SCA2001 Assignment – Aidan Gough

SCA2001 Assignment 3: Collection of Exercises (Copied Direct from Word Document)

SCA2001 Notes and Exercise Responses (Assignment 3)

Aidan Gough, U1140646

Book 1: “Starting with Ethics”

Religion, food, ethics etc “expressions” of culture, not culture itself.

“Culture is the shared, often unspoken understanding in a group. it is a series of lenses that shape what we see and what we don’t see, how we perceive and interpret and where we draw our boundaries. Often invisible to us, culture shapes our ideas of what is important, influences our attitudes and values and animates our behaviour (qtd. in SFU Co-operative Education).”

Portfolio Activity:

4.1: Cultural Case Studies:

My selected family and friends that I’ve chosen to utilize for this activity are as follows: My grandmother (for Grandparent), my friend Evie (for friend of opposite sex), my friend Dylan (overseas friend), and my sister (10 years younger).

The first video is the Australian National Anthem being performed by Olivia Fox, mostly in an Indigenous Australian language, particularly that of the Eora people, a people situated mainly across eastern coastal regions of Australia. I would presume my grandmother’s reaction (a 70-odd year-old white woman) to be much more critical than any of my other chosen people’s reactions. I’d have to assume that, being raised in a generation that she was, that she wouldn’t look completely fondly on the idea of altering the language of the typical Australian anthem to include First Nation identity. While I don’t imagine this would illicit some racial tirade or outcry from her, I can imagine that exposure to events such as the latter half of the White Australia policy and years of Indigenous Discrimination would definitely instill in her some form of discrimination. I imagine it would be the common mindset held by older white Australians that Indigenous or otherwise non-white activities must be in some way diluted or not without white influence for them to be passable. I say this because the ending of that particular performance, where Fox sings in English, would likely have “softened the blow” of an entirely Indigenous performance of an anthem that people of that demographic consider almost entirely their own. As for my other selected people, myself included, being that we are some ~50 years younger, and have lived mostly in a thankfully much less discriminatory world, I can’t imagine any one of us would produce any negative reaction at all. I can safely say that such a performance would be found rather impressive and that such a thing is overdue for normalisation and even further integration into the Australian identity. This particular video may also have a stronger sense of poignancy with Dylan, my international friend, as the Indigenous Australian identity is so often shadowed by white Australian identities, so I can only imagine that such a display would be somewhat surprising and an appreciated detail for further spreading the voices of the First Nation people of Australia to foreign audiences.

The second video is a short taste of the content Jonathan Van Ness produces on his Self-Care centric Skillshare profile. Van Ness is a famous personality in popular media, and helms an important yet often unheard or marginalised voice in media, that being the voice of non-binary people. Despite the content of the video itself, the topics which I’ll discuss relate primarily to Van Ness himself, because I know that he would be the main focus of the people’s attention. Like with the first video, you can already imagine what my grandmother’s reaction to such a video would be. Referring once more to her upbringing and the morals upon which she was raised, a figure such as Jonathan would illicit a more visceral and undiluted negative reaction from her, and I can guarantee that she would fail to understand or respect the customs and intricacies of non-binary people, he’d likely be roped by her into the same corral as any other “queer” or “cross-dresser”, with no distinction for what Jonathan himself actually is. For Evie, however (my female friend), a figure like Van Ness would likely be a source of understanding and comfortability, seeing as how she too isn’t rigidly heterosexual and a lot of Van Ness’ media focuses on the understanding of these topics in a positive and inclusive manner (Queer Eye is especially strong in this regard). Being that Evie is the only non-straight identity in this group, and excluding my grandmother, this video would likely be seen as something simply agreeable and not much more than discussion of self-care by the remaining people, myself included.

The third video is an interview with the Australian author and journalist Robert Hoge, discussing the nature of his book “Ugly”, as well as his societal treatment in regards to his facial deformity. He promotes the idea of accepting the way oneself looks and simply defining a person by other qualities rather than appearance, as is seemingly the inverse of the experiences he dealt with in his youth. I think practically everybody I have chosen would agree with the sentiment that this video is an inspirational snippet of quite a sizable societal inequality, or quiet, subconscious discrimination. However, I feel as though my sister (younger by 10 years) may find the point all the more compelling, considering her age. She is not deformed or anything of the like, but being the age that she is (10) messages like this are important to hear and understand when young. Almost ironically, the juvenile allure of looking at someone who appears different to oneself may just be the grabbing of her attention that would be necessary so that she can hear the values Hoge has to express. I’m certain that she would watch this video with a similar, yet under developed sentiment to that held by my other chosen people, I doubt she’d consider him worth less than anyone else, but the shock of his physical disparity to what she’s used to might produce some questions that could be considered ignorant if not for her age. That being said, it would be invaluable to have her experience something like this and understand the messages that Hoge shares.

