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Gender Diversity Importance

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Published: Mar 20, 2024

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Promotion of equality, enhancement of creativity and innovation, improvement of social and economic outcomes.

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  • How to Write a Diversity Essay | Tips & Examples

How to Write a Diversity Essay | Tips & Examples

Published on November 1, 2021 by Kirsten Courault . Revised on May 31, 2023.

Table of contents

What is a diversity essay, identify how you will enrich the campus community, share stories about your lived experience, explain how your background or identity has affected your life, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about college application essays.

Diversity essays ask students to highlight an important aspect of their identity, background, culture, experience, viewpoints, beliefs, skills, passions, goals, etc.

Diversity essays can come in many forms. Some scholarships are offered specifically for students who come from an underrepresented background or identity in higher education. At highly competitive schools, supplemental diversity essays require students to address how they will enhance the student body with a unique perspective, identity, or background.

In the Common Application and applications for several other colleges, some main essay prompts ask about how your background, identity, or experience has affected you.

Why schools want a diversity essay

Many universities believe a student body representing different perspectives, beliefs, identities, and backgrounds will enhance the campus learning and community experience.

Admissions officers are interested in hearing about how your unique background, identity, beliefs, culture, or characteristics will enrich the campus community.

Through the diversity essay, admissions officers want students to articulate the following:

  • What makes them different from other applicants
  • Stories related to their background, identity, or experience
  • How their unique lived experience has affected their outlook, activities, and goals

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Think about what aspects of your identity or background make you unique, and choose one that has significantly impacted your life.

For some students, it may be easy to identify what sets them apart from their peers. But if you’re having trouble identifying what makes you different from other applicants, consider your life from an outsider’s perspective. Don’t presume your lived experiences are normal or boring just because you’re used to them.

Some examples of identities or experiences that you might write about include the following:

  • Race/ethnicity
  • Gender identity
  • Sexual orientation
  • Nationality
  • Socioeconomic status
  • Immigration background
  • Religion/belief system
  • Place of residence
  • Family circumstances
  • Extracurricular activities related to diversity

Include vulnerable, authentic stories about your lived experiences. Maintain focus on your experience rather than going into too much detail comparing yourself to others or describing their experiences.

Keep the focus on you

Tell a story about how your background, identity, or experience has impacted you. While you can briefly mention another person’s experience to provide context, be sure to keep the essay focused on you. Admissions officers are mostly interested in learning about your lived experience, not anyone else’s.

When I was a baby, my grandmother took me in, even though that meant postponing her retirement and continuing to work full-time at the local hairdresser. Even working every shift she could, she never missed a single school play or soccer game.

She and I had a really special bond, even creating our own special language to leave each other secret notes and messages. She always pushed me to succeed in school, and celebrated every academic achievement like it was worthy of a Nobel Prize. Every month, any leftover tip money she received at work went to a special 509 savings plan for my college education.

When I was in the 10th grade, my grandmother was diagnosed with ALS. We didn’t have health insurance, and what began with quitting soccer eventually led to dropping out of school as her condition worsened. In between her doctor’s appointments, keeping the house tidy, and keeping her comfortable, I took advantage of those few free moments to study for the GED.

In school pictures at Raleigh Elementary School, you could immediately spot me as “that Asian girl.” At lunch, I used to bring leftover fun see noodles, but after my classmates remarked how they smelled disgusting, I begged my mom to make a “regular” lunch of sliced bread, mayonnaise, and deli meat.

Although born and raised in North Carolina, I felt a cultural obligation to learn my “mother tongue” and reconnect with my “homeland.” After two years of all-day Saturday Chinese school, I finally visited Beijing for the first time, expecting I would finally belong. While my face initially assured locals of my Chinese identity, the moment I spoke, my cover was blown. My Chinese was littered with tonal errors, and I was instantly labeled as an “ABC,” American-born Chinese.

I felt culturally homeless.

Speak from your own experience

Highlight your actions, difficulties, and feelings rather than comparing yourself to others. While it may be tempting to write about how you have been more or less fortunate than those around you, keep the focus on you and your unique experiences, as shown below.

I began to despair when the FAFSA website once again filled with red error messages.

I had been at the local library for hours and hadn’t even been able to finish the form, much less the other to-do items for my application.

I am the first person in my family to even consider going to college. My parents work two jobs each, but even then, it’s sometimes very hard to make ends meet. Rather than playing soccer or competing in speech and debate, I help my family by taking care of my younger siblings after school and on the weekends.

“We only speak one language here. Speak proper English!” roared a store owner when I had attempted to buy bread and accidentally used the wrong preposition.

In middle school, I had relentlessly studied English grammar textbooks and received the highest marks.

Leaving Seoul was hard, but living in West Orange, New Jersey was much harder一especially navigating everyday communication with Americans.

After sharing relevant personal stories, make sure to provide insight into how your lived experience has influenced your perspective, activities, and goals. You should also explain how your background led you to apply to this university and why you’re a good fit.

Include your outlook, actions, and goals

Conclude your essay with an insight about how your background or identity has affected your outlook, actions, and goals. You should include specific actions and activities that you have done as a result of your insight.

One night, before the midnight premiere of Avengers: Endgame , I stopped by my best friend Maria’s house. Her mother prepared tamales, churros, and Mexican hot chocolate, packing them all neatly in an Igloo lunch box. As we sat in the line snaking around the AMC theater, I thought back to when Maria and I took salsa classes together and when we belted out Selena’s “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” at karaoke. In that moment, as I munched on a chicken tamale, I realized how much I admired the beauty, complexity, and joy in Maria’s culture but had suppressed and devalued my own.

The following semester, I joined Model UN. Since then, I have learned how to proudly represent other countries and have gained cultural perspectives other than my own. I now understand that all cultures, including my own, are equal. I still struggle with small triggers, like when I go through airport security and feel a suspicious glance toward me, or when I feel self-conscious for bringing kabsa to school lunch. But in the future, I hope to study and work in international relations to continue learning about other cultures and impart a positive impression of Saudi culture to the world.

The smell of the early morning dew and the welcoming whinnies of my family’s horses are some of my most treasured childhood memories. To this day, our farm remains so rural that we do not have broadband access, and we’re too far away from the closest town for the postal service to reach us.

Going to school regularly was always a struggle: between the unceasing demands of the farm and our lack of connectivity, it was hard to keep up with my studies. Despite being a voracious reader, avid amateur chemist, and active participant in the classroom, emergencies and unforeseen events at the farm meant that I had a lot of unexcused absences.

Although it had challenges, my upbringing taught me resilience, the value of hard work, and the importance of family. Staying up all night to watch a foal being born, successfully saving the animals from a minor fire, and finding ways to soothe a nervous mare afraid of thunder have led to an unbreakable family bond.

