Diversity, Inclusion, and Disqualification

#1
AshG

AshG

Easy target
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Nov 5, 2008
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#1
I realize I am potentially uncorking a genie bottle with this one, but the variety of viewpoints found here is why I'm bringing it up.

I'm currently in the middle of a job hunt for the third summer in a row. My first position was eliminated because of COVID-related budget cuts. I was passed over for a permanent position (I held the interim) this time because of "intangibles", All of that is somewhere in the OT thread. There's more to the latter one, but it is what it is.

Long story short, I'm confused by multiple signals I'm getting in the job market and input I'm receiving from others close to me. The world is all about "Celebrate Diversity!" now, and that's cool. I'm glad to see my profession starting to mirror its participants. Many jobs I'm applying for note "Diverse applicants encouraged". At the same time, friends of mine in HR and a couple in the band world are counselling me to hide my disability. Remove anything about it from searchable media, social media, etc. Hide part of what makes me who I am.

I have one leg. It's part of who I am. Legally, I'm a protected class of citizen. I am legally considered a "diversity candidate." So why the push for me to hide it? It doesn't keep me from doing the job; my eyes, ears, and arms all work great. I have taught collegiate marching bands and even been a collegiate band director. So what if I'm 14% carbon fiber and 1% titanium?

If Diversity is the word of the age, then why should I hide what makes me diverse? Is Diversity just a code word for something else, and disabilities are not cool enough to make the cut?
 
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#2
#2
If it helps to have a focused question to gripe about: Does disability belong in the diversity spectrum?
 
#4
#4
Diversity and inclusion is about race and sex, nothing more. If you’re white male you're a white male. Nothing is going to change that label. In a cynical way I would think your condition actually hurts your chances. Through a woke lens hiring you says they’d rather have a disabled white guy than an able bodied minority or female.
 
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#6
#6
Ash, "diversity" is all window dressing when you boil it down. If they can hire a black, lesbian female they get to check 3 boxes and get a pat on the head. The worse part of diversity hires is how many of them are promoted because of incompetence.
 
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#7
#7
"Diversity" simply means black. You see this all the time in society where the goalposts are constantly moving when talking about the "struggles" of minorities. For instance, math is racist but not for Asians. Asians are considered "white" when math is involved.
 
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#8
#8
Being in IT the only thing I get asked is whether I'll have to be sponsored. Just looked thru some listings for my position and didn't find anything about diversity
 
#9
#9
AshG said:
I realize I am potentially uncorking a genie bottle with this one, but the variety of viewpoints found here is why I'm bringing it up.

I'm currently in the middle of a job hunt for the third summer in a row. My first position was eliminated because of COVID-related budget cuts. I was passed over for a permanent position (I held the interim) this time because of "intangibles", All of that is somewhere in the OT thread. There's more to the latter one, but it is what it is.

Long story short, I'm confused by multiple signals I'm getting in the job market and input I'm receiving from others close to me. The world is all about "Celebrate Diversity!" now, and that's cool. I'm glad to see my profession starting to mirror its participants. Many jobs I'm applying for note "Diverse applicants encouraged". At the same time, friends of mine in HR and a couple in the band world are counselling me to hide my disability. Remove anything about it from searchable media, social media, etc. Hide part of what makes me who I am.

I have one leg. It's part of who I am. Legally, I'm a protected class of citizen. I am legally considered a "diversity candidate." So why the push for me to hide it? It doesn't keep me from doing the job; my eyes, ears, and arms all work great. I have taught collegiate marching bands and even been a collegiate band director. So what if I'm 14% carbon fiber and 1% titanium?

If Diversity is the word of the age, then why should I hide what makes me diverse? Is Diversity just a code word for something else, and disabilities are not cool enough to make the cut?
Click to expand...
Funny, if it was your sexual genitalia that were altered or removed, you’d be the hottest candidate in town.
 
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#10
#10
utvolpj said:
Being in IT the only thing I get asked is whether I'll have to be sponsored. Just looked thru some listings for my position and didn't find anything about diversity
Click to expand...

Outside of Asian/Indian how many different ethnicities do you see in IT?
 
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#14
#14
AshG said:
If it helps to have a focused question to gripe about: Does disability belong in the diversity spectrum?
Click to expand...
I think largely no.

As society stands diversity is a buzzword that doesnt have its dictionary definition. I think DancingOutlaw hit it on the head. Is somewhere worried about diversity going to hire a disabled white guy over a minority candidate? That's a real rough pill for a school to swallow.

Other qualifications dont matter. I have been passed over because of my skin color, even though I could do the job and the other guy couldnt, and that was in the private realm. I imagine the public realm is even worse in that regards.

But dont hide it. They are going to find out at some point, and you should never hide who you are. Imo, if you hide it, get the job, you are more likely to be fired and sent looking again, than if you are straight up with them.

One thing you may try is include any history you have working with "diversity". Or put it at the top. Again, sadly, it wont make up for your skin color, but it at least helps frame the conversation in a more like minded approach to what they are looking for.
 
