- One concept that has always been heavily misunderstood is the idea that all people are seen as equals despite race, gender or religion. However, that is not the case and Wong points it out. We are all human beings living on this earth however our backgrounds and experiences set u apart from each individual. Wong uses the metaphor of a standard shoe given to everyone and those who don’t fit into it being at a disadvantage. We come in all shapes and sizes and it is not our job to be like everyone else but to thrive in what makes us unique. Wong explains how important it is to thrive in each others differences and support each other because we do not know everyones experience. It may even be offensive to deny this persons identity and treat them as if their background doesn’t play a monumental role in the person they have become.
- One TSIS idea that can be seen in the article is when Wong argues that understanding who a person is and not just what you see on the outside requires work. It requires knowing about the individual and not making a simple blanket statement about who you think they are and where you think they’ve been. Wong says “Rather than assume everyone is the same (or should be), it is crucially important to seek and understand how differences in identities and experiences inform how we interact with our surroundings and each other.” This idea of connecting the parts is explained when we must put in the effort to understand where these minorities are coming from and choose to acknowledge who they are as individuals. This is important because to truly sympathize and understand the true injustice they face we must be able to make these connections within our own lives.
Writing and organizational cultures
I really like the standard shoe metaphor and think that this is a great technique to get the point across. It’s so important to realize that there is not one certain way a human needs to look like or act in order to gain respect, and that supporting everyone and their own differences should be a natural reaction other than to judge.
Right–part of what Wong is highlighting is that there are sometimes material impacts that come from having a diverse workforce (here on how well safety equipment fits the users). Much of what we’ve read has focused on less tangible differences; here we’re being asked to contemplate the physical ones.