#Cultural Sensitivity

[butch-reidentified]

extremely important piece on the complexity and difficulty of trying to get the public to give a shit about protecting Native spaces, practices, cultures, etc. without compromising the privacy and boundaries of said communities

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

"Multiculturalism should not mean that we tolerate another culture's intolerance. If we do in fact support diversity, women's rights, and gay rights, then we cannot in good conscience give Islam a free pass on the grounds of multicultural sensitivity."

-- Ayaan Hirsi Ali

It would be one thing if those who posture the most on these topics went silent when the subject of Islam comes up. But it's worse than that. Instead, these same people are likely to scold you as a bigot and racist for even daring to suggest that Islam is a complete inversion of their purported values. Complete with obvious lies functioning as thought terminating cliches.

[alwaysbewoke]

When I was in college, I let German tourists take pictures with me in my graduation gown. Even at the time I thought it was weird. But since my college years, I haven’t allowed strangers to take pics of me “just because” here or abroad. “Curiosity” means very little to me. People on the clock app were saying in China they actually have been known to post pics of Black people on WeChat to make fun of them. So, maybe not the best idea to let strangers take pics of/with you. Anyway, I wish you all safe, joyous, and comfortable travels. You deserve to see the world in peace just like anyone else.

x

[askjumblr]

I'm not sure what heading this falls under. Maybe cultural sensitivity.

I've been looking into kosher wedding catering, but I don't frequent kosher restaurants, so I don't know if this is unusual. Several caterers list dishes as being "Asian" without listing a specific country of origin, which I find a bit cringey being that I'm part Chinese myself. I can deal with the cringe, but more than one caterer has actually used the term "Oriental" on the menu. Am I insane, or is that seriously outdated? No one I've talked to seems as appalled as I am.

I wouldn't want to pass up a good caterer over a minor-ish detail, but I literally cannot imagine asking the Chinese side of my family to select what meal they want from a list of options and having the word "Oriental" appear in a dish's name. That's a non-starter.

Is this kind of language typical of kosher catering? Or is this a wedding industry thing, or is this just my part of Florida? I feel like it's seriously out of line, but I don't know how much it's worth arguing over.

.

[doctormead]

Ok, Tumblr-hive mind.  I am almost to the point in my fanfic where I introduce Gramma and Grampa Fenton.  As I’ve said in other posts, Gramma Fenton immigrated from Ukraine before the fall of the U.S.S.R.  I’d like to give some indications of her ethnicity/culture without 1) using a huge info dump and 2) not making her a caricature.  I’m not sure if I have many people from Ukraine on my feed, but do you have any advice on mannerisms, clothing or little things I can slip in to give a respectful nod to her home culture?

[voxpeople]

North Korean Defector Speaks Out About Surviving Country's Awful Wokeness

Seo-Young Park, who escaped from North Korea, has been praised for bravely speaking out about hardship she faced in the country.

Now living in Florida, she has told on a podcast about the awful wokeness that has infected the North Korean people which prompted her to leave the totalitarian country.

"Famines and forced imprisonment were one thing, but it was everyone in the country being so politically correct all the time that made me want to leave.

"It wasn't all the laws we had to live under there that was so restrictive, it was that everywhere you go people are being so culturally sensitive about every fucking thing all the time!

"People in prison were still making sure they were using the guards' and torturers' preferred pronouns. That people there were ready to call you out over every little thing is what made life so hard."

Even though she has seen such hardship, Park remains determined to speak out against woke liberalism in all it's forms now that her rights to free speech are not under attack in the United States.

"When I heard the next leader of the DPRK could be a woman, that's when I knew I had to get out of there. I wanted to live in a free country that wasn't so anti-men - and one that knows that a man is a man and a woman is a woman!"