Our farm is my family’s birthright and our livelihood, and I am eager to learn how to ensure the farm’s financial and technological success for future generations. In college, I am looking forward to joining a chapter of Future Farmers of America and studying agricultural business to carry my family’s legacy forward.

Tailor your answer to the university

After explaining how your identity or background will enrich the university’s existing student body, you can mention the university organizations, groups, or courses in which you’re interested.

Maybe a larger public school setting will allow you to broaden your community, or a small liberal arts college has a specialized program that will give you space to discover your voice and identity. Perhaps this particular university has an active affinity group you’d like to join.

Demonstrating how a university’s specific programs or clubs are relevant to you can show that you’ve done your research and would be a great addition to the university.

At the University of Michigan Engineering, I want to study engineering not only to emulate my mother’s achievements and strength, but also to forge my own path as an engineer with disabilities. I appreciate the University of Michigan’s long-standing dedication to supporting students with disabilities in ways ranging from accessible housing to assistive technology. At the University of Michigan Engineering, I want to receive a top-notch education and use it to inspire others to strive for their best, regardless of their circumstances.

If you want to know more about academic writing , effective communication , or parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Academic writing

  • Writing process
  • Transition words
  • Passive voice
  • Paraphrasing

 Communication

  • How to end an email
  • Ms, mrs, miss
  • How to start an email
  • I hope this email finds you well
  • Hope you are doing well

 Parts of speech

  • Personal pronouns
  • Conjunctions

In addition to your main college essay , some schools and scholarships may ask for a supplementary essay focused on an aspect of your identity or background. This is sometimes called a diversity essay .

Many universities believe a student body composed of different perspectives, beliefs, identities, and backgrounds will enhance the campus learning and community experience.

Admissions officers are interested in hearing about how your unique background, identity, beliefs, culture, or characteristics will enrich the campus community, which is why they assign a diversity essay .

To write an effective diversity essay , include vulnerable, authentic stories about your unique identity, background, or perspective. Provide insight into how your lived experience has influenced your outlook, activities, and goals. If relevant, you should also mention how your background has led you to apply for this university and why you’re a good fit.

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Gender Diversity: Benefits, Challenges & Strategies

Gender diversity

Deanna deBara

When you’re building a company , you want the experience of working there to be positive, supportive, and equitable for all of your employees.

And in order to do that, you need gender diversity. When it comes to gender, diversity is a large, complex concept—and if you want your team and organization to be successful, you need to both understand and embrace it.

Let’s take a deep dive into gender diversity—what it is, why it matters in the workplace, and how to create a more gender-diverse work environment within your own organization:

What is Gender Diversity?

First things first—before we jump into the importance of gender diversity in the workplace, let’s quickly cover what, exactly, gender diversity is. 

Gender diversity is a term that’s used to describe fair, equitable representation for all genders within an organization. This means that men, women, non-binary, and transgender individuals are hired at similar rates, are compensated equitably, hold leadership roles within the company, and have equal opportunities for growth and promotion within the company.

Gender diversity is also about creating a safe, inclusive culture for all employees—regardless of their gender identity. This includes:

  • Eliminating gender bias and/or unconscious bias in your organization’s systems, processes, practices, and policies (for example, hiring practices and compensation structures)
  • Taking a zero-tolerance approach to gender-based harassment, bullying, and/or discrimination
  • Including representatives from all genders in the decision-making process when drafting company policies or making decisions that will impact the workforce

Why is Gender Diversity So Important?

Now that you know what gender diversity is, let’s talk about why it’s so important—both for employees and for organizations.

From the employees’ perspective, when they work in an environment that prioritizes diversity, they know they have equitable opportunities to advance—regardless of their gender. They know that they’re being compensated based on their skills and experience—and don’t have to worry about a gender gap in pay. 

They see their gender represented across the organization—including in leadership positions . This can help foster a deeper sense of trust and excitement about the job.

From an organizational perspective, there are some serious benefits of gender diversity in the workplace, including:

Better Company Performance

Gender diversity impacts more than employee experience ; it also impacts your organization’s bottom line —and can actually help your company become more profitable. 

According to research from McKinsey, companies with gender-diverse executive teams had 21 percent higher earnings overall. 

Higher Employee Retention

The Great Resignation saw more employees leaving their positions—and their companies—in record numbers. In response, companies are more concerned with attracting and retaining top talent than ever before.

And, as it turns out, gender diversity can help you with both.

Let’s start with attracting talent. According to research from Glassdoor , 76 percent of the job seeker talent pool reported that they consider a diverse workforce an important factor when considering companies and job offers—and 32 percent said they wouldn’t apply to a company if they didn’t see diversity across the organization.

Gender diversity (and diversity as a whole) is important to attract new talent to your company—but it’s also an important part of keeping your current workforce. According to research from the Corporate Leadership Council, employees that work at a company with a diverse, inclusive workforce are 19 percent more likely to stay in their positions than employees who don’t feel their company reflects diversity and inclusivity. This translates to higher employee retention and a lower turnover rate .

Better Collaboration and Teamwork

Another benefit of creating gender-diverse teams? Those teams become more effective .

For example, research from Fortinet found that gender-diverse teams made effective decisions 73 percent of the time—compared to just 55 percent of the time for all-male teams. And research from the University of Amsterdam found that gender-diverse teams perform better in sales, profits, and earnings per share than teams that are dominated by a single gender (including female employees or male employees). 

More Diverse Perspectives and POVs

When you hire a diverse team , they bring a diverse set of perspectives and points of view to the table—and when you’re trying to appeal to a diverse customer base, those perspectives and POVs can help you stand out and better connect with your audience.

For example, if you employ a team of all men, your organization is going to lack the perspective and POV of women, non-binary, and transgender people—and so trying to create a marketing plan or sales pitch that appeals to women, non-binary, or transgender people is going to be a challenge. But if you have those people on your team, they can offer perspectives and POVs that align with the customers you’re targeting—which can increase your chances of success.

Better Organizational Reputation

As a business, you’re only as good as your reputation. If you have a reputation as a work environment that embraces diversity from a gender perspective, that reputation can help you in a variety of ways (for example, attracting top talent and customers—of all genders). On the flip side, if you have a reputation as a work environment that lacks diversity and has gender bias in its DNA, that reputation can shut the door to talent, customers, and opportunities—and your business may suffer as a result.

Challenges for Gender Diversity in the Workplace

Clearly, gender diversity matters—and can deliver some serious benefits to your organization. 

But unfortunately, a lack of diversity—and employees being treated differently based on their gender—is still a big problem in the workplace. For example:

  • In 2021, median earnings for women were just 83.1 percent of the median earnings for men, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics .
  • Forty-two percent of women reported experiencing discrimination in the workplace (compared to just 22 percent of men)—including earning less for doing the same job (25 percent), being treated as if they were incompetent (23 percent), and experiencing repeated slights in the workplace (16 percent) according to research from Pew Research Center .
  • For every 100 men promoted to management positions, only 86 women receive similar promotions, according to research from McKinsey .
  • Women ask for pay raises just as often as men do—but while men receive those pay increases 20 percent of the time, that figure is only 15 percent for women, according to research outlined in the Harvard Business Review .
  • As of March 2022, 74 women were CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, according to the World Economic Forum . That’s a definite improvement (in June 2021, 41 women held CEO positions—and in 2002, that number was just 7), but that’s still only 15 percent of all CEO positions at Fortune 500 companies.