End of Activity

“As an emerging artist, it is vital that you possess self-awareness of your own culture.”

“What or whose point of view are you presenting (and to what audience) in your artwork?

Is your work implicitly or explicitly exclusionary?”

“A survey conducted by Kouszes and Posner (1993) asked participants how they would like their leaders to behave. Here are the responses, in order or priority:

Honesty (even when the truth is hard)

Forward-looking (has the future in mind)

Inspiring (can make people feel excited and positive)

Competent (can do the job)”

Portfolio Activity:

7: Cultural Safety 1

1. In my life I’ve found the vast majority of leaders I’m surrounded by exhibit at least one or more of these traits, but there have certainly been a few to display none of them. My first manager in retail displayed practically every trait, and each trait would passively support the others. She was very honest, and it intersected with that inspiration, as she would critique shortcomings or mistakes in such a way that would produce positive results and not make the critiqued party feel as if they’d been treated unfairly, or that they were in some sort of trouble. A constructive, yet equally inspiring criticism. This positivity in such a workplace environment produced amazing results, I can think of no more successful a time for our store than when she ran it. Her competency also led to that inspiration, she clearly knew what she was doing and that excelled the inspiration we all felt working with her direction, a direction that never ceased to improve and evolve our workplace, encompassing that forward-thinking attitude. Currently, however convenient it may be for this particular question, our present manager is practically the inverse of every positive trait I described. Her constant rudeness and ignorant demeanour ravish any chance of inspiration, couple that with a mind-boggling incompetency (for which she always found someone/something else to blame, neatly dashing any sliver of honesty) and all-round negative work environment makes the prospect of the future bleak. Poetically enough, her actions tend to have me looking to the past, on more pleasurable times, with leaders I could admire for their tenacity in all four traits of the Kouszes and Posner survey. That being said, she does occasionally inspire me to look to the future, although it’s not such a constructive trait as I’m simply looking forward to getting other jobs.

2. Personally, I’m unsure as to my capability to lead. I think I could potentially succeed in leadership should specific criteria apply to that particular position (my comfortability and experience in the subject matter, the attitudes of the people I’d be expected to lead etc). I think a strong quality I’d describe would be competency, I would not assume the role of a leader unless I was truly sure of my ability in the field. As for qualities I might presently lack, I think inspiration may be a trait I’m not entirely confident in. Currently, I’m not sure that if I were a leader, I’d be able to successfully inspire my peers to excel in their work, should they not already have some ingrained drive. Equally unfortunately, I don’t think I have much in the way of expressing the true depth of my satisfaction or congratulations effectively, even if I was to receive something truly impressive.

3. Cultural Safety is producing an environment in which all parties can comfortably and equally express beliefs and standpoints each pertaining to their specific distinctions. Be it ethnicity, faith, sexual orientation or identity, cultural safety is an environment in which these different groups are free from judgements for such qualities, and instead celebrated for sharing the unique ideas that these distinctions produce.

End of Activity

Book 2: “First Nations community and Cultural Protocols.”

Portfolio Activity:

2.1: Queensland Theatre Case Study

1. It’s absolutely reasonable for a state theatre company to be expected to display the works of First Nations artists. No argument can realistically be made against this. Queensland is home to hundreds of prolific First Nations artists, and practically any art gallery one travels to within Queensland displays dozens of First Nation works. Why exactly such diversity couldn’t be recreated in theatre is grossly ignorant. There really isn’t an excuse seeing as First Nation’s art can be found in every other facet of the art world, including theatre.

2. While not as unacceptable as an entire state-representing theatre being “unable” to include First Nations people, there is a responsibility tied still to smaller companies. One can’t be expected right from the word “Go” to be displaying works of any particular kind, it’s understood that a company’s early endeavours are typically less filtered and not some overly pored over or curated program. That being said, a company’s diversity and inclusion regarding First Nation’s contribution should be questioned as soon as such a thing is possible, even if the company is still relatively unknown, since such a facet of inclusion is absolutely crucial.

3. Being that I’m not aiming to found some collaborative art company or group, I won’t be bearing the responsibility of displaying First Nation art, yet I my self-expectations are to treat all art as equal, and not associate with any discriminatory group or practices.

