Wheel of Diversity

Some like to talk about diversity as having two types of dimensions. The dimensions we cannot control and those we can. First, some states of diversity we cannot control. We don’t choose our physical abilities. (We’re either born able-bodied or not.) We don’t choose our sexual orientation. We cannot choose the day we’re born, where we’re born and to whom (so we cannot control how old we are, our ethnicity or who our parents are).

However, there are dimensions of diversity we might (given the right circumstances) be able to control: education, religion, geographic location, appearance, trade, marital status etc.

‘A review of academic work shows that the range of attributes that serves as a basis for diversity research might be close to infinite,’ wrote Ben Capell in his doctoral thesis on diversity.^[1]

In other words, diversity may include anything and everything that sets us apart, and not only on the external visible level but also that deeper invisible level where beliefs and values reside.

The above wheel of diversity has been adapted from Marilyn Loden’s Implementing Diversity.^[2]

The wheel was created to help ‘initiate conversations about similarities and differences that cross societal and cultural boundaries.

‘I think diversity discussions are really about understanding our social identities, acknowledging what is important and learning to integrate into society so that no sub-group feels excluded or one down,’ Marilyn Loden has been quoted as saying.^[3]

Do you have a poem, essay, story or some visual art that you can share that expresses what diversity means to you? Why not contribute it to this year’s anthology?

^[1]    Capell, B (2015). Explorations into Diversity at Inter and Intra Organizational Levels (Doctoral Dissertation) Retrieved 9 April 2019 from https://tesisenred.net/handle/10803/313043

^[2]    Lou, K & Dean, B (2010) Global Diversity Puts New Spin on Loden’s Diversity Wheel. Retrieved 9 April 2019 from: http://www.loden.com/Web_Stuff/Articles_-_Videos_-_Survey/Entries/2010/9/3_Global_Diversity_Puts_New_Spin_on_Lodens_Diversity_Wheel.html

^[3]      Lou, K & Dean, B (2010) Global Diversity Puts New Spin on Loden’s Diversity Wheel.