How to Make Your Workplace More Inclusive

So, the question is, as business owners, what can you do to create a more gender-diverse and inclusive work environment within your organization? Here are some tips:

Identify the Areas Where You Need to Improve

You can’t create a more diverse workplace—gender or otherwise–if you don’t know what, exactly, needs to change in order to foster that diversity.

That’s why, the first step to creating a more gender-diverse workplace? Identifying what areas of your culture need to be improved.

While every company is different, when it comes to diversity from a gender perspective, there are a few different areas you’ll want to look at—and questions you’ll want to ask yourself—including:

  • Employee demographics : It’s important to define where your company currently stands with diversity from a gender perspective. Are all genders equally represented within your company? And, to take that a step further, are all genders equally represented in different departments, levels and teams (for example, engineering or marketing) within your organization?
  • Leadership : This is the strongest step in creating a culture of diversity. Why? Because diverse leaders organically introduce diverse thinking, hiring and training. It’s also an incredibly strong recruitment tool. Candidates from diverse backgrounds are more likely to join your team when they know their growth will be supported regardless of their gender. So, do you have an even balance of genders at the highest levels of your organization?
  • Hiring practices : Building a more gender-diverse team starts with who you hire–so it’s important to examine your current hiring practices. Are all genders equally represented at each stage of the hiring process–including sourcing, interviewing, and extending offers?
  • Promotion practices : Hiring more diverse candidates is important—but so is ensuring that those candidates have opportunities to grow within the company. Are you promoting employees of all genders at the same rate? 
  • Compensation structures : It doesn’t matter if you employ workers of every gender; if you’re not paying them equitably, you’re missing the mark on diversity. What do your current compensation structures look like? Is one gender paid more for similar roles, jobs, or levels of experience than other genders? Or is one gender being granted pay raises with more frequency than other genders?
  • Employee experience : Representation is a big part of diversity—but so is experience. Are your employees of all genders having a safe, supportive, and positive experience at work?

Set SMART Goals

Once you know what areas need to be improved, it’s time to start setting goals to help drive those improvements.

The most effective framework for setting goals—diversity-related or otherwise—is the SMART goal framework. With the SMART goal framework, every goal you set should be:

So, for example, let’s say you realize that you own a painting company and realize your painting workers are almost completely male—and you want to bring on more female staffers.

A goal of “hiring more female painters” is unlikely to drive results; it’s too vague, it doesn’t define how you’re going to measure success (are you going to hire one female painter or 10?), and it doesn’t give any time-constraints—which means there’s no sense of urgency.

On the flip side, “hire five female painters in the next 24 months” fits into the SMART framework; it’s specific (it tells you exactly what to do), it’s measurable (you’ll know whether you hire five painters—or you miss the mark), it’s achievable (you’ll need to hire 2 to 3 female painters per year to hit your goal, which is a totally reasonable pace), it’s relevant (as you’re trying to create a more diverse team at your company), and it’s time-bound (you have 24 months to complete the goal). 

This gives you a clear direction of how to hit your goal—which will increase the chance that you’ll be successful. 

Gather Insights from a Diverse Set of Employees

You may think you know what needs to change to create a more gender-diverse work environment—and how to make those changes.

But diversity is all about embracing and empowering different voices, opinions, and insights. So, as you’re working to create more gender diversity within your workplace, the best thing you can do? Ask your employees of different genders what diversity means to them—and how they’d like to see the workplace change.

Connecting with employees of different genders will give you invaluable insights into the current state of your workplace and what needs to change. So get in touch with them! Send out surveys. Hold focus groups. Meet with employees one-on-one. Ask them about their experiences within your organization—and then use their feedback and insights to drive positive change.

What are the Different Types of Diversity—And What Category Does Gender Diversity Fall Under?

Prioritizing gender diversity is a must for organizations that want to create real gender equality within their companies. But it’s not the only type of diversity you need to be thinking about.

According to research outlined in the Harvard Business Review , diversity can generally be broken down into three categories: 

  • Demographic diversity : Includes identifying characteristics like gender, age, race, ethnicity and sexual orientation
  • Experiential diversity : Includes hobbies, preferences, talents and abilities
  • Cognitive diversity : Diversity in thinking and problem solving

If you want to build a truly diverse workforce, you need to be thinking about diversity in all of its contexts—so make sure you’re prioritizing other types of diversity in the workplace in the same way you are prioritizing gender equality and diversity.

Create a More Gender Diverse Workplace–and Watch Your Organization Thrive

Creating a more diverse workplace isn’t something that happens overnight. But creating a safe, supportive, and equitable work experience for employees, regardless of their gender, is a must—not only for your team, but for the health of your organization. 

So what are you waiting for? Put gender diversity at the top of your priority list—and start taking steps to embrace more diversity in the workplace today.  

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The Benefits of Promoting Gender Diversity in Leadership

Emerging women leaders and senior leaders alike have an important role to play in ensuring the promotion of women from entry-level through the C-suite.

Mary Sharp Emerson

The key to achieving gender diversity at all levels of an organization is to ensure the success of women leaders in the earliest stages of their management career.

The corporate world has made progress improving gender diversity and bringing an increasing number of women into leadership roles at the executive and C-suite level. As of McKinsey’s 2018  Women in the Workplace  report, women comprise 19 percent of executive leadership positions. 

Despite this small step toward gender diversity in the C-suite, women of color continue to face significant barriers to entry into leadership roles. According to the same McKinsey report, women of color represent only 4 percent of C-suite positions. And as of a 2019  Harvard Business Review  study, there were no black women leading a Fortune 500 company.

Moreover, gender parity for all women remains elusive at lower and middle management, specifically within entry- and mid-level leadership roles. According to the most recent McKinsey data , women make up 48 percent of all entry-level hires but only 38 percent of first-level managers. 

What difference does that 10 percent make? 

A big one. Over the next five years, 1 million women will remain in entry-level or non-leadership roles while their male co-workers are promoted into more promising career paths. 

That long-term talent gap caused by the failure to promote women into entry- and mid-level management roles virtually guarantees that there will be a lack of qualified women for executive and C-suite leadership roles in the future. McKinsey refers to this talent gap as the “broken rung”  on the leadership ladder.

Closing that long-term talent gap will have long-term benefits for organizational success .

But doing so requires more than simply pointing out unconscious bias, identifying hidden stereotypes and common microaggressions, and paying lip service to gender and racial equality. 

