Diversity, Family, the Helping Field

Ask yourself to answer the following as two separate concepts… “What is diversity”? Now, ask yourself…”What is a family?”. I will start. To me, when I think of the word “diversity”, or, to be “diverse”, I automatically think of people. Whoever is reading this now (and by the way, thanks for choosing MY blog out of all of the others), we are different from one another. Be it our political views, religious beliefs, or ethnicity we are different. You are different from your spouse, as they are different from you. When I think of family, I think of one unit. A family can be a family regardless of how many children you have, siblings, etc. In fact, some would consider a pet to be a part of the family. Consider a fish, guinea pig, cat or dog. Rarely, if ever, have I heard of family diversity being used synonymously.

To me, a family is....A group of people who are emotionally, mentally, and physically present for each other. They support each other, and have unbreakable everlasting bonds and relationships. Something else to consider,  BLOOD to me DOES NOT define family! Now, how does “diversity” have anything to do with family?

It all goes back to cultural bias, stereotyping, and prejudice. What I mean by this statement is being able to understand these terms in a way that is relative to parenting styles, whether individual or globally.

Psychology and sociology reminds us of cultural bias being when a person of a different culture looks down on one’s cultural practices and traditions as wrong. A Haitian woman stays home and nurtures her child at home everyday, as opposed to Americans sending their child to be cared for by a daycare. We can also make this comparison in our own neighborhood. How and what kids learn in rural villages of Alaska, might differ in that people in the lower 48 assume it being irrelative.

A prime example of this scenario dates back to the Indian Removal Act, when Europian’ s imposed their belief systems and values in rural communities.   As social workers, our jobs are to help and serve people and communities far and wide. I know I am certainly guilty of not considering the person and/or their community when it comes time to help them. Just like them, a huge factor into what makes them who they are today is that of family; Their upbringing, and separation from the family unit in terms of gaining autonomy and applying, whether indirectly or directly, certain values and belief systems we were exposed to as children .“Just as individuals need supportive relationships to thrive, families need supportive institutional policies, structures, and programs in workplace, health care, and other larger systems” (p.412)

Family: Theoretical Perspectives 

 

A couple of weeks ago, we learned about culture. From a cultural perspective, there are so many different values and belief systems throughout the world that separate and divide us. The term cultural bias can also be distinguished with prejudice, privilege, and stereotyping. Given the opportunity to reflect, if you were to ask me to define what these words mean (prejudice and stereotype), it would be easier to just give you examples of how these words are conveyed on a day-to-day basis. How sad is that? As social workers, it is important to be able to define such concepts. Yes. But as a successful social worker, or helper, it is even more important we can understand the emotions behind them… Why? In order to provide effective service that promotes long-lasting change (healing) we must have the ability to meet them on their level. Empathy, sympathy, compassion, love. In this profession, most of us have always had that “yearning”, to fix things and make it right. Even at the expense of our own wants and needs. Think about it. You, right at this very moment, are taking time away from your family to focus on this assignment. Maybe, you had to pass on tonight’s invitation to go out on a date, or skip out on a hobby so that you can finish this assignment (I haven’t gone to the gym in 8 days). Maybe you even moved to a completely different state to go to college to be able to enhance your skill set in human services. That is what I mean.