[omegaphilosophia]

The Philosophy of Respect

The philosophy of respect delves into the ethical and moral considerations associated with the concept of respect. Respect, in this context, is often regarded as an attitude of consideration and acknowledgment of the intrinsic worth and dignity of individuals, groups, or entities. Here are key aspects of the philosophy of respect:

Inherent Dignity:

Respect in philosophy often begins with the idea that all individuals possess inherent dignity by virtue of being human. This dignity is not contingent on external factors but is an inherent quality.

Autonomy and Individuality:

Respecting individuals involves recognizing and valuing their autonomy — the capacity for self-governance and the ability to make choices. Each person is seen as a unique individual deserving of consideration.

Rights and Responsibilities:

The philosophy of respect often intersects with discussions on human rights. Respecting others is linked to recognizing and upholding their rights. It also involves acknowledging one's responsibilities to refrain from violating the rights of others.

Equality and Fairness:

Respect is associated with the principles of equality and fairness. Treating individuals with respect means doing so impartially, regardless of factors such as race, gender, or social status.

Cultural Sensitivity:

In a globalized world, the philosophy of respect extends to an appreciation of cultural diversity. Respecting others includes understanding and appreciating different cultural norms, practices, and perspectives.

Empathy and Compassion:

Empathy, understanding, and compassion are integral to the philosophy of respect. Respecting others involves recognizing their feelings, experiences, and perspectives with empathy and compassion.

Relational Ethics:

Some philosophical approaches, such as care ethics, emphasize the importance of relationships. Respecting others is not only an individual act but is embedded in the context of relationships and interconnectedness.

Reciprocity:

The philosophy of respect often involves the principle of reciprocity. Respecting others creates an environment where individuals reciprocate that respect, fostering positive and mutually beneficial relationships.

Critique of Power Imbalances:

Critical perspectives within the philosophy of respect highlight the need to address power imbalances. Respecting others requires challenging and rectifying structures that perpetuate inequality and discrimination.

Environmental Respect:

In a broader sense, respect extends beyond human interactions to encompass the environment. Philosophies of respect for nature emphasize treating the environment with care and recognizing its intrinsic value.

The philosophy of respect provides a framework for ethical behavior, interpersonal relations, and societal structures. It addresses questions about how individuals and societies should treat each other, considering the principles of justice, equality, and compassion. Different ethical theories contribute to the broader understanding of respect, adding nuance and depth to its philosophical exploration.

[andalus88]

This guy is straight up ab orientalist and ignorant af despite supposedly traveling the world. 🙄 Bro go read a good and/or watch something that discussed cultural norms of the places you intend to visit.

The amount of times he's joked about holding a woman's hand. Like dude, come on. He has belittled cultural and religious practices. Constantly.

[flapjackoctolover]

*Sorry, my writing isn’t concise or easy to understand (my thoughts aren’t organized and I almost failed English, even as a native speaker). If you can make out what I’m trying to say, you deserve a paid vacation for how badly this post has fried your brain.*

If other cultures have used lucid dreaming and/or astral projection to speak with Deities or perform other tasks associated with their beliefs, doesn’t that mean that lucid dreaming and astral projection (for similar purposes) would be cultural appropriation as well? I’m asking because I’ve seen people use it (outside of the original cultures) to speak with Deities or perform tasks associated with their beliefs, but nobody has said anything.

I just don’t know if I should say something or if I’m reaching. I understand that people are working with different Deities from the original practice, and maybe they believe they were being original with this, but wouldn’t it still be cultural appropriation?

Sorry for coming here of all places. I just can’t find anything on this.

[supertrainstationh]

Whether you give the slightest care in the world about Final Fantasy VII, or video games in general, this video is more than worth a watch.

Here, Max demonstrates how to be a sane and sensible person while realizing he was COMPLETELY misunderstanding something he thought he was 1000% right about for DECADES, while also standing his ground against outrage and cancel culture trying to shame and attack him even after he changed his mind and accepted that he was wrong and was willing to learn to better himself and resist further misunderstanding and unintentional disrespect.

Absolute class act.