Instead, it requires a prolonged and multi-faceted commitment by both men and women leaders to identify the obstacles facing women in leadership roles, especially for women of color.  

Here are some actionable tools and strategies to help women leaders achieve success at the same rate as their male peers.

Women in Leadership: Collaborative Program for Rising Women Leaders and Their Senior Managers

Senior Leaders Must Show the Way Toward Gender Diversity

The success of emerging women leaders depends heavily on the mid-level and senior managers (still predominantly white men) who are primarily responsible for their promotion. 

Thus, mid-level and senior leaders have an active role to play in ensuring that emerging women have the same opportunities for advancement, promotion, and career growth as their male co-workers.

Establish clear job performance evaluation criteria

According to  Women in the Workplace 2018 , women are less likely to get credit for successes and more likely to take criticism for failures. They often must provide more evidence of their competence and are more likely to have their judgement and decisions questioned.

These subtle barriers are even more common for women of color than for their white counterparts. For instance, women of color are significantly more likely than their white counterparts to be mistaken for someone in a more junior role. According to the  HBR , nearly 50 percent of black and Latina scientists report being mistaken for administrative or janitorial staff.

Ensuring that women are fairly evaluated compared to their male counterparts through the hiring and promotion process requires clear and unbiased evaluation criteria. Moreover, employees must have the opportunity to highlight bias and identify stereotypes when encountered. 

Analyze corporate HR data by gender AND by race

While many companies track pay and other HR data by gender or by race, very few track by both. Yet according to a recent  Payscale  study, women of color make less even than white women at the beginning of their careers, a trend which only widens throughout their careers. 

Tracking critical HR data by a full suite of metrics, including both gender and race, will highlight potentially hidden disparities and help ensure that women of color, in particular, do not “fall through the cracks” between gender and race. 

Actively prepare women for leadership roles

As with men, women are more likely to be promoted if they are actively coached on career advancement. Senior leaders must ensure that emerging women leaders are given the same opportunities as their male counterparts to showcase their abilities, stretch their roles, network with senior leaders, and promote their visibility at the executive level.

Develop nuanced strategies for sponsorship

Women tend to be over-mentored and under-sponsored. Many organizations have moved away from formal sponsorship programs because senior leaders can be wary of expending political capital on employees they may not be sure of 100 percent.

Mentorship versus sponsorship need not be an either-or proposition, however. 

As noted in a  2019 report  in Harvard Business Review, sponsorship, when done thoughtfully and strategically, can — and should — evolve authentically through a range of professional “support” roles.  

Discover the value of diverse leadership styles

Understanding the various ways in which men and women work, communicate, and lead is a critical step in promoting and achieving gender parity. Incorporating and encouraging those differences provides strength and flexibility to an organization’s leadership, and that diversity of thought can promote organizational success.

Be willing to engage in honest discussions of gender and racial bias

Enabling honest discussions about gender bias can be difficult for many managers. Adding factors of race into that discussion can make a difficult discussion feel impossible. 

Yet because women of color continue to experience specific microaggressions and hidden stereotypes at a rate greater than their white counterparts, diversity training programs must be designed to take an  “intersectional approach”  that incorporates open discussions of racial as well as gender bias in the workplace.

Make Gender Diversity an Essential Corporate Goal

Unfortunately, upward of  20 percent  of employees continue to feel that their organization’s commitment to gender diversity is little more than window dressing, while their commitment to promoting the leadership capabilities of women of color is practically nonexistent. 

For example, 41 percent of companies have specific targets for women leadership in senior and executive roles. However,  less than a third  have those same goals for gender parity at the level of emerging leaders. And corporate-wide targets designed to promote racial parity often neglect to incorporate gender. 

While many companies claim to be family friendly, women with children continue to pay a very real  penalty  for the so-called “second shift” of housework and child-rearing.

Thus, leaders at every level of the organization must share an ongoing commitment to actionable policies promoting gender and racial parity of all levels of leadership. They must actively work to identify and eliminate the very real obstacles that currently prevent talented and ambitious women, including women of color, from taking the next step into leadership.  

Without such decisive and critical steps, “the broken rung” will continue to inhibit women’s ability to lead and succeed, while organizations are left without the benefits and successes that stem directly from incorporating a true diversity of voices at the top. 

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Women Matter: Ten years of insights on gender diversity

Globally, women generate 37 percent of global GDP  despite accounting for 50 percent of the global working-age population.

The global average contribution to GDP masks large variations among regions. The share of regional GDP output generated by women is only 17 percent in India, 18 percent in the Middle East and North Africa, 24 percent in South Asia (excluding India), and 38 percent in Western Europe. In North America and Oceania, China, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the share is 40 to 41 percent.

For the past ten years, McKinsey has been researching to build the case for greater parity in the economy and in corporations’ top management, and to understand the levers to make change happen . Through the Women Matter and Women in the Workplace series, as well as the McKinsey Global Institute’s reports, we have developed a global and regional understanding of the situation, built a clear economic case for change (at both the macro and micro levels), and identified common barriers and change drivers across the world, as well as specific issues or gaps to fix in some regions.

Ten years after our first report, while there is momentum in some parts of the world—namely Europe, North America and some places in Asia and Latin America—women are still underrepresented in the economy and in companies’ top management.

This anniversary publication provides an updated, fact-based picture of the representation of women in the top management of corporations around the world and brings together the key lessons from our work in gender parity  over the past ten years. It includes the latest facts and insights from our studies in regions, in order to reinforce the case for change. And it offers an overview of the persistent barriers, as well as critical levers needed to make change happen, such as ways to enable women’s participation, engage men, and build strong pipelines of women leaders.

We also asked a number of leading thinkers from the business, government, academic, and social arenas to provide their perspectives on the various dimensions of the issue. The contributors:

  • Bola Adesola, managing director and CEO, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria
  • Iris Bohnet, author and professor, John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University
  • Thomas Buberl, CEO, AXA
  • Barbara Dalibard, CEO, SITA
  • Angel Gurría, secretary-general, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
  • Shobana Kamineni, executive vice chairperson, Apollo Hospitals; president, Confederation of Indian Industry
  • Gail Kelly, former CEO, Westpac
  • Isabelle Kocher, CEO, ENGIE
  • Janina Kugel, chief human resources officer and managing board member, Siemens
  • Christine Lagarde, managing director, International Monetary Fund
  • Michel Landel, CEO, Sodexo
  • Ilian Mihov, Dean, INSEAD
  • Takeshi Niinami, president, CEO, board member, and representative director, Suntory Holdings Limited
  • Lubna Qassim, senior executive vice president and chief group general counsel, Emirates NBD
  • Justin Trudeau, prime minister, Canada
  • Margarita Zavala, presidential contender and lawyer, Mexico

Reinventing the workplace for greater gender diversity

Reinventing the workplace for greater gender diversity

Their contributions underline the importance of fixing gender imbalances for our societies and economies, as well as the societal and economic opportunities and benefits the world has to gain from gender parity. These testimonials bring conviction and fascinating visions to inspire our actions across the board, in order to build truly inclusive organizations for the future.

