perspective isn't actually valued and that they are only there as a prop to make the group look inclusive.

While it's important to include a variety of perspectives, it's also important to remember that no one person represents their entire race, gender, nationality, etc.

By extension, this also means a person in a position of privilege isn't responsible for the actions of everyone in that group throughout history. They are responsible only for their own behavior, which means understanding their privilege and the ways it can impact of those around them.

So how does knowing all this help us?

Understanding how we are positioned helps us understand the assumptions that other people are likely to make about us, which can give us insight into our interactions with them. It also gives us the ability to be more mindful of the impact our behavior might have on others. More opportunity for forming genuine and meaningful connections, fewer unpleasant surprises.

This understanding, as well as the informed and intentional choices it empowers us to make, can have a significant impact on all aspects of our lives. We'll talk more later about its specific relevance and applications within CS education.