4. I don’t think the public apology was enough. The program was entirely completed when people got wind of the lack of inclusion, yet I think some rearranging to include more First Nation’s influence wouldn’t have gone astray, or some additional programs comprised solely of First Nations artists. Being a medium so rooted in expression and freedom, it’s hard to believe that certain additional programs couldn’t be created.

End of Activity

Cultural practice dictates that a Welcome to Country can only be done by ‘insiders’ from within the cultural group who are the Traditional Custodians of the land where the event takes place. “The modern-day Welcome to Country is a ceremony performed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people born in the area on which the event is being held; usually by an Elder or someone an Elder has granted permission to deliver the Welcome.” “An Acknowledgement of Country is an alternative to a Welcome to Country, the main difference being it can be performed by an Indigenous or non-Indigenous person. It demonstrates respect for Aboriginal cultures and heritage by acknowledging the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as Traditional Owners of the land.”

Portfolio Activity:

4.1: Reflecting on Welcome to Country

1. Unfortunately, the majority of the Welcomes to Country I’ve experienced have been relatively similar, I’ve sadly never experienced a smoking ceremony or the like, being somewhat regionally isolated as I am. That being said, a few involved intricate dances as part of the Welcomes, namely the Mununjali Clan of the broader Yugambeh people.

2. Being that I don’t hail from any FNP background, an Acknowledgement of Country on my part would need added aspects as opposed to that of someone of First Nation origin. I’d ideally make it readily obvious of my origin and ethnic identity, summarising my parents and my own origins, that being an entirely European ancestry. That being said, my own personal upbringing occurred in the Yugambeh region, specifically the territory of the Mununjali clan, the Scenic Rim. Being that this is my hometown and current residence, I’d elaborate on the way that such surrounds and culture and environment seep into the art I create, whether by conscious inclusion or subconscious. This could be things such as specific ways I frame shots, the subjects of my art, and the places first called home by the Yugambeh people. I know such a characteristic region has sunk it’s claws into my artistic psyche and aspects of my daily life in such a place exist within my art.

Book 3: “Disability Defined”

Models of Disability:

“Medical

The medical model of disability positions the person as ‘suffering’ from a condition, disabled by their body and the condition they have.

Example: Chris is ‘disabled’ by their muscle disease and other interacting diagnoses.

Social

The social model positions disability as a social problem, not an individual problem. The person is disabled by the barriers they face in society rather than their body or their condition/s. These barriers may be physical or attitudinal.

Example: Chris has a muscle disease. Chris is not disabled by this disease. Chris is disabled when they go out to dinner and encounter a flight of stairs in the restaurant. The physical barrier – the stairs – is disabling Chris.

Functional

The functional model of disability positions the condition as disabling depending on the function that is limited by it.

Example: Chris’ muscle disease disables them from ascending stairs or running. Chris is not disabled when sitting down.

Charitable

The charitable model positions disabled people as ‘vulnerable’ and reliant on others to perform essential and non-essential tasks.

Example: Chris is reliant on their friend, Ahmed, to open the jar of marmalade. Chris is disabled and vulnerable because of this reliance.”

Outdated, not entirely accurate.

““The social model seeks to change society in order to accommodate people living with impairment; it does not seek to change persons with impairment to accommodate society. It supports the view that people with disability have a right to be fully participating citizens on an equal basis with others.” – People with Disability Australia”

Better, more accurate definition.

Portfolio Activity:

4: Disability Defined

My selected artist for this activity is the award-winning actor and producer RJ Mitte, who has cerebral palsy. To ascertain answers for these questions, I watched a number of interviews with the actor. He speaks about his disability in a casual, nonchalant manner, with standard terminology and none of the ‘specially abled’ persuasion that people use in a belittling manner. His attitude towards his disability in general sounds almost bored, he himself stated that he never intended to be an advocate, and that living with cerebral palsy was simply a facet of his life as a human being, perhaps the perfect explanation and attitude that should be societally held regarding disabilities, as something entirely ordinary and not in need of infantilising and pity. The media coverage, however makes much greater deals of his disability, being mentioned as often as possible and covertly implied as some form of handicap or great obstacle for the actor, and that it’s some miracle that he garnered as much success as he did, much the polar opposite of Mitte’s own actual standpoint on the situation.

My experience with disability is a purely outsider perspective, as I’m not diagnosed with any disability (at least that I’m aware of) but I have witnessed and experienced events pertaining to such things. My partner has been diagnosed with Autism and ADHD, and while being of a relatively minor impact on her life, there certainly are things that set her apart from others because of this disability. Things like job searching, study, social interactions are all very different for her as opposed to someone without these disabilities, and while it isn’t some hugely different life from my own, stark differences in how she approaches these situations are present. In regards to my art, I am intending on staunchly including people with disabilities in every collaborative practice I undertake, because I’m aware that disabilities have no impact on lessening a person by any means, and because I know a lot of people think they do, and shun people with disabilities as a result. I’d strive to extend those opportunities to people with disabilities that are often not extended as a result of that bias.

