Welcome to the All About Diversity Blog Hop, hosted by Little Library Muse!
What is diversity? Isn’t that the big question?
Diversity is not just checking off boxes, or filling quotas, as is so often implied. Instead, I think it is about broadening horizons and viewpoints.
I also think it can mean different things in different contexts. And it is a very hard topic to wrap one’s arms around. It is also an extremely difficult topic to discuss, particularly in groups or situations that currently favor the status quo. It’s even difficult for me to find a way to write the intro to this blog hop without worrying about touching off one or more “hot buttons”, and there are plenty when it comes to diversity.
So let’s try to focus on diversity in books and reading, as this is a book blog. Through reading, it is possible to learn about, develop an understanding of and an empathy for people who are different from oneself. But that only works if those multiple viewpoints are published, and if you seek them out to read them.
For example, most of The New York Times Best Sellers for fiction and non-fiction in 2017 were written by white men – unless they have even a hint of romance, most of which is written by white women. There are very few other voices on those lists, and if that’s where you get your reading from, then that’s who you’re reading, whether intentionally or not. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
There have been multiple memes, themes and projects to get people to read books written from other perspectives, whether that diversity is represented by gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, country of origin, country of publication, or diversity on any other axis that shows a different point of view. The #WeNeedDiverseBooks initiative as well as A Year of Reading the World are just two of the many examples.
Representation is also important. Just as it can be eye-opening to read books written from a completely different perspective than my own, it is also affirming to read books that speak to me because they represent me. And both of those are experiences that everyone should have the chance to have, no matter who they are or where they are coming from. We do need diverse books, not just for children, but for adults as well.
Perhaps, in times like these, especially for adults.
~~~~~~ GIVEAWAY ~~~~~~
As part of this blog hop, I’m giving one lucky winner either a $10 Amazon Gift Card or a $10 Book from the Book Depository that they will hopefully use to further their own exploration of diverse books.
For more terrific prizes, be sure to visit the other stops on the hop!
For me, diversity means inclusion. Inclusion of all types of people and beliefs. The books that the other blogs picked to feature in their posts are a great start!
Diversity means to me accepting people as who they are and not by what they look like. Thanks for the giveaway. 🙂
“What does diversity mean to you?” A multicultural society, with businesses that have employees representative of the society, at every level.
For me it,’s a matter of never judging anyone, no matter where they are from, what their income level is, color of their skin etc. We all bleed the same after all.
Diversity to me means looking at the hearts of people and not their skin color, religion, sexual orientation, career choice, home, etc. It means we accept others as equal human beings and take the chance to see the world from different perspectives and learn more about the world we live in.
definitely inclusion of people of all nationalities, ethnicity, religion, and sexual orientation or preference. In an organic and authentic way. Not as caricatures or exaggerated stereotypes. As a non white person, I’ve just gotten used to picturing the usually all white casts of my favorite books as other types in my head. But I have stopped reading books when the stereotypes are too exaggerated. *don’t* get me started on the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. That is a white writer taking movie stereotypes to the extreme and it made me so angry. All I say to writers is the best way to diversify your characters is to expand your own social circles and meet people in real life. Movies and TV don’t count.
For me, diversity means variety.
Difficult question!! I guess for me, it means curiosity, openness, variety, and evolution. Because we’re different from each other and also different from ourselves 2 months ago or 1 year from now, and that’s fantastic.
For me diversity (I’ll use the work force as an example) is seeing both males and females , mulitcultural, based on your abilty and not based on your sex or where you are from. Although there are jobs at my plant that require you to be a certain strength as well as a certain height, and sometimes age does play a role (I can no longer do the things I was capable of 10 yrs ago, due to the job being very physical).
NOW with books, I feel diversity should mean there are characters in a book that encompass every day things…. Yes there should be gay characters but I don’t personally introduce my gay friends as gay friends…I think with writing you have to be able to write in such a way that you can let the reader know they are gay, without having to actually say, ” this is the token gay person in the novel” (or black person, muslim person etc) I know there are TONS Of people my age who are prejudice, but I hope that most of us just don’t care (as in each to their own, its not hurting me, why would I care)
Diversity means multiculturalism. People from all over the planet whose want to live together in contentment and happiness.
Diversity means everybody gets to see themselves in stories 🙂
different views
Diversity means differences. Everyone is basically different in many ways!!!
It means different races,cultures and languages. And it includes everyone.
Diversity means having a variety. I also think it should happen naturally, not forced the way it’s been in social media lately!
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That’s a big question for a blog comment! I’ll just say that diversity in reading means reading books by and about people from backgrounds, groups, cultures, etc different than mine. Reading the stories (whether real or imagined) promotes understanding which, in turn, promotes inclusion.
For me, diversity is variety.
Diversity means a lot of selection. Abundance in choice
TL;DR: Diversity is…
— complex
— complicated
— a [potentially] loaded term
— political
— personal
What diversity means to me personally.