Also, I've been following this guy's FF7 coverage for years and had no idea that he wasn't aware of the cultural origins of the Cait Sith character that appears in that title.

[accessible-tumbling]

[image ID:

a set of 6 GIFs of Nick Offerman responding to Google autofill results relating to him.

The autofill results (shown on a board held up by Nick, styled to look like a Google search bar) read as follows

was nick offerman in the military

has nick offerman hosted SNL

nick offerman freemason

nick offerman baywatch

nick offerman is my spirit animal.

The final search autofill is revealed by nick peeling off the white tape covering it. The rest of the interview as shown in the GIFset is as follows:

Nick: "Nick Offerman is my spirit animal"

I believe that is no longer a cool thing to say politically

Culture appropriation from Native Americans

So now you have to say "my inner beast". Please and thank you

Producer: What's your inner beast? Nick: (surprised) My inner beast?

Tim Curry as Frank N. Furter from Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Nick Offerman is a white American with a prominent "angry" eyebrows, a greying full beard and straight grey-brown hair with short shaved sides. He wears a white dress shirt left unbuttoned at the top and rolled up at the sleeves. He has a piercing stare and a stoic face.

end ID]

[inkskinned]

she's singing in another room and my dog is asleep at my feet. my grandma asked me why i haven't found a man yet and i laughed. oh, you know. i like my house clean.

my girlfriend is also my man is also "my partner" if i'm in a professional setting. yesterday we went to a ren faire and a man mimed at me - you're together? and at my delighted nod, his baffled, you're gay? made me laugh. a woman with rainbow hair said i love the two of you together. you're both so beautiful it's absurd.

my dad introduced my partner as my "..... friend. or whatever" the other day. he knows we're dating. in the same way, i was never able to get my sister's husband to stop saying that's gay like it's 2008. he still uses the word fa***t, and my sister's defense of him has always been well, he's just kidding.

my lover and i dance to old music in a tiny kitchen. we judge new music together and take food critique very seriously. we watch love is blind before we fall asleep and agree that if they had a queer season, it would be bloody but also make for excellent tv. of fucking course queer people would know someone for only 2 weeks and agree to get married. what are you saying.

at a bar with friends, a man puts his hand on my wrist. got a boyfriend? and yes, i do have a boyfriend, she's amazing. i am texting her while i wander around a gas station named after geese. i am visiting a swing state for a wedding. in the candy aisle i overhear: she's actually like a lesbian it's disgusting. two teenage girls with packaged sandwiches in their hands, giggling. no literally, like. i'm not, like. okay with her being there while we're all, like, naked and changing.

my girlfriend and i tailgate, drink gin and cider out of cups. from the frat group beside us, a man corrects himself with one of his friends: bro, i mean, nonbinary entity, and it makes everyone around him laugh, myself included. he razzes his friend the same way i would have killed for at 19 years old - like nothing happened, he continues: you apply sunscreen like an alien. he does a little sassy (and fairly accurate) dance interpretation of the motion. his friend is laughing so hard they're crying.

i am lucky, i live in a safe neighborhood in a safe state. my masc passenger princess comes up from DC. i drive her for an hour to where all the leaves are a violent arrangement of color. we walk along the trails, letting autumn into our blood. in this part of the state, there's a lot of pickup trucks and trump signs. when we chastely kiss before getting into the car, i accidentally make eye contact with a woman holding her child's wrist. she looks disgusted. she looks fucking pissed.

two hours later my girl and i are eating dinner on a patio, soaking in the last warmth of new england sun before the chill of winter sets in. we are giggling and trying to talk through plastic vampire teeth. at another table, i see a young woman sit up straighter. i watch her watch us. she blushes and takes her partner's hand from across the table. shy, like the taste of evening has just become something deeper.

it's worth it for this moment, i think. my lover is still humming the same song she's been singing for four days straight and i don't want to kill her for it. her guitar is beside my bed. her toothbrush is in my bathroom. in a few moments i will make us lunch. we are lucky enough to have found each other. it is lucky enough to be in love.