My Acceptance and Love For People

As social workers, it is important to be able to define such concepts. Yes. But as a successful social worker, or helper, it is even more important we can understand the emotions behind them… Why? In order to provide effective service that promotes long-lasting change (healing) we must have the ability to meet them on their level. Empathy, sympathy, compassion, love. In this profession, most of us have always had that “yearning”, to fix things and make it right. Even at the expense of our own wants and needs. Think about it. You, right at this very moment, are taking time away from your family to focus on this assignment. Maybe, you had to pass on tonight’s invitation to go out on a date, or skip out on a hobby so that you can finish this assignment (I haven’t gone to the gym in 8 days). Maybe you even moved to a completely different state to go to college to be able to enhance your skill set in human services. That is what I mean. When I was a little kid, my dad brought us to NYC. It was a gray November afternoon, the sun was about to set. As we were walking in a particularly “risky” neighborhood, I looked to my right and saw a tall lanky man. He was talking to himself. He was wearing gray sweatpants and an olive green, oversized coat. His hair was scraggly, and he was walking with shrugged shoulders, looking down hunched over. Like in a turtle position as if he was sad, protecting himself. As I continued to stare at him from afar, I noticed he didn’t have anything on his feet. No socks, shoes, nothing. My birthday was a month before and I received the nicest, fluffiest, handmade bright pink and beaded slippers from my mom. I brought them with me for our trip so I can wear them in the hotel. Anyways, I look at this man’s feet and remember feeling so bad for him. My dad and siblings, by this time, were about 2 blocks ahead of me as I stood there feeling torn. Torn, because I didn’t want to get lost in a bad part of NYC, especially since I was only 11. And also, because I couldn’t fathom the thought of someone walking around in the snow without shoes. After standing there contemplating whether or not I should catch up to my family, I turned around back to our vehicle (we just parked) which was a block behind me to get the slippers. I then ran around a curb that was also an overpass for a little bridge (by central park) and started yelling “hey! Hey you!!” He didn’t hear me over the loud city noises and him mumbling loudly to himself. One last time I yelled at the top of my lungs “SIR!!!” He then turned around. I told him to wait a second while I ran in his direction with the slippers in hand. Being weary about the fact that I was about to go under the bridge and didn’t want to be alone with him, I said “these are for you” and set them down a little over arms reach from where he was standing. I then ran as fast as I could to catch up with my family (my dad didn’t even know I was gone for almost 10 whole minutes). Right as I was about to catch up, I turned to look over my shoulder and saw him wearing the slippers before walking under the bridge. I always wondered what happened to him and how long those slippers (which were probably 5 sizes too small) lasted. At least he had something on his feet, in the snow. That is the first time I got the experience and great pleasure of helping someone in need. And when I found out that education existed specifically for helping people, I realized that this would be my career.

Diversity in Family Life: One question that must be asked about each of the theoretical perspectives on families is how well it applies to different types of families. As suggested earlier, diversity has always existed in the structures and functions of society. It is also true in the family unit (p331).Within the last 10 years, Americans experienced a huge influx of migrants. Whether they are seeking asylum, or have come here to live the “American Dream, it is crucial that us as Americans on a collective level not only examine, but also, explore the scope of this issue. The relevance as it relates to the topic at hand, is one that we as future social workers must have an understanding of in order to be successful in our efforts when it comes to helping on the macro, mezzo, or micro level. Moreover, to be mindful of societal factors affecting family diversity in the U.S. The point I am trying to make is the necessity of embracing inclusivity and equal rights for all families. Social justice.

Understanding Family Diversity The concept of family diversity includes a wide variety of family configurations that depart from the conventional paradigm. Various reasons, including cultural norms, religious beliefs, economic circumstances, and individual preferences, can cause these variations. Extended families, consisting of numerous generations living together or in close vicinity, are considered the norm in many different cultures. This type of living arrangement between people of different generations offers support, direction, and a strong feeling of community. The concept of non-traditional family structures is gaining increased attention and acceptability in today’s society (Kosutic & McDowell, 2018). One example is the rise in the number of homes with only one parent, which can be attributed to events like divorce, separation, or even a person’s decision. SIngle parents frequently take on various tasks and obligations, which require them to juggle employment, caring for their children, and chores around the house. These families confront particular obstacles as a result.  In recent years, same-sex couples have also earned increased legal recognition and acceptability. These families subvert the conventional expectations placed on men and women and show that love and commitment are not restricted to either gender. Couples of the same sexual orientation can choose to have children through adoption, surrogacy, or assisted reproductive technologies, which contributes to the variety of family arrangements (Allen & Henderson, 2022). Families that include members who are disabled or have other special requirements are another example of the diversity that can be found within families. These families frequently require additional support structures, resources, and advocacy to guarantee the health and safety of every family member and ensure that everyone is included. It is essential for the advancement of social justice to comprehend and accommodate these families’ specific requirements.Going back to the definition of diversity, I know all to well the feelings associated with being “different”, standing out for the wrong reasons, and all of the hurt associated with being an outcast. When I lived in New York after coming straight from the village, I stuck out like a sore thumb. It is a given that kids would bully me. But, probably most disturbing is teachers did too. As teachers in the helping field, you would think they’d do otherwise. That is one more reason why we as social workers must take ALL things into account when it comes to this subject matter. Thank you again for taking the time to read this. Next time you are challenged, or encounter a family that includes some of the listed diversities, just think to yourself “how am I going to help them within the realm of my capabilities, that does not comprise of being stereotypical?” If it goes against your personal beliefs, value systems, or anything like that then ask yourself again, “is this what I really want to do? Help people?” Think outside the box.

Thanks for Reading