Or, What do I think diversity is in actuality, in the U.S. today… Or this, or that…
🙁 I actually froze at this question yesterday, and didn’t comment at all. At its most surface level, it might seem like a really basic or simple thing– a brief definition in the dictionary, maybe; or a few synonyms.
But nope, my brain immediately began shooting off sparks of ideas ~ and potential dissertation topics ~ and memories of semester after semester of Diversity classes and conferences and training, and of separate sections added to every syllabi in an earnest but empty effort to to address DIVERSITY in my awful grad school– to be [known/viewed as] MULTICULTURALLY COMPETENT. Empty gestures.
My own experience with the ~word~ “diversity” has been thrown around in a Cuisinart with an oft-misguided and out-of-touch academia.
…I apologize for kinda just rambling about school here. But I did want to write SOMEthing today, really so that I could get something written. And ohhh, I could just write and write all about this one word– d i v e r s i t y . And in more meaningful and thought-provoking ways, I should hope.
Thank you,
–Ann
Diversity means opening ones mind up to all new things and possibilities. Its becomeing more and being open to new things. Thanks for the chance to win.
Diversity means to me accepting everyone regardless their skin color, religion, sexual orientation, nationality, etc.
Diversity to me means the inclusion of all different types of people, religions, color, sexuality, nationality and the acceptance of them.
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A healthy difference between a number of people; from ideas to appearance.
To me diversity means reading about books that feature points of view different from my norm. This can be different races, religions, socio-economic background, family status, country, or region. I think it means accepting everyone of these differences is valid and just as important as your own and accepting and learning more about the differences.
To me it means inclusion regardless of differences.
It means different points of view.
Diversity is the way our that despite our differences, our similarities still bind us together. We have more in common than we realize.
For me, it means everyone having a voice, everyone being heard.
Diversity means to me that you can be the true person that you are without any retributions
Inclusion and acceptance
Yes, inclusion and accepting and letting everyone be themselves!
no discrimination and to respect people
To me, diversity is about inclusiveness. Plenty of voices to tell many different stories.
It means understanding that each individual is unique, and recognising our individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs or other ideologies.
To me it means equality, being all treated the same, I’m Mexican/American, I like seeing more Latinos in books and on TV, love that there’s more POVs
It means that no one is excluded but showcases all types of cultures, races and more.
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Diversity means being exposed to different ideas and opinions and keeping an open mind. Basically, accepting everyone and not judging them.
It means inclusion of all cultures, races, beliefs and points of view.
To me it means giving voice to different viewpoints as well as different cultural experiences, but doing so in a respectful manner where peoples’ experiences aren’t dismissed or belittled.
Diversity to me means that you accept people of all colors, races, religion, race, etc. We need to love each other.
It means that people of differennt colors, faiths, races, religion live together. Hopefully peacefully!
Tolerance of others who are different than yourself.
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Diversity means different races, cultures and languages all coexist with one and other.
Diversity means belonging as and who you are in my opinion.
Diversity to me is a variety, whether it is people, books or anything else.
Diversity is variety in everything, including your perspectives.
Inclusion and representation
Diversity is many different choices, people, cultures etc.
Diversity to me is that there are people of different colors, beliefs, and backgrounds all together getting along, hopefully.
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People of different races, religions, backgrounds, genders, beliefs. Yet all being able to live in harmony together.
Diversity is just a mixture of many things and accepting that there are many of these mixtures in every day life 🙂
It means including and accepting everyone and treating them how you want to be treated.
Excepting people for who they are without judging them .
Diversity is a buzzword these days with no practical application.
Having grown up in a highly integrated community waaaayyyy back in the 70s/80s that was on the cutting edge of this issue, I know what it looks like and it ain’t what’s going on today, that’s for sure.
We have actually gone backwards and it’s very sad to me.
we’re all the same no matter what color
To me diversity means equal for all.
Diversity is accepting everyone for what they have to offer.
Thanks for the contest.
it means seeing myself in the media that i consume and feeling like i matter 🙂
Diversity means being inclusive and accepting of all people. It means giving everyone equal opportunity and having an open mind.
Diversity- to me- means honoring our differences.
To me diversity is about encouraging opportunities in everyday life.
For me. diversity is accepting people who are different from me no matter what the difference is.
It means equal representation.
Diversity means difference. Inclusion means our ability to include difference. Inclusion is where I think we need to put in more work. Diversity of viewpoints, backgrounds, and experiences – they are all important.
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For me its learning to accept, love, and learn from people from all different walks of life!
Diversity means to me variety and equality.
In my eyes the view of Diversity is Open-mindedness, Understanding and Acceptance.
Diversity is every race, culture, skin color, sexual orientation, etc. But we are all human.
Thanks for the great giveaway!
For me diversity means a lot of varieties.
what it means to mean i can read what i wnat and then not
having some one to tell me i cqn not reqe it
to have someone tell me whqt to blogon
It means variety and equality.
It means variety and equality!
It means different cultures and variety!.
Diversity means variety, something different.