How Inclusive Are We Really?

A topic that I've been going back and forth with, is "Inclusivity Vs. Exclusivity".

Whether socially in our relationships, or administratively concerning policy making and governance.

The root of all systems is human made... isn't it?

Our biases and limited views is what constructs company policies, administrational standards, relationship expectations, and the list goes on. Biases and schemas govern our thinking no matter how open and acceptable the new social trend makes us out to be. When was the last time we stopped ourself to ask, "Am I struggling to fit in because of social standards? Am I not getting the job because company policies is made out to fit only the elite society of bachelor degree holders?"

Do not mistake my deconstruction, dear reader, with an attack on society, cause I am a part of it, but really a reassessment on the whole degree of inclusivity. It's not like members of a certain community of elitist, wake up everyday to put on their armors and set out to get us, rather than a conditioned environment and beliefs that have been wired in most individuals since infancy. Overcoming biases help us in building a more acceptable society, it humanizes demographics, where we start to see numbers as people instead people as numbers.

Socially, we tend to avoid what makes us feel vulnerable, so why are we really excluding certain individuals in a social gathering? whether comments on behavior or interests, is our 'innocent joke" an indirect exclusion in the social realm?

Corporate wise, the case of Apple and the health tracking app reflects the true depth of exclusivity and its effect on users. When Apple first launched its health app tracker back in 2014, important aspects of one's health was found as a feature in the app, while women couldn't find a menstrual cycle tracker, simply because no woman was included in the development team before the launch of the app. Lack of inclusivity of both genders in the corporate world has deep rooted effects that goes a long way, I believe we are all wondering, how could a successful company like Apple make such a mistake? Men are not the enemy here, exclusivity is!

Although the other sex didn't commit such an exclusion on purpose, inclusivity and diversity preserves all, speaks for all, and hears all.

Brown discussed in her book, exclusivity in the corporate realm, as the myth of meritocracy of internal management. In reality we've all fallen victims in a corporate company. The notion that management will see value in its employees based on capabilities can be seen as false since individual talents are rarely welcomed or acknowledged. Especially in systems where treatment is based on mass equality, when equity gives rooms to individuals to ask for what they need creating a safe space to grow.

A family friend visited Saudi for the first time a couple of years back, and I took her out to witness the beautiful spirit of Jeddah. We made a quick stop at a make up store, where we were only meet by disappointment. My friend couldn't find a color that suits the dark shade of her African skin-stone.

All felt was GUILT.

I stood in front of the counter for a couple of seconds, thinking how could I salvage the situation. The guilt that came over me wasn't limited to the lack of availability, but also to the fact that I never even noticed the lack of options and inclusivity of skin tones at make up stores. It was a matter that didn't effect me, hence never caught my attention. Here is when speaking up about such issue is crucial, as seen with Nyma Tang and Jackie Aina.

Exclusivity tackles social issues, corporate policy systems, and cultural standards holistically. Sometimes even when there are options, it's the lack of accessibility and availability that brings out exclusivity as a barrier. Just like we can't expect men to think of menstrual cycles, we cannot expect a Western team to lead the franchise of Starbucks in an Eastern country, just like we can't expect exclusivity to be open for all. Such systems were early on constructed in a society that we all grew up in, yet that isn't an excuse for us to keep further on carrying the weights of it, so the next time you lead a group, or handle a project, or take part, make sure you an active catalyst of change, be mindful in being inclusive and diverse so we don't fall victims of an inherited system.

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A special thank you to the Saudi make up artist; Hussa Aljuraifani for her professional insights on the make up industry.

.Sources

Brown, J."How to be an Inclusive Leader". Berrett Koehler Publishers Inc.(2019).

Eveleth, R. (2014)."How Self-Tracking Apps Exclude Women"The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/12/how-self-tracking-apps-exclude-women/383673/

Polo, S. (2014)."Apple’s New Health App Tracks Everything But Your Period".The Mary Sue. https://www.themarysue.com/apples-new-health-app-tracks-everything-but-your-period/