The report concludes by inviting everyone to dare to imagine what a truly inclusive company would look like in the future. We have synthesized the perspectives of our 16 contributors by highlighting the ten attributes of an inclusive organization:

  • Unorthodox . Policies, rules, norms, and practices are constantly challenged to take into account the needs of all, not just one dominant group.
  • Polymorphic . Diverse leadership styles are used, recognizing that effectiveness comes in many forms.
  • Empowered . Instead of “command and control,” everyone is empowered and has the ability to shape the future.
  • Multifaceted . The organization mirrors the society we live in—multicultural and reflecting a broad range of religions, cultures, and ethnicities.
  • Meritocratic and fair . Processes are fair and everyone is treated equally, in settings free of bias.
  • Caring and safe . The environment is no-fear, nonhierarchical, and nonviolent.
  • Respectful . Women are considered peers; everyone has the same share of voice and can be heard by all.
  • Balanced . The organization enables work-life balance, which means no more long hours and an understanding that performance is not linked to physical presence and time commitment.
  • Global and agile . There is full connectivity, at a global scale, and flexibility—leveraging technology.
  • Inventive . A forward-thinking CEO is surrounded by bold and creative millennials.

Download Women Matter: Time to accelerate—Ten years of insights into gender diversity , the full report on which this article is based (PDF–16MB).

Women Matter Research

For even more Women Matter research browse the full series:

2019: Taking the lead for inclusion

2014: Promoting gender diversity in the Gulf

2013: Gender diversity in top management

2012: Women Matter: Making the breakthrough

2011: Unlocking the full potential of women at work

2010: Women at the top of corporations

2009: Woman leaders in and after the crisis

2008: Female leadership

2007: Gender diversity, a corporate performance driver

Stay current on your favorite topics

Georges Desvaux  is a senior partner in McKinsey’s Johannesburg office, and Sandrine Devillard , Eric Labaye , and Sandra Sancier-Sultan  are senior partners in the Paris office, where Alix de Zelicourt is a consultant and Cecile Kossoff is the director of knowledge dissemination and communications.

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Focusing on what works for workplace diversity

What does gender equality look like today?

Date: Wednesday, 6 October 2021

Progress towards gender equality is looking bleak. But it doesn’t need to.

A new global analysis of progress on gender equality and women’s rights shows women and girls remain disproportionately affected by the socioeconomic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, struggling with disproportionately high job and livelihood losses, education disruptions and increased burdens of unpaid care work. Women’s health services, poorly funded even before the pandemic, faced major disruptions, undermining women’s sexual and reproductive health. And despite women’s central role in responding to COVID-19, including as front-line health workers, they are still largely bypassed for leadership positions they deserve.

UN Women’s latest report, together with UN DESA, Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The Gender Snapshot 2021 presents the latest data on gender equality across all 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The report highlights the progress made since 2015 but also the continued alarm over the COVID-19 pandemic, its immediate effect on women’s well-being and the threat it poses to future generations.

We’re breaking down some of the findings from the report, and calling for the action needed to accelerate progress.

The pandemic is making matters worse

One and a half years since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, the toll on the poorest and most vulnerable people remains devastating and disproportionate. The combined impact of conflict, extreme weather events and COVID-19 has deprived women and girls of even basic needs such as food security. Without urgent action to stem rising poverty, hunger and inequality, especially in countries affected by conflict and other acute forms of crisis, millions will continue to suffer.

A global goal by global goal reality check:

Goal 1. Poverty

Globally, 1 in 5 girls under 15 are growing up in extreme poverty.

In 2021, extreme poverty is on the rise and progress towards its elimination has reversed. An estimated 435 million women and girls globally are living in extreme poverty.

And yet we can change this .

Over 150 million women and girls could emerge from poverty by 2030 if governments implement a comprehensive strategy to improve access to education and family planning, achieve equal wages and extend social transfers.

Goal 2. Zero hunger

Small-scale farmer households headed by women earn on average 30% less than those headed by men.

The global gender gap in food security has risen dramatically during the pandemic, with more women and girls going hungry. Women’s food insecurity levels were 10 per cent higher than men’s in 2020, compared with 6 per cent higher in 2019.

This trend can be reversed , including by supporting women small-scale producers, who typically earn far less than men, through increased funding, training and land rights reforms.

Goal 3. Good health and well-being

In the first year of the pandemic, there were an estimated additional 1.4 million additional unintended pregnancies in lower- and middle-income countries.

Disruptions in essential health services due to COVID-19 are taking a tragic toll on women and girls. In the first year of the pandemic, there were an estimated 1.4 million additional unintended pregnancies in lower and middle-income countries.

We need to do better .

Response to the pandemic must include prioritizing sexual and reproductive health services, ensuring they continue to operate safely now and after the pandemic is long over. In addition, more support is needed to ensure life-saving personal protection equipment, tests, oxygen and especially vaccines are available in rich and poor countries alike as well as to vulnerable population within countries.

Goal 4. Quality education

Half of all refugee girls enrolled in secondary school before the pandemic will not return to school.

A year and a half into the pandemic, schools remain partially or fully closed in 42 per cent of the world’s countries and territories. School closures spell lost opportunities for girls and an increased risk of violence, exploitation and early marriage .

Governments can do more to protect girls education .

Measures focused specifically on supporting girls returning to school are urgently needed, including measures focused on girls from marginalized communities who are most at risk.

Goal 5. Gender equality

Women are restricted from working in certain jobs or industries in almost 50% of countries.

The pandemic has tested and even reversed progress in expanding women’s rights and opportunities. Reports of violence against women and girls, a “shadow” pandemic to COVID-19, are increasing in many parts of the world. COVID-19 is also intensifying women’s workload at home, forcing many to leave the labour force altogether.

Building forward differently and better will hinge on placing women and girls at the centre of all aspects of response and recovery, including through gender-responsive laws, policies and budgeting.

Goal 6. Clean water and sanitation

Only 26% of countries are actively working on gender mainstreaming in water management.

In 2018, nearly 2.3 billion people lived in water-stressed countries. Without safe drinking water, adequate sanitation and menstrual hygiene facilities, women and girls find it harder to lead safe, productive and healthy lives.

Change is possible .

Involve those most impacted in water management processes, including women. Women’s voices are often missing in water management processes. 

Goal 7. Affordable and clean energy

Only about 1 in 10 senior managers in the rapidly growing renewable energy industry is a woman.

Increased demand for clean energy and low-carbon solutions is driving an unprecedented transformation of the energy sector. But women are being left out. Women hold only 32 per cent of renewable energy jobs.

We can do better .

Expose girls early on to STEM education, provide training and support to women entering the energy field, close the pay gap and increase women’s leadership in the energy sector.

