How to notice inclusion in your own life - even if you don’t see yourself as marginalised
Inclusion can often seem like a concept only relevant to widely known marginalised groups.
To take an excerpt from the website, CultureAlly.com:
*“Marginalized groups include women, people with disabilities, people of color, LGBTQ+ folks, Indigenous peoples, people of a lower socio-economic status and so on.”
What happens if you aren’t a part of these marginalised groups? Is inclusion still relevant to you?
In our opinion, yes - because:
- We are all different.
- We all have different perceptions of what is *different* and what is *normal.*
Noticing the actions people take to include you as well as the actions people you take to include other people can assist us in identifying the role that inclusion plays in your life.
If you aren't typically seen as marginalised, considering yourself this way might feel uncomfortable but , identifying inclusion in our own interactions and noticing when we receive it and when we don’t - can help us understand the role it plays in our everyday lives.
Understanding inclusion within the context of ourselves can help us to empathise with those who may not receive it as frequently.
You only know what it is like to live your own life and no one else’s
So, even if you don’t find inclusion difficult to come by - noticing the simple moments of inclusion in your everyday interactions can help you deepen your understanding of what it truly means to feel included.
In our first “Lessons by The ALAN Project” segment we will guide you through how to notice inclusion in your own life — even if you don’t see yourself as marginalised.
If you are struggling to do this, reflecting on the questions on slide 5 can assist you in clarifying the role that inclusion plays in your daily life.
