Diversity Within and Among "the Tribes"
Whatever our gender, race, or ethnicity, we share a common human behavior that social scientists call "tribalism." Tribalism, a remnant from our primordial days, began as a survival strategy. We seek likeness in others.
Even today, we create "tribes"— teams, churches, alumni/ae clubs, service organizations, fraternities/sororities —to share our values, interests and needs. Racial, cultural and gender "tribes" are natural extensions.
These groups "facilitate positive identity exploration, where people can pose questions and process issues" says Dr. Beverly Tatum, Spelman College president and author of Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? She adds, "Affinity groups also help individuals participate in larger, blended groups."
Membership in one tribe does not prevent us from holding biases towards another. We may not be comfortable with everyone in our own "tribe." We may discover personal bias with regards to accents and language, gender, sexual orientation, education, skin color and hair type, social protocols. Admit it or not, most of us have felt shame at least once about the public behavior of another member. At the extreme, a person may avoid (or worse, discriminate against) certain members of their own group.
Diversity exists within our "tribes"— Asians, Hispanics, people with disabilities, GLBT, etc. While leading a diversity seminar years ago, I still remember my initial shock when I discovered the biases expressed between Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean and Vietnamese participants. Transgender people report that other gays can express less tolerance than non-gay friends; bi-racial people can feel rejected by both races. In the struggle for equality, unexplored territory remains within and across our various groups.
So, what can you do to minimize intra- and cross-cultural biases among your cultural, ethnic and gender "tribes"? Here are a few suggested strategies:
- Take note: What value do you derive from "membership" in your tribal group(s)? What sub-groups can you identify?
- Honestly assess your views and stereotypes about members of your own group(s): Are they sound? Challenge how your views affect your actions towards fellow members.
- Aim to see people as individuals, beyond their obvious tribal identifications. Isn't that's what we all want?
- Don't reinforce or enable others who treat certain members of your own group(s) poorly. Discreetly challenge others about their attitudes.
- Support/join employee affinity groups as vehicles for open, healthy dialogue for groups and sub-groups. Encourage cross-group conversations.
Humans may evolve beyond tribes some day. The current challenges lie in how we move within and across them.