Goal 8. Decent work and economic growth

In 2020 employed women fell by 54 million. Women out of the labour force rose by 45 million.

The number of employed women declined by 54 million in 2020 and 45 million women left the labour market altogether. Women have suffered steeper job losses than men, along with increased unpaid care burdens at home.

We must do more to support women in the workforce .

Guarantee decent work for all, introduce labour laws/reforms, removing legal barriers for married women entering the workforce, support access to affordable/quality childcare.

Goal 9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Just 4% of clinical studies on COVID-19 treatments considered sex and/or gender in their research

The COVID-19 crisis has spurred striking achievements in medical research and innovation. Women’s contribution has been profound. But still only a little over a third of graduates in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics field are female.

We can take action today.

 Quotas mandating that a proportion of research grants are awarded to women-led teams or teams that include women is one concrete way to support women researchers. 

Goal 10. Reduced inequalities

While in transit to their new destination, 53% of migrant women report experiencing or witnessing violence, compared to 19% of men.

Limited progress for women is being eroded by the pandemic. Women facing multiple forms of discrimination, including women and girls with disabilities, migrant women, women discriminated against because of their race/ethnicity are especially affected.

Commit to end racism and discrimination in all its forms, invest in inclusive, universal, gender responsive social protection systems that support all women. 

Goal 11. Sustainable cities and communities

Slum residents are at an elevated risk of COVID-19 infection and fatality rates. In many countries, women are overrepresented in urban slums.

Globally, more than 1 billion people live in informal settlements and slums. Women and girls, often overrepresented in these densely populated areas, suffer from lack of access to basic water and sanitation, health care and transportation.

The needs of urban poor women must be prioritized .

Increase the provision of durable and adequate housing and equitable access to land; included women in urban planning and development processes.

Goal 12. Sustainable consumption and production; Goal 13. Climate action; Goal 14. Life below water; and Goal 15. Life on land

Women are finding solutions for our ailing planet, but are not given the platforms they deserve. Only 29% of featured speakers at international ocean science conferences are women.

Women activists, scientists and researchers are working hard to solve the climate crisis but often without the same platforms as men to share their knowledge and skills. Only 29 per cent of featured speakers at international ocean science conferences are women.

 And yet we can change this .

Ensure women activists, scientists and researchers have equal voice, representation and access to forums where these issues are being discussed and debated. 

Goal 16. Peace, justice and strong institutions

Women's unequal decision-making power undermines development at every level. Women only chair 18% of government committees on foreign affairs, defence and human rights.

The lack of women in decision-making limits the reach and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and other emergency recovery efforts. In conflict-affected countries, 18.9 per cent of parliamentary seats are held by women, much lower than the global average of 25.6 per cent.

This is unacceptable .

It's time for women to have an equal share of power and decision-making at all levels.

Goal 17. Global partnerships for the goals

Women are not being sufficiently prioritized in country commitments to achieving the SDGs, including on Climate Action. Only 64 out of 190 of nationally determined contributions to climate goals referred to women.

There are just 9 years left to achieve the Global Goals by 2030, and gender equality cuts across all 17 of them. With COVID-19 slowing progress on women's rights, the time to act is now.

Looking ahead

As it stands today, only one indicator under the global goal for gender equality (SDG5) is ‘close to target’: proportion of seats held by women in local government. In other areas critical to women’s empowerment, equality in time spent on unpaid care and domestic work and decision making regarding sexual and reproductive health the world is far from target. Without a bold commitment to accelerate progress, the global community will fail to achieve gender equality. Building forward differently and better will require placing women and girls at the centre of all aspects of response and recovery, including through gender-responsive laws, policies and budgeting.

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Gender and Diversity in the Workplace Research Paper

Introduction.

Human capital is one of the most fundamental aspects in contemporary organizations and it determines the outcome of productivity or organizational success significantly.

The modern world of human resource management seems to have changed significantly and as policies and regulations change, the need to reconsider workplace gender equity and diversity has received considerable attention across organizations (Herring, 2009). Human resource management is currently facing substantial challenges pertaining to employee gender equity and diversity that workplace reforms take as means of integrating fairer working community.

Gender discrimination or imbalance has been a matter of great concern in the contemporary employment realm, which has sometimes affected the reputation and performance of companies (Malvin & Girling, 2000). During these difficult and challenging economic hardship times, utilizing talent from the entire workforce that promotes inclusive working environment may deem significant to company’s competence. Gender equity and diversity are critical elements in any workplace environment.

Concept of diversity and equity

Human potential seem to differ from one individual to another and that is where the concept of equity in employment or workplace arise, taking into consideration fairness and justice regarded as a productivity factor in organizations (Hiranandani, 2012).

Equal opportunity principally refers to addressing human resource representation and balance and a terminology used in HR as measures taken by organizations to guarantee equality in recruitment and employment procedures. Equity is all about fostering and promoting the right to be different and free from discrimination, to possess a certain level of dignity and remain valued as an individual while at the same time remain entitled to personal beliefs and values (Monks, 2007).

Diversity means varied or assorted and in HR is normally all about valuing individual differences and establishing an environment with a culture of respecting personal differences for organizational or societal benefit. In modern business world, considering diversity in the workplace and nurturing an inclusive and unbiased working environment is becoming essential.

Workplace gender diversity is a matter of providing equal employment opportunities for all individuals despite their sexual characteristics and notwithstanding educational outcomes across gender or their ethnic groups. According to Monks (2007), “work-life balance policies need to be capable of translation into flexible practices, tailored to suit particular circumstances, and adapted as employees’ needs change over the course of their careers” (p.33).

Over the years, diversity management has come up as one of the integral part of human resource management with substantial research revealing that firms that have integrated diversity management systems demonstrate high levels of labor productivity especially during economic crunches.

Diversity management has currently “emerged as the most popular alternative to settle racial and gender discrimination issues compared to any other affirmative actions or employment equity strategies” (Hiranandani, 2012, p.11). With emerging management trends, diversity and equality approaches have gradually facilitated the transformation of workplaces towards diverse representative environments where innovation and productivity become shared responsibilities.

A diverse or inclusive workplace

An organization will remain considered having a diverse workforce or an inclusive one when a number of workplace issues portray evidence of multiplicity. An inclusive workplace “provides a welcoming culture where each individual feels valued; receive equal treatment coupled with deserved respect and dignity” (Monks, 2007, p.41).

An inclusive workplace translates to organizations that are without charge of sexual harassment, victimization and any form of discrimination. Organizations deemed as inclusive workplaces are normally proactive in their quest of equality, while at the same time realizing and seeking concrete outcomes including positive achievements as stipulated in the legislation (Malvin & Girling, 2000).