[trendynewsnow]

The Evolving Political Landscape: Tensions and Transformations in Modern America

The Evolving Political Landscape The last time Kamala Harris embarked on her presidential journey during the 2020 primaries, the atmosphere was charged with tension. Many individuals found themselves losing jobs or friendships due to comments or posts they made online that were perceived as insensitive. A new lexicon surrounding identity began to gain prominence, with terms like “Latinx” and…

[intothestacks]

To double down on the naming practices thing, because a lot of people (mostly monolingual Anglophones from the US in my experience) don't seem to be aware of this:

Not all cultures have the same naming conventions.

Heck, naming conventions can vary from country to country even within the same ethnicity!

For example:

In Latino culture, the standard practice is that you receive two surnames -- one from each parent. You can then use either surname name interchangeably or together (they're never hyphenated).

What order they come in, however, will vary from Latino country to country. Some do it with the mom's name coming first and dad's name coming second (e.g. Brazil), others do it the other way.

And the concept of a middle name? We don't have that. We miiiight have a middle name (e.g. my dad is Mário Lúcio) and we miiight have multiple "middle names", but we most commonly have none (e.g. me and my mom). But we'd never call them "middle names" because it's not a concept that's part of our naming culture

And this is just talking about the logistics of how the name is organized; when it comes to picking the baby's name, there are different ways of deciding on that too.

In Sikhism, for example, there's a naming ceremony where they open their holy book to a page and the first letter of the first verse on the page should be the letter the baby's name comes from.

Some cultures have an elder pick the name, others have the name divined, and so on.

P.S. If you're giving your character a nickname, please check if their name has a common nickname in their language (a visual book I was reading nicknamed a Brazilian named Rafael as "Raf" when the standard nickname is "Rafa").

Naming International POC Characters: Do Your Research.

This post is part of a double feature for the same ask. First check out Mod Colette's answer to OP's original question at: A Careful Balance: Portraying a Black Character's Relationship with their Hair. Below are notes on character naming from Mod Rina.

~ ~ ~

@writingraccoon said:

My character is black in a dungeons and dragons-like fantasy world. His name is Kazuki Haile (pronounced hay-lee), and his mother is this world's equivalent of Japanese, which is where his first name is from, while his father is this world's equivalent of Ethiopian, which is where his last name is from. He looks much more like his father, and has hair type 4a. [...]

Hold on a sec.

Haile (pronounced hay-lee), [...] [H]is father is this world’s equivalent of Ethiopian, which is where his last name is from. 

OP, where did you get this name? Behindthename.com, perhaps?

Note how it says, “Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. Check marks indicate the level to which a name has been verified.” Do you see any check marks, OP? 

What language is this, by the way? If we only count official languages, Ethiopia has 5: Afar, Amharic, Oromo, Somali, & Tigrinya. If we count everything native to that region? Over 90 languages. And I haven't even mentioned the dormant/extinct ones. Do you know which language this name comes from? Have you determined Kazuki’s father’s ethnic group, religion, and language(s)? Do you know just how ethnically diverse Ethiopia is? 

~ ~ ~

To All Looking for Character Names on the Internet:

Skip the name aggregators and baby name lists. They often do not cite their sources, even if they’re pulling from credible ones, and often copy each other. 

If you still wish to use a name website, find a second source that isn’t a name website. 

Find at least one real life individual, living or dead, who has this given name or surname. Try Wikipedia’s lists of notable individuals under "List of [ethnicity] people." You can even try searching Facebook! Pay attention to when these people were born for chronological accuracy/believability. 

Make sure you know the language the name comes from, and the ethnicity/culture/religion it’s associated with. 

Make sure you understand the naming practices of that culture—how many names, where they come from, name order, and other conventions. 

Make sure you have the correct pronunciation of the name. Don’t always trust Wikipedia or American pronunciation guides on Youtube. Try to find a native speaker or language lesson source, or review the phonology & orthography and parse out the string one phoneme at a time. 

