One of cultural diversity objectives of this course is to document and evaluate your perspectives about different forms of diversity including gender, and your experiences as a consequence of your gender, other aspects of diversity and identity. The personal reflection and analysis paper allows you to describe and analyze an autobiographical incident and how it relates to issues of diversity and the objectives of the course.
An autobiographical incident is a well-told story about a specific occurrence in your life that is of personal significance which you can relate to your experience of an aspect of diversity, including gender diversity (for example an experience with relationships, depression, addiction or an eating disorder). Choose an autobiographical incident that has profoundly impacted you which relates to an aspect of diversity.
When writing this paper, reflect on how your gender identity and any other aspect of diversity has influenced your health in a way that is different from those with other gender identities or diversity factors. This paper is confidential and will only be read by the professor, although topics may be shared in aggregate or anonymously. The issues raised in these papers help to frame the reality of what is going on in the health of women today and your perspectives about issues affecting you, your families and peers. Use your natural and honest voice to discuss the event(s) or (issue(s) and its significance in your life.
In the second part of the paper you will be asked to address several questions analyzing some of the major objectives of this course from a cultural diversity standpoint and relating them to your autobiographical incident
- Describe a personal incident. Describe dialogue, people, places, and times in appropriate detail in retelling the incident. Describe your thoughts about the incident when it occurred.
- What is the personal significance of the incident? What impact has this incident had on your life?
- How do you think and feel about the incident now? Did it have a positive or negative influence on your life? Is this issue still affecting you now?
- In describing your autobiographical experience, reflect on how your own identity, whether it be race, class, gender, might have contributed in some way to the experience itself or to its resolution. Analyze the ways in which cultural diversity is socially and historically constructed. Describe how your gender identity and other aspects of diversity have influenced this incident and it’s impact on your mental and physical health in a way that may different from those with other gender identities or other aspects of diversity.
- Reflect on how you are personally situated within hierarchies such as race, class, and gender. (Learning Outcome #4)
- Analyze the ways in which cultural diversity is socially and historically constructed. (Learning Outcome #3)
- Would the outcome of this incident be different if your race, class or gender were different? How does that make you feel?
- Would you have a different perspective about this incident if you were raised in a different culture or if your experience of factors which contribute to diversity were different? Would your experiences and views be the same if your gender or gender identity were different?
- What reactions have you had to the readings/discussions/films in class that relate or could relate to this personal incident and/or your experience of diversity? Even if there is not a specific exact match to a topic we discussed in class, please explain how some of the barriers, discrimination and/or impacts you faced could allow you to relate to something we did talk about on a certain level even if the details or specifics of the condition or circumstances are different.
- Explore the ethical constraints and personal responsibilities that citizens have in addressing issues related to diversity as it relates to your experience of this autobiographic incident.