End of Activity

Book 4: The Rainbow Alphabet

Portfolio Activity:

2: “Politically Correct”

My feelings towards the ‘politically correct’ language of recent years is comfortability. I’m not indifferent towards these things, as I can’t agree with simply not caring if people’s pronouns and preferences are disrespected simply because it doesn’t affect me directly. Even compliant indifference doesn’t combat discrimination, but I hope one day that such conflict no longer occurs, and that indifference can be warranted.
I think these feelings come from an early realisation that the decisions and attitudes I was surrounded by hurt people. I was raised in a rural area, fairly right wing, and was exposed to these ideologies from an early age, however in attending high school and meeting the people that the beliefs at home demonised, I found myself challenging these thoughts entirely.
Unfortunately, most of the people I know who have some burning passion surrounding this issue are some of the most negatively and scathingly outspoken. A lot of my older family and older people I encounter on a daily basis at work hold this lifelong hatred of anything that does not strictly adhere to a straight white viewpoint. This passion almost certainly comes from the world they were raised in and upheld in life, the extreme discrimination and malice towards gay people, trans people, practically any person not 100% straight and confident in the body they were born with.
Macklemore immediately springs to mind, in 2016 he released the song “White Privilege 2”, a 9-minute genre-bending number focusing on his assessments of the rap industry and the covert racism and appropriation lying beneath it, namely the way in which this appropriation is ignored by most listeners simply because they don’t want to entertain any thought that might obfuscate their enjoyment. This song also serves as an apology or reparation of sorts on Macklemore’s part, as he reviews his own appropriation and success at the fortuity of culture that he is not a part of. Practically the whole song is backed by an African-American choir, which constitutes the entirety of the melodic and musical aspect of the song, with Macklemore himself speaking rather plainly over their voices, refusing to dip into rapping or even really singing at all, as he denounces his involvement and appropriation of such things in the past in regards to the African-American community. I feel like this should be the standard for how celebrities make reparations for past actions, actually being genuinely apologetic and making efforts to right wrongs. Another admirable aspect is that Macklemore made this revelation and change when absolutely nobody had ever really confronted him for it, further proving that this was a product of his own genuine regret and moral capacity.

Portfolio Activity:

4: Cultural Safety Update:

“Cultural Safety is producing an environment in which all parties can comfortably and equally express beliefs and standpoints each pertaining to their specific distinctions. Be it ethnicity, faith, sexual orientation or identity, cultural safety is an environment in which these different groups are free from judgements for such qualities, and instead celebrated for sharing the unique ideas that these distinctions produce.”

Reflecting now on my earlier definition of cultural safety, I find I can certainly still agree with the merits I listed then. Now however, instead of changing what was said, I feel the need to add more, and retain what was already there. If I were to add to this statement, I’d further stress the importance of cultural expression, not simply ensuring that the party was safe. Something I’ve learned is that cultural safety also requires the cultures present to share their experiences at length, simply being respected and dignified is really the least you can do. Cultural safety includes the input of these cultures, their experiences, viewpoints, lives, not just that they may sit at the table. The responsibilities I know feel are that of encouragement, of urging the people around me to speak, not just ensuring their comfortability. Inciting discussion and expression is a responsibility I now feel. I think this knowledge will certainly be of use in my practice, I can only imagine this would heighten the sense of inclusion and respect among those I end up working with, and further prosperous relations.

End of Activity

Module 2

Book 5: “Allyship”

(on intersectionality) “For example, while two people may identify as female (a historically disadvantaged identity), their female identity, and approach and attitude to feminism, will be affected by a host of other identities: their race, their religion, their upbringing, their class, etc. Just because they’re both women, doesn’t mean they think exactly the same way, or have the same cultural experience.”

(on privilege) “When we’re talking about culture, privilege can be defined as the intrinsic benefits that fall to people who happen to born a certain way.”

(on allyship) “Allyship is exactly what it sounds like: being an ally to a culture that isn’t your own.”

(on appropriation) “Cultural appropriation is the unacknowledged adoption of elements of one cultural identity by another cultural identity.”

“Performative allyship (or virtue signalling) is a way to declare yourself an ally without actually being one. Posting on social media about your outrage at a political situation may make you look like you care…but what are you actually doing about it?”