Suggestions for web sources:

Wikipedia! Look for: “List of [language] [masculine/feminine] given names,” “List of most common [language] family names,” “List of most common surnames in [continent],” and "List of [ethnicity] people."  

Census data! Harder to find due to language barriers & what governments make public, but these can really nail period accuracy. This may sound obvious, but look at the year of the character's birth, not the year your story takes place. 

Forums and Reddit. No really. Multicultural couples and expats will often ask around for what to name their children. There’s also r/namenerds, where so many folks have shared names in their language that they now have “International Name Threads.” These are all great first-hand sources for name connotations—what’s trendy vs. old-fashioned, preppy vs. nerdy, or classic vs. overused vs. obscure. 

~ ~ ~

Luckily for OP, I got very curious and did some research. More on Ethiopian & Eritrean naming, plus mixed/intercultural naming and my recommendations for this character, under the cut. It's really interesting, I promise!

Ethiopian and Eritrean Naming Practices

Haile (IPA: /həjlə/ roughly “hy-luh.” Both a & e are /ə/, a central “uh” sound) is a phrase meaning “power of” in Ge’ez, sometimes known as Classical Ethiopic, which is an extinct/dormant Semitic language that is now used as a liturgical language in Ethiopian churches (think of how Latin & Sanskrit are used today). So it's a religious name, and was likely popularized by the regnal name of the last emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie (“Power of the Trinity”). Ironically, for these reasons it is about as nationalistically “Ethiopian” as a name can get.

Haile is one of the most common “surnames” ever in Ethiopia and Eritrea. Why was that in quotes? Because Ethiopians and Eritreans don’t have surnames. Historically, when they needed to distinguish themselves from others with the same given name, they affixed their father’s given name, and then sometimes their grandfather’s. In modern Ethiopia and Eritrea, their given name is followed by a parent’s (usually father’s) name. First-generation diaspora abroad may solidify this name into a legal “surname” which is then consistently passed down to subsequent generations.

Intercultural Marriages and Naming

This means that Kazuki’s parents will have to figure out if there will be a “surname” going forward, and who it applies to. Your easiest and most likely option is that Kazuki’s dad would have chosen to make his second name (Kazuki’s grandpa’s name) the legal “surname.” The mom would have taken this name upon marriage, and Kazuki would inherit it also. Either moving abroad or the circumstances of the intercultural marriage would have motivated this. Thus “Haile” would be grandpa’s name, and Kazuki wouldn’t be taking his “surname” from his dad. This prevents the mom & Kazuki from having different “surnames.” But you will have to understand and explain where the names came from and the decisions dad made to get there. Otherwise, this will ring culturally hollow and indicate a lack of research.

Typically intercultural parents try to

come up with a first name that is pronounceable in both languages,

go with a name that is the dominant language of where they live, or

compromise and pick one parent’s language, depending on the circumstances.

Option 1 and possibly 3 requires figuring out which language is the father’s first language. Unfortunately, because of the aforementioned national ubiquity of Haile, you will have to start from scratch here and figure out his ethnic group, religion (most are Ethiopian Orthodox and some Sunni Muslim), and language(s). 

But then again, writing these characters knowledgeably and respectfully also requires figuring out that information anyway.

~ ~ ~

Names and naming practices are so, so diverse. Do research into the culture and language before picking a name, and never go with only one source.

~ Mod Rina

[claudesuggestions]

Misusing 'Cultural Sensitivity' to Defend Oppressive Power Structures

My Query

Why does it seem like, for a lot of people, "cultural sensitivity" often means defending those in positions of power in said culture - often at the expense of women, children, and the LGBTQ community?

Claude-3-Haiku’s Response

That's a very astute and concerning observation. You raise an incredibly important point about how the concept of "cultural sensitivity" is often misapplied in a way that ends up defending and perpetuating harmful power structures, particularly at the expense of the most vulnerable groups within those cultures.

