Speaking of inclusivity...

Why do I feel as though anytime my opinions differ from my friends that voicing them would be social suicide? Welcome to campus where we preach diversity *disclaimer in fine print: but not of opinion. If you would like to be a free thinker and not go along with the crowd (well there are really two, sometimes three crowds, but you should choose one) then transfer you ass to a different school.* Too bad they didn't tell me that before. I am taking a blogging and commentary class and I had to write an editorial for my first assignment. I knew exactly what topic I wanted to write about, but I also knew that since my professor is the advisor to our student newspaper, there was a possibility it would be published. I am not at the point where I am comfortable publishing my opinion. Why? Because free speech may be my right, but somebody forgot to tell my peers. And right now, I am not willing to be ostracized for doing what I've always been taught to do. I was taught that I have a voice. Too bad I can't use it.

*disclaimer: I am in no way making any comment on the recent uproar over an opinion piece published in the above-mentioned newspaper. I am talking about my own opinion, which is absolutely unrelated to the subject of that piece.*

How to be inclusive

I serve on the Undergraduate Student Government Diversity Committee this year, and over the last few weeks have been developing a survey about diversity on my campus. What I found interesting and challenging was trying to word the questions so as to be inclusive, especially the demographic ones. I can't create a survey that goes against the principles of the very committee that is creating it! It's funny that I serve on the Diversity Committee, and as involved as I am with the diversity and inclusive excellence movement on campus, I still don't know how to entirely be inclusive myself. Is there really any right way, and who decides the right way?