#15
#15
Impossible Girl said:
How many females for that matter. We’ve used the same IT company for 20 years and ive never had a female fix my computer.
Click to expand...

Best IT person where I work is a lady. But, you are correct, they are few and far between.

Diversity is BS, hire the best candidate based on their qualifications.
 
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#16
#16
hog88 said:
Outside of Asian/Indian how many different ethnicities do you see in IT?
Click to expand...
we have several black guys in here. Few others are on site support for warehouses around the country. Not many though as we're mostly white. Operations is completely different though (besides the GM role)
Impossible Girl said:
How many females for that matter. We’ve used the same IT company for 20 years and ive never had a female fix my computer.
Click to expand...
We have lots. Our CIO is and 2 of the 5 directors under her, including mine who is outstanding. The help desk only has one but more technical roles are well represented
 
#17
#17
Ash said - ("Celebrate Diversity!" now, and that's cool.) - I still want to know why that is (allegedly) true. Celebrate good business. Celebrate success. Do what Dr King said and judge someone on their character and not.....

"Diversity" is yet one more label for the left to keep us at each other's throats.
 
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#18
#18
SpaceCoastVol said:
Ash said - ("Celebrate Diversity!" now, and that's cool.) - I still want to know why that is (allegedly) true. Celebrate good business. Celebrate success. Do what Dr King said and judge someone on their character and not.....

"Diversity" is yet one more label for the left to keep us at each other's throats.
Click to expand...
one of the better explanations I've heard on the subject wrt technology

 
#20
#20
SpaceCoastVol said:
Ash said - ("Celebrate Diversity!" now, and that's cool.) - I still want to know why that is (allegedly) true. Celebrate good business. Celebrate success. Do what Dr King said and judge someone on their character and not.....

"Diversity" is yet one more label for the left to keep us at each other's throats.
Click to expand...

At risk of sounding like some godless leftist who burns flags to stay warm, years of experience working with students have shown me that it's important for students to see people who look like them working in the field they want to go into; it builds confidence and reinforces grit. There are multiple studies that strongly suggest this, too.
 
#21
#21
AshG said:
At risk of sounding like some godless leftist who burns flags to stay warm, years of experience working with students have shown me that it's important for students to see people who look like them working in the field they want to go into; it builds confidence and reinforces grit. There are multiple studies that strongly suggest this, too.
Click to expand...
Link? Any tie to demographics?
 
#22
#22
LouderVol said:
Link? Any tie to demographics?
Click to expand...

Pepin, Y. (1998). Practical knowledge and school knowledge: A constructivist representation of education. Constructivism and education, 173-192.

Crichlow, W. (Ed.). (2013). Race, identity, and representation in education. Routledge.

Popoviciu, L., Haywood, C., & Mac an Ghaill, M. (2006). The promise of post-structuralist methodology: Ethnographic representation of education and masculinity. Ethnography and Education, 1(3), 393-412.

And even in business.

Why Representation Matters for Equality in Tech
 
#23
#23
AshG said:
At risk of sounding like some godless leftist who burns flags to stay warm, years of experience working with students have shown me that it's important for students to see people who look like them working in the field they want to go into; it builds confidence and reinforces grit. There are multiple studies that strongly suggest this, too.
Click to expand...
Sorry. That is nothing but feelz.
 
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#24
#24
AshG said:
I realize I am potentially uncorking a genie bottle with this one, but the variety of viewpoints found here is why I'm bringing it up.

I'm currently in the middle of a job hunt for the third summer in a row. My first position was eliminated because of COVID-related budget cuts. I was passed over for a permanent position (I held the interim) this time because of "intangibles", All of that is somewhere in the OT thread. There's more to the latter one, but it is what it is.

Long story short, I'm confused by multiple signals I'm getting in the job market and input I'm receiving from others close to me. The world is all about "Celebrate Diversity!" now, and that's cool. I'm glad to see my profession starting to mirror its participants. Many jobs I'm applying for note "Diverse applicants encouraged". At the same time, friends of mine in HR and a couple in the band world are counselling me to hide my disability. Remove anything about it from searchable media, social media, etc. Hide part of what makes me who I am.

I have one leg. It's part of who I am. Legally, I'm a protected class of citizen. I am legally considered a "diversity candidate." So why the push for me to hide it? It doesn't keep me from doing the job; my eyes, ears, and arms all work great. I have taught collegiate marching bands and even been a collegiate band director. So what if I'm 14% carbon fiber and 1% titanium?

If Diversity is the word of the age, then why should I hide what makes me diverse? Is Diversity just a code word for something else, and disabilities are not cool enough to make the cut?
Click to expand...
what field of work are you looking for ?
 
#25
#25
No idea why you'd be getting advice to hide your disability.

That said, in my experience in faculty hiring "diversity" is primarily in practice defined as race and gender. Within race, African American is the "most diverse" and Asian/Indian is the "least diverse" (white is not diverse). Race also trumps gender.

Good luck on the job search.
 
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