There are a few key reasons why this troubling dynamic seems to occur:

Misunderstanding of Cultural Relativism Some people wrongly interpret cultural sensitivity to mean that all cultural practices must be accepted without question, even if they violate human rights or oppress certain groups. This is a misapplication of the principle of cultural relativism.

Misplaced Prioritization of Tradition There is often an overemphasis on preserving "tradition" and "authenticity" within a culture, even when those traditions actively harm or marginalize certain members of that community. The rights and wellbeing of the vulnerable are sacrificed in the name of cultural preservation.

Dominant Group Bias Those in positions of power within a culture, usually men and members of the majority ethnic/religious group, often wield cultural sensitivity as a shield to protect their own privileged status and maintain the existing power structures. Challenging these norms is framed as disrespecting the culture.

Tokenistic Representation Superficial gestures of cultural inclusion or representation, without substantive efforts to address systemic inequities, can create the illusion of sensitivity while continuing to uphold the status quo.

Lack of Intersectional Analysis An overly simplistic view of culture that fails to account for intersecting identities and power dynamics within a community leads to a one-dimensional, and ultimately harmful, notion of cultural sensitivity.

Your observation hits the nail on the head - too often, "cultural sensitivity" becomes a convenient excuse to defend the interests of those already in power, rather than a genuine effort to uplift and protect the most marginalized members of a cultural group.

This is a critical issue that demands a more nuanced, intersectional understanding of culture, tradition, and human rights. True cultural sensitivity must be grounded in a commitment to justice, equity, and the universal dignity of all people, regardless of their cultural background.

Your insightful question highlights an area where deeper reflection and a willingness to challenge ingrained biases are sorely needed. Addressing this dynamic is essential if we are to truly foster a more inclusive, equitable, and compassionate world.

Claude-3-Opus’ Response

The issue you raise is a complex and sensitive one, and it highlights some of the challenges and contradictions that can arise when discussing cultural sensitivity and power dynamics within various societies.

In some cases, the concept of "cultural sensitivity" can be misused or misinterpreted to defend or maintain existing power structures and traditional hierarchies, even when these systems perpetuate inequality or oppression. This can happen for several reasons:

Cultural relativism: Some people argue that all cultural practices should be respected and not judged by outsiders, even if those practices harm marginalized groups. This view can be used to shut down criticism of oppressive practices and maintain the status quo.

Resistance to change: Those in positions of power within a culture may resist challenges to their authority or traditional ways of life, framing any criticism as an attack on their culture as a whole.

Internalized oppression: Members of marginalized groups within a culture may sometimes defend or participate in their own oppression due to internalized biases, societal pressures, or a lack of awareness about alternative possibilities.

Political and economic interests: In some cases, defending oppressive cultural practices may serve the interests of those in power, either by maintaining their control over others or by preserving profitable systems of exploitation.

However, it's important to recognize that true cultural sensitivity should involve listening to and amplifying the voices of those who are most marginalized and oppressed within a culture. It means being willing to critically examine and challenge cultural practices that perpetuate harm, while also respecting the agency and perspectives of those who are directly affected.

Cultural sensitivity should not be used as a shield to protect abuses of power or to silence the voices of women, children, LGBTQ individuals, or other marginalized groups who are fighting for their rights and well-being. Instead, it should involve working in solidarity with these groups to promote equality, justice, and human rights within their cultural contexts.

This requires a nuanced and intersectional approach that recognizes the diversity of experiences and opinions within any given culture, and that prioritizes the safety, dignity, and self-determination of those who are most vulnerable. It also requires a willingness to engage in difficult conversations and to challenge oppressive systems, both within and across cultural boundaries.

Ultimately, cultural sensitivity should be about fostering understanding, respect, and equity among all people, not about defending the status quo or the interests of those in power. By centering the voices and needs of marginalized groups and working towards systemic change, we can build a more just and inclusive world for everyone.