Portfolio Activity:

3: Activity

1: In responding to the questions asked in the walk video, I would say my sense of privilege is a fairly standard one as far as my demographic goes. I’m probably of the most privileged group in society, being a middle-class, straight white male with no outwardly obvious disabilities. I think questions pertaining to education and formative experiences were lacking in the walk video (although I assume not all questions were shown) as those sorts of factors have a colossal impact on one’s beliefs, status and behaviour in later life, all of which teeter on the spectrum of privilege.

2: My concept of intersectionality prior to this module was rather threadbare and I’m not entirely sure it was correct, but now however I feel more comfortable in my knowledge of the subject. Intersectionality is the ‘crossing-over’ of different marginalities or discriminations, and the multi-layered identities that hold those combinations of traits. In my case, I don’t believe there really is any intersectionality, as the marginalisation I face in society is next to none, much less multi-faceted and allowing any intersection.

Portfolio Activity:

4: Allyship in Disability Arts

1: Jack could be described as what Hadley coins as a ‘performative’ ally, someone who allegedly supports disabled people, but does not actually support them in any real way. This is because the second Jack is pushed back against for discrimination, he attempts to nullify the damage to his character by sharing a useless post in which he paints himself as some supporter of disabled artists. It’s simply a false statement of “I support disabled artists!” and no attempt whatsoever to correct his actions and provide any support at all to disabled artists, in a weak attempt to save face.

2: 4. I’m not one to look real discrimination in the face and not act upon it, even if that jeopardises my own societal standing. A secondary part of supporting those who are discriminated against is also extracting justice from the discriminator, which is why I didn’t choose option 2 as it does nothing to correct Jack’s actions and have him face consequences.

End of Activity

Book 6: “Disability in Art”

Portfolio Activity:

2: Representation and Perception

1: One of the main things in Dylan Alcott’s Australian of the year acceptance speech that I noticed was his call to action in support of his cause. He doesn’t just talk about how the Australian perception of disability should be altered, he outlines actual ways in which to further the rights of Australians with disabilities, with suggestions to increase funds going to the National Disability Insurance Scheme and imploring non-disabled Australians to review their own subconscious biases.

2: Alcott reflects on how his perspective on disability changed as time went on, and how the appearance of disability in media ultimately had a profound effect his disposition towards it. He states that early in his life, disability was used mainly in the media he saw as a deterrent for things like drunk driving, with actors in wheelchairs implying the age-old “you wouldn’t want to end up like him” adage. This gave way to a depressing era in Alcott’s life before finally, in his teens, he started to observe the normalisation of disability, and learn and embrace a prouder, less socially marginalised state of life. This eventually went on to become a movement Alcott himself began practicing, the normalisation and media presence of disabled Australians, and the abandonment of the stigma that lingers to this day.

3: This moment is surely a colossal victory for the representation of disability in Australia, Alcott is embracing the idea of being the change one wishes to see in the world. As stated, he had little to no positive representation of disability in his early youth, and found life depressing as a result until representation and normalisation became more abundant. This is a huge moment in that regard for disabled Australians everywhere, an inspiring and monumental feat which is exactly the thing Alcott didn’t have in his youth, showing the crucial importance of such events in normalising and illustrating the actual capability the oft-doubted disabled community. A disabled Australian winning Australian of the Year is perhaps one of the biggest ways in which this can be normalised and broadcast to a huge audience, even without the message Alcott goes on to impart, which even further details the overlooked capability of disabled people in such a time where doubts and stigma still circulate, spreading doubt and discriminatory belief.

George Taleporos states that he finds issue with Alcott’s speech in that he hopes that the idea of every disabled person loving their disability is not imparted. Taleporos states that he hates his genetic condition, and that Alcott’s love of his disability is not the message that a viewer should take away as all-inclusive.

End of Activity

Book 7: “Diversity through a First Nations Lens”

“Diversity as positioned within USQ’s policy states;

Diversity involves recognising the value of individual differences in the workplace and educational setting. Diversity in this context for the University includes age, cultural background, disability, ethnicity, family responsibilities, gender, language, religious belief and sexual orientation. Diversity also refers to the other ways in which people are different, such as educational level, life experience, work experience, socio-economic background, personality and marital status (USQ Equity and Diversity Policy).”

