(no subject)

[widowhawk.livejournal.com]

I work at the largest non-profit in the county in which I live. For many years the agency has prided itself on having "best practices" as far as diversity is concerned, even using information from World Institute on Disability for best practices when working with folks who are disabled.

So, I went to a Diversity Training, and there were a few rather superficial (to me) activities and then we watched Color of Fear where these 8 men sit around in this Northern California living room talking about race. Obviously in the film there was stuff that went on behind the scenes and stuff that hit the cutting room floor, but overall I was absolutely unmoved, no - untouched, by this film.

During the discussion afterwards, I said that the film did not speak to me in any way. In my bluntness, I think I may have slightly offended the members of the diversity committee, but I thought they should know that the film may feel important to a bunch of white heteronormative folks from suburbia, but it seemed silly to me. (There was another lesbian in the training who was not as vocal, but also said that the film was outdated.)

So, shortly after that, I get an "invitation" to assist in crafting the "gender presentation" part of the agency's diversity best practices. I have felt ambivalent about this since it was presented to me - was I asked for my input because I might have something valuable to say, or was I asked for my input because I am Butch?

I will assist with this addition because I am probably one of the most aware in this area, but I feel very "token-ish".

Just wondering what others might think about this.

Cross posted to bigender, Butch Bros' Lounge, Gender Outlaws, Gender Queer, Old School Butch, Transgender.