Inclusive organizations must always acknowledge, accommodate and value workforce diversity while providing facilities and adjusting policies that spur equality, enhance the dignity at work, improve working conditions, reinforce employee welfare and encourage fair recruitment (Monks, 2007). Organizations thought to have an inclusive workplace normally encourage and motivate all employees to develop and progress professionally and unnecessary occupational and hierarchical isolation never exist.

Gender discrimination: interviews at a glance

Based on my personal observation on the issue of gender discrimination, cases of gender bias at the workplace have existed in American companies for quite a while. I happened to build substantial interest in investigating the issue of workplace employee diversity and gender discrimination and from a wider view, interviewed people who have suffered effects of a glass ceiling or racial discrimination and these facts protracted.

My interview engaged 20 actively working people employees from different companies who could produce significant evidence over workplace diversity. Despite the American government struggling to instill equity in organizations, race, ethnicity and cultural differences are becoming constant problems in North American workplaces.

Glass ceiling is a terminology used in describing a situation where organizations use invisible discriminatory barriers that frustrate or depress minorities and women from career success. From the face-to-face interview undertaken, the researcher managed to assemble a few responses on perceptions regarding the state of workplace gender prejudice within the American organizations.

From the 20 women respondents interviewed directly by the researcher, 12 participants that represent 60% of them claimed that gender discrimination is still an incessant problem affecting the majority of the American companies.

Of this population, 5 respondents who represent 25% of the population involved in the face-to-face interview claimed that gender discrimination in American workplaces is a forgone issue, while only 3 respondents remain unsure about the issue of gender bias at workplaces. When questioned whether they encountered such challenges during their employment era, approximately 15 (75%) of the respondents revealed that they underwent workplace gender bias and are probably experiencing this problem to certain extents.

Minority participants 5 (25%) of them responded that they had never experienced workplace gender discrimination. Of those who experienced workplace gender discrimination, approximately 93% of them claimed that gender discrimination affected their competence at work since they had no opportunity to exercise their professional abilities freely following nature of these challenges that this situation presented.

Gender and diversity at the workplace is an issue that seems to differ from one nation to another, an organization to another and even one company to another (Malvin & Girling, 2000). Generally, developed nations seem to have improved significantly over the years on issues regarding gender and diversity at workplace given their ability to integrate policies and regulations governing employment reforms and standards.

In the United States, the status of a glass ceiling against women and minorities has improved following intensified campaigns against discrimination and presence of workplace diversity-management initiatives that began in USA in 1990s following the urging need to control individual and cross-cultural differences within the diverse demographic workforce (Hiranandani, 2012).

Since the advent of workplace diversity management that immigration activities and large women populace entering USA promoted, companies have since then developed policies concerning equality and human rights, dignity at workplace, fair employment, and improved working conditions that signify inclusive workplaces (Herring, 2009). However, glass ceiling still exists.

A decade after the development of the concept of diversity management in America, glass ceiling continued to prove challenging to women employees and the minority groups and cases of discrimination continued to protract.

A study conducted by Cotter et al. (2001) aimed at examining the effects of the glass ceiling at American workplaces revealed considerable evidence on continued glass ceiling and its effects. From the perspective of this study, organizations or industries practicing gendered glass ceiling, had a lower female share of Chief Executive Officers compared to that of their male counterparts.

This report can thus provide a substantial conclusion that despite workplaces becoming more diverse and women labor force participation rates increasing over the years, glass ceiling seem to prevail in hierarchical order (Cotter et al., 2001). As the system of employment within hierarchies continue and the criterion to consider top positions remain discriminated in terms of gender, the practice may commence over the years depending on policies governing the organizations.

Effects of workplace gender diversity

Research has established considerable effects of workplace gender diversity in relation to a continuum of organizational issues ranging from productivity, strategic management to enhanced corporate governance.

According to Malvin and Girling (2000), workplace diversity potentially contributes to competitive advantage for the organization as roles within the organizations remain distributed on the basis of professional competence and specialization where important aspects of problem solving and enhanced creativity emerges. People bring different sets of significant human capital contributions including qualifications, abilities, skills and achievements that can substantially contribute to organizational success in varied ways.

Hiranandani (2012) posits, “A diverse workforce can maximize talent and creativity and foster innovation, which can ultimately lead to increased profits and positive public image for a successful business enterprise” (p.7). Managers concerned with HR management are gradually becoming enlightened over issues regarding gender and workplace diversity, but little is known on the significant contribution of inclusive workplace or workplace gender diversity and therefore efforts to create and promote such workplaces are still negligible.

Notwithstanding its ability to prove significant to organizations with potential benefits becoming clear and logically sound, workplace diversity has remained underestimated and undervalued. Monks (2007) notes that developed a study to examine the business influence on equality and diversity to examine the issue in the international paradigm.

The report evaluated international research to produce evidence regarding equality and diversity and its correlation to organizational performance. Hiranandani (2012) investigated diversity management in the Canadian workplace while examining critical perspectives, the significance of incorporating an inclusive workplace and providing a framework to assist towards antiracism approaches.

This study also emphasized on establishing the situation regarding the ongoing workplace discrimination against visible minorities across the Canadian employment system. To enhance the understanding of the effects of workplace gender diversity, following the arguments and facts highlighted in the two above-mentioned studies will shed more light on the accrued contribution of a diverse workforce in organizations.

Diversity enhances organizational performance

Beyond any reasonable doubt, all profit and non-profit organizations aim at positive outcomes or simply enhanced performance, factors that not only financial capital but also human capital contributes heavily towards their attainment.

Monks (2007) notes, “Investment by organizations in initiatives that promote workplace equality and foster diversity has substantial benefits for both employees and employers” (p. 6). An inclusive workforce generates working pressure that significantly contributes to radical and competitive working groups that foster organizational productivity.

Monks (2007) study, identified that organizations with policies aimed at enhancing inclusive workplace or diversified workforce contribute to employee positive outcomes including job satisfaction, employee commitment, work-life balance and reduced work stress that significantly enhance organizational success indirectly.

With a streamlined top management that includes both genders, a sense of openness and integrity becomes evitable and achievable in organizations, as women have proven more trustworthy. Monks (2007) also notes that diversity potentially reduces absenteeism, improves employee relation and reduces labor turnover.

Diversity fosters innovation and creativity

In the modern business world that has remained characterized by globalization, uncertainties and radical changes, organizations will perform if they can readily adapt and learn businesses changes within its operational atmosphere. The need to remain competitive and innovative becomes integral.

Still on the part of organizational performance that several aspects can depict, studies have revealed that workplace diversity enhances or fosters innovation and creativity among the workforce that further contributes to organizational effectiveness. Hiranandani (2012) postulates, “A diverse workforce can maximize talent and creativity and foster innovation, which can ultimately lead to increased profits and positive public image for a successful business enterprise” (p.1).

At this point, workforce diversity becomes a significant organizational approach as in such rapidly changing socio-economic milieu, diverse knowledge; creative ideas and innovative minds combine efforts to enhance effective performance in organizations (Malvin & Girling, 2000). Through workforce diversity therefore, there is maximum access of talented employees and utilization of their innovative ideas that spur corporate effectiveness that enables them fit within the competitive business world.