Portfolio Activity:

5: Multiculturalism

The predominant theme of Alex Tran’s video is the idea of multiculturalism skewing in favour of one culture over another, and the annexation of diverse voices in preference for the voice of the majority.
This shows that even the practice of cultural diversity itself can be harmful if the scales are misaligned. Cultural diversity is of course hugely important, but even then, certain cultures can overshadow others and miss the point of multiculturalism and equality entirely.
The video brought attention to a point I hadn’t thoroughly considered until now, the media’s biases as to what cultures diversified are ‘good’ and which are ‘bad’. He brought attention to how a large portion of Australian media disparages Indigenous culture specifically. Ideally, Indigenous culture, Vietnamese culture and every diverse or minor voice in Australia would be heard equally, without judgment and heeded, but Tran makes the point that multiculturalism seems to be the most inconsistent when it comes to Indigenous Culture in specific.

Portfolio Activity:

6: FNC

“Why do we insist on promoting multiculturalism when it so clearly hinders us from a unified national identity and culture?”

I think that this question is already self-answering, as it raises the question, how can a non-diverse and monocultured country ever be ‘unified’? The presence of wildly diverse groups exists in Australia, yet that definition of ‘unity’ touted apparently only extends to white Australians. The literal definition of unity is inclusivity of different parties, so how is our apparently definitive, unified Australian culture and identity just the white parts? An actual, true unified culture can only exist with embracing multiculturalism. A unified culture is a unity of all individual groups that make up Australia.

End of Activity

Book 8: “Queer Case Studies”

Portfolio Activity:

7: Queer Responses

My artform (film) is perhaps one of the most densely populated mediums when it comes to queer representation. Certainly, it has shifted as mentioned in the module as time rolls on, and I’d say that at the moment, it’s in a hugely better place than it ever has been. The Queer movie Moonlight earned colossal critical praise and worldwide acclaim for its heartfelt and realistic depictions of a young person grappling with queerness in extremely homophobic environments, and it stands as one of the most celebrated films of the 2010’s. Not only that, but the main character, who we see struggle with his identity, is a young African-American boy, and the implications of being gay stacked on top of his racial identity essentially pits him at the worst odds possible against a world of oppression. The film (and many others) handle intersectionality in what’s been agreed is a brutally accurate depiction, and many marginalised viewers commended the film for this undiluted realism. At this point in time, film has reached a point wherein representations of the damage of human oppression are pretty well true to life, an authenticity that was lacking for a very long time.
I think if I was to include comedy in my creative practice going forward, I’d do it without any sort of joke or comedic attempt that relies solely on a person’s characteristics such as race or sexuality. Certainly, some jokes are harmless yet use such things as a crutch, (usually ones actually created by someone who exhibits the traits the joke concerns) but being that I belong to no oppressed group in consideration of race or sexuality or able-bodied status, I’d ensure none of my jokes utilized such things in any capacity, even to a minor degree. I don’t like the idea of creating jokes surrounding things I personally will never face adversity over due to my identity. Comedy can certainly push a political agenda, and I do sometimes find much broader examples of that to be pretty funny and worth joking about, but niche subjects in politics, I generally don’t involve myself in, like jokes about ‘boat people’ or human rights. It seems that a lot of views are imparted by being outlined favourably in a joke, as audiences can subconsciously associate certain ideologies with laughter and positivity.
The way I’d revise my definition of cultural responsibility now would have to include discussing much less obvious or blatant examples of offensive or ignorant behaviour. As this particular Book has identified, inclusion of oppressed or marginalised identities (specifically queer ones) can be ‘positive’ yet ultimately fall short of any actual progressive substance. I would add to my definition that not only is inclusion imperative, it should be done to a degree that does not simply ‘include’, but rather accommodate in a way that progresses itself. If I was to do the current ‘bare minimum’ (see Friends including a lesbian marriage, but as a vessel for a joke about threatening masculinity) I might include a queer artist as part of an exhibition of some variety and leave it entirely at that, inclusion simply to ‘have them there’ so to speak. This Book has highlighted the potential insincerity and flatness of such a thing, and has imprinted in me that rightful inclusion is a deeper understanding and validation of a person’s identity, rather than simply ignoring that aspect of them.

End of Activity

Module 3

Book 9: “Empowering Oppressed Groups”

Portfolio Activity:

3: Friere

I can recall that the vast majority of my education in primary and high school was that without Critical Pedagogy, most of it consisted of copying formulas and remembering what to do during tests. The best way I can describe it was as a driving test. You simply learn what to do, and hope you remember it when the time comes. For a driving test however, this is fitting, and a degree of creativity or further hands-on experimentation is rightfully unadvised, but in school, any form of original or practical methodology in learning a subject was yearned for. One such example, rare as they were, was a walk during my art class in high-school, down to a cemetery, a path of residences with gradually declining economic fortitudes, then back again. The object of this walk was to get practical inspiration for an arts assignment that concerned the representations of different societal groups, and was more broadly an attempt at some basic inspiration by getting out of class for a bit and doing something different. Simple as it may have been, it was extremely potent in both refreshing the class from the monotony of the ’banking’ method described in the video and served to actually give the class some grasp on the unexaggerated nature of otherwise demonised groups.

