Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

On a television show I watched this week, a young boy was becoming involved with a young girl who was very protected.  She wasn't allowed to watch TV except for one-half hour once a week, was homeschooled, and had a strict curfew when at the boy's house.  The boy was letting the girl believe he had done several bad things in his life because she was impressed by them.  Her parents, which happened to be lesbians, appeared at his door one night to tell the boy he couldn't see the girl anymore because he was a bad influence.  As he was trying to find the right words to explain that he wasn't a bad person and that the stories he had been telling weren't true, he said he was willing to follow the rules of their lesbian, then corrected himself and said family, home.  He used a microinsult by labeling their home a lesbian home first before correcting himself. 
I thought it was obvious he was nervous meeting the parents for the first time under the set of circumstances and corrected himself appropriately.  His character doesn't have a lot of dating experience so he verbally stumbles when he is around authority figures. 
I tried to focus on what people were saying to each other as I was observing this week, but didn't hear any microaggressions.  It has heightened my listening skills to learn about this topic and I'm sure I will be aware of interactions between people as a result of the information learned as I watched the resource video.

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

For this assignment I interviewed my daughter (26 years old), her boyfriend's mother (55 years old), and the mother's daughter (12 years old).  My daughter defined culture as a group of people who share the same beliefs and diversity as multiple cultures that come together.  The mother said culture was everything that goes with an ethnic group such as their social norms and living environment.  The 12 year old said culture is different religions and different countries and the word diversity reminded her of Martin Luther King's I have a dream speech.

Surface culture was evident in the answers I received such as religion, beliefs, and social norms.  Some aspects that were omitted were deep culture aspects such as values, recreation, work, intergenerational relationships, and extended family relationships (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2010).

In thinking about how other people's definition of culture and diversity, I realize that I have learned a lot about these topics.  I had limited definitions for these terms before this class as well. Now, I know there is so much to learn about individuals past what can be seen.  I know that there is so much that influences one's culture and the practices, beliefs, and customs a group may practice.  I also know that it is not appropriate to infer that a person follows every practice, belief, or custom just because they may be a member of a particular group of people.  Everyone is an individual first. 

My Family Culture

In the event I had to quickly move to another country, I would take only two things-my cell phone and pictures of my children.  I'm not attached to too many materials objects so everything, but these, could stay behind.  I would explain that my phone can give me access to my children and mom who are the most important people in my life.  Pictures of my children would give me memories of them throughout their lives.  If told I had to give up one of the items I had been able to bring, I would feel as if I had totally lost control of my ability to make my own choices for my life.  It would be very frustrating and hard to understand why I couldn't keep the few personal things I had.  I would have a hard time understanding how my possessions would affect anyone else.

I realize that immigrants who relocate to other countries have to make choices about their possessions.  My family doesn't put importance on things but on relationships so leaving things behind wouldn't be too hard for me but leaving those I love would be.  I lived 2000 miles away from my family for 8 years and it was the lowest point in my life.  Being close to family is what is important in my life, having things is not.