Portfolio Activity:

5.1: Oppression

“In conclusion, what is your cultural responsibility and what does it mean to act ethically in relation to individual and community well-being?”

In regards to Freire’s suggestion that only the oppressors can free themselves, it is implied that the greatest contribution to cultural responsibility and eradication of oppression is not for non-marginalised people to attempt to ‘help’ marginalised people attempt to ‘prove themselves’, but rather for the oppressors instead to ‘free themselves’ from implicit bias, ignorance and, well, oppressing. There is no standard a discriminated group should have to meet to be considered passable. It is this judgment that should be dismantled if we are all to be unanimously equal. In more exact response to the question, the work of an oppressor who seeks cultural responsibility should be to work to disconnect from any implicit biases and stereotypes they might embody, and to live, work and think in a way that does not involve considering themselves at all above any other group of people. Listening, conversing with, and seeking to understand oppressed groups is the most authentic and genuine way to go about ridding lingering beliefs of superiority or biases of the oppressor.

End of Activity

Book 10: “Resistance and Responsibility”

Portfolio Activity

2.1: Existence = Resistance?

A space I could occupy that could be considered an act of resistance would be a disabled bathroom. While I’m not actually disabled, I say this to communicate the idea of people with disabilities that aren’t immediately visible or obvious. If I was to go into a disabled bathroom, people wouldn’t know for certain whether I was disabled or not because of the fact that cognitive or mental disabilities exist, yet being that such a bias around these issues exists, I’m certain that some people would discredit those disabilities as not being “real” disabilities and would challenge me for supposedly entering a disabled bathroom without a disability. Regardless of whether or not I had a non-visible disability, this would be an assumption that I am not welcome in such a space because I would purportedly ‘not qualify’ to use such a space. Not that I find it unproblematic or at all acceptable to actually use a disabled bathroom without a disability, I simply wanted to use an example of a disability that wasn’t outwardly clear.

Portfolio Activity:

5: Responsibility

Week 1: “Cultural Safety is producing an environment in which all parties can comfortably and equally express beliefs and standpoints each pertaining to their specific distinctions. Be it ethnicity, faith, sexual orientation or identity, cultural safety is an environment in which these different groups are free from judgements for such qualities, and instead celebrated for sharing the unique ideas that these distinctions produce.”

Week 4: “Reflecting now on my earlier definition of cultural safety, I find I can certainly still agree with the merits I listed then. Now however, instead of changing what was said, I feel the need to add more, and retain what was already there. If I were to add to this statement, I’d further stress the importance of cultural expression, not simply ensuring that the party was safe. Something I’ve learned is that cultural safety also requires the cultures present to share their experiences at length, simply being respected and dignified is really the least you can do. Cultural safety includes the input of these cultures, their experiences, viewpoints, lives, not just that they may sit at the table. The responsibilities I know feel are that of encouragement, of urging the people around me to speak, not just ensuring their comfortability. Inciting discussion and expression is a responsibility I now feel. I think this knowledge will certainly be of use in my practice, I can only imagine this would heighten the sense of inclusion and respect among those I end up working with, and further prosperous relations.”

Week 8: “The way I’d revise my definition of cultural responsibility now would have to include much less obvious or blatant examples of offensive or ignorant behaviour. As this particular Book has identified, inclusion of oppressed or marginalised identities (specifically queer ones) can be ‘positive’ yet ultimately fall short of any actual progressive substance. I would add to my definition that not only is inclusion imperative, it should be done to a degree that does not simply ‘include’, but rather accommodate in a way that progresses itself. If I was to do the current ‘bare minimum’ (see Friends including a lesbian marriage, but as a vessel for threatening masculinity) I might include a queer artist as part of an exhibition of some variety and leave it entirely at that, inclusion simply to ‘have them there’ so to speak. This Book has highlighted the potential insincerity and flatness of such a thing, and has imprinted in me that rightful inclusion is a deeper understanding and validation of a person’s identity, rather than simply ignoring that aspect of them.”

I think the main idea behind my very first definition of cultural responsibility remains more or less unchanged, but, as visibly indicated by the increasing lengths in regards to it, I’ve learned far more about the intricacies of things like oppression, “insider vs outsider” perspectives, racial, sexual and disabled identities, allyship, cultural appropriation and plenty more that I’m sure the notes and exercise responses indicate. I think this is certainly a positive outcome, that my original beliefs and early conjectures about cultural responsibility still stand, but are enhanced and deepened in many new areas thanks to the modules and the topics they discussed. In specific, the exploration of certain areas such as proper protocol around Welcome to/Acknowledgement of Country is absolutely beneficial knowledge that I’d otherwise not have much of a grasp on at all, as well as the explanations of the social model of disability, which I found to be an indispensably important tool that I previously knew next to nothing about.

In regards to ‘insider’ and ‘outsider’ perspectives, I think that has helped clarify my definition a little bit further, seeing as no matter how deep into a culture or group you immerse yourself, if you are an outsider you will never truly be able to replicate the experience that insiders have. I think that’s an important fact to keep in mind, that an outsider will never truly ‘live’ oppression as an insider might, and it’s important to remember that as an insider when you might feel the inclination to make decisions regarding insiders, you do not actually have the lived experiences that they do. The systems of oppression were a surprising topic for me, I had never really found a name for what it described as ‘sub-oppressors’, but I was acutely aware of the actual behaviour. As for the roles of gender, I don’t think I explored that topic nearly as much as I should. The societal biases and implications pertaining to both men and women and the looming threat of damage to one’s femininity or masculinity are certainly deeply impactful societal issues, and I’ll make sure to keep those in mind going forward. I think with all these previously listed ideas, being that the majority of them came to me as something I’d not thoroughly considered before, I’d want to conduct deeper research in my own time to ascertain a larger understanding on these topics that are new to me. In doing so, I hope to (ironically, considering the Freire discussion) bank as much of that information as possible so as to maintain a consistently culturally responsible identity and environment in not only my professional pursuits but life in general.

Now, having read a little on the topic in the final module, I’m a little surprised gender roles and things like masculinity weren’t discussed at greater length. I believe that this issue somewhat pales in comparison to the importance and potential to harm that the other conflicts discussed had, but nonetheless I found it oddly glossed over considering how broad it is, if not the most dangerous thing explored. I found the disability and First Nations discussions however were pleasantly surprising in their depth! I truly enjoyed deepening my understanding of those groups and the intricacies of their societal positions, both the insider and outsider accounts. For instance, the exploration of what *actually* disables a person from being able to regularly navigate society came to me as a “Hey, how have I not thought about this before?” topic, i.e. the lack of a ramp disabling somebody, rather than their wheelchair usage disabling them. I found plenty of comfort in reading every topic, every module because I was overall very reassured to see such complex identities and viewpoints talked about with the utmost respect that every group in society should be entitled. Not that I came into this anticipating racism or anything of the sort, but rather that such a courteous and respectful treatment was just warming to experience.

Cultural Responsibility:

Cultural Responsibility is a trait that every human being should strive to embody. It encompasses the examination of one’s own personal traits, biases, ideas, and attitudes towards every individual sect of society, and the endeavour in understanding, respecting and acting with humanity towards these individual groups. Cultural Responsibility is not only striving for a peaceful coexistence, but understanding the individual intricacies of every human identity you encounter, in the pursuits of treating every person around you with the same respect and dignity, and in knowing what actions, words or ideas can carry painful connotations or ignorance. This could be things such as deeply inlaid biases you may have after years spent in strongly opinionated places, unchecked assumptions about experiences you aren’t familiar with, or subscription to harmful societal or otherwise widespread beliefs. Every human being has experiences that no outsider will ever have the same grasp of understanding, but by being culturally responsible, you should be someone who can account for experiences you don’t understand in interacting with these people, and know, or seek to know what ways to think and behave in accordance with these things. Not only that, but a cultural responsibility is not just knowing what lines there are to not cross and what beliefs there are that harm, but also celebrating the hundreds of different aspects that make up each and every person. You can have everyone at the table, but they all want to be heard. Politeness in the pursuits of avoiding stepping on toes is without merit if you don’t seek to actually celebrate the good parts of being an individual. The different experiences, cultures and lives of people you meet are all varied and distinct from your own, and cultural responsibility is the acknowledgment and respect of every part of it. The struggles, the misconception, the adversities, but also, the beauty, the uniquity, the worlds. Cultural responsibility is striving to live freely of any thought, idea or action that may cause somebody hardship, and the appreciation of everybody’s own individual human condition, the things they’ve suffered through, and the celebration of the things that make them unique.

End of Assessment