Knowledge rests upon individuals and human capital differs distinctively from physical strength to intellectual ability. In organizations, communication is an aspect that allows knowledge sharing among members and an inclusive or diversified workplace stands a better position of acquiring a wider pool of talented workforce that generates a greater body of professional knowledge.

Herring (2009) notes that companies must promote workplace diversity as the emerging knowledge economy and knowledge intensification are important factors influencing performance in workplaces. Diversified workforce is where innovation generates from, since knowledge diffuses from different organizational members with differing intellectual abilities.

Knowledge development and diffusion are principle to improvement of economic activity. As postulated by Monks (2007), “knowledge is embodied in people, and it is the quality of human resources that will determine the success or otherwise of firms and economies in the years ahead” (p.15). A human being generates new knowledge. The same people disseminate and use the information that finally generates distinctive value.

Diversity enhances worker’s competence

Healthy competition, both internally and externally is significant as it forces organizations to respond to issues more straightforwardly and aim at expanding market accessibility and building its business reputation (Herring, 2009).

Professional development among workers is more competent in a diversified workforce where aggressiveness towards achieving better work results and professional acknowledgement prevail. Workers normally struggle to receive performance acknowledgement from their bosses and in an inclusive workplace, competition is generally higher than in an exclusive workplace (Malvin & Girling, 2000).

People carry different potency and an inclusive workplace enables employees to compete through their innovative ideas, professional qualifications and basic work skills that generate pressure on individual employee outcomes that further foster organizational effectiveness.

Monk (2007) notes that there is a positive relationship between diversity in top management and organizational effectiveness since organizations with top management that contains an inclusive system of governance is likely to have an informed decision-making due to shared opinions, views and perceptions regarding certain problems from both genders.

Diversity captures new global markets

Diversity management principally refers to organizational willingness to design programs and policies that enhance greater inclusion of all qualified individuals to exercise their professional expertise in an organization, despite their racial or sex differences (Herring, 2009).

Organizations with diversity management policies are capable of attracting talents and workforce allover thus tapping and exploring new global workforce markets. With the globalised business world, organizations have resorted to international markets and the majority of them no longer confine themselves within national markets.

Currently, the quest to enhance the effectiveness in organizations has been augmenting and this aspect has resulted in globalization of labor market and integrating diversity management policies across organizations may provide opportunities to increase market share in global labor market (Monks, 2007).

Therefore, “enhancing workforce diversity has the potential to capture new global markets and thereby boost corporate success” (Hiranandani, 2012, p.8). Since organizations enjoy unlimited access to global labor market rights, organizations with inclusive workplaces can build its reputation to employees.

Diversity encourages flexible working arrangements

All employees feel motivated when working in an environment that offers contributive working schedules that promote good health at work and positive outcomes of individuals. According to Malvin and Girling (2000), organizational commitment towards diversity management include integrating initiatives that promote employees to work in flexible, safe, understanding and creative environment.

Flexible working arrangements have been key aspects that workplace diversity offer and employees normally feel appreciated when organization consider their workplace safety. An inclusive workplace provides a range of “flexible working conditions that include arrangement of working hours, provisions for leave, recognition for cultural requirements, and that enables organizations to attract a diverse group of employees with a wider pool of talent” (Hiranandani, 2012, p.13).

As revealed by Malvin and Girling (2000), companies with shift work schedules have increased nowadays and by integrating policies that cover diversity management, managers find it easy to enhance flexible working through flexible schedules.

The world of globalization and industrialization has proved challenging with rapid socioeconomic changes and uncertainties affecting the business world. Companies with sound management practices have resorted to strategic management practices that involve incorporating diversity management techniques that entail integrating policies that allow inclusive workforce.

Over the years, glass ceiling has been a constant hitch to the development of women and minorities since it provides barriers towards exploration of their professional skills. Despite gaining substantial recognition since the year 1990s, diversity management has not been successful as such, as organizations possess different policies.

By enhancing inclusiveness in organization’s workforce, there are possibilities of enhancing organizational effectiveness as diversity in organization fosters innovation and creativity, enhances worker’s competence, reduces top laxity within the top management, reduces labor turnover, and discourages ill behaviors like absenteeism among others. All these aspects have a positive contribution to organizations in the sense that they influence an individual’s performance outcomes.

Reference List

Cotter, D., Hermsen, J., Ovadia, S., & Vanneman, R. (2001). The glass ceiling effect. Social Forces, 80 (2), 655-682.

Herring, C. (2009). Does Diversity Pay? Race, Gender, and the Business Case for Diversity. American Sociological Review, 74 (2), 208–224.

Hiranandani, V. (2012). Diversity Management in the Canadian Workplace: Towards an Antiracism Approach. Urban Studies Research, 1 (1), 1-13.

Malvin, S., & Girling, G. (2000). What is managing diversity and why does it matter? Human Resource Development International, 3 (4), 419-433.

Monks, K. (2007). The Business Impact of Equality and Diversity: The International Evidence . Dublin, Ireland: The Equality Authority.

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What is Gender Diversity?

Gender diversity is an umbrella term that is used to describe gender identities that demonstrate a diversity of expression beyond the binary framework.

For many gender diverse people, the concept of binary gender – having to choose to express yourself as male or female – is constraining. Some people would prefer to have the freedom to change from one gender to another, or not have a gender identity at all. Others just want to be able to openly defy or challenge more normalised concepts of gender.

For gender diverse people, their identity is about presenting something more outwardly authentic to the world, whether they understand themselves to be differently gendered, or have no gender at all.

 It is important to recognise that many cultures throughout history have recognised gender diversity beyond masculine and feminine. Today the internet has provided a platform where people can explore common experiences with gender diversity and a lot of the language used to describe these experiences is still evolving. There are often  misunderstandings that report of there being hundreds of genders, each with unique rules, language and pronouns. A lot of these claims are exaggerated, taking into account very niche and specialised terms, or very personal explorations of gender.

Umbrella terms such as non-binary, genderqueer or X gender are adequately broad descriptors for gender diverse people. Individuals, however, may use more specialised personal terms to describe themselves within their own peer group and safe spaces. There is a lot of debate around what pronouns are acceptable, or should be used to describe gender diverse people. The singular ‘ they ‘ (e.g. “ they are taking their dog for a walk”) is widely recognised as an existing pronoun structure that is courteous of gender diversity, if not always considered ideal. There are many other gender neutral pronouns that people may use (such as fae and eir), but ultimately it is best to use the pronoun the gender diverse person asks for.  

A change of name and/or a change of pronoun can appear to be be difficult  for some people to accept and respect. However, socially, we learn to accept and respect changes people make to their names all the time – think about people changing names when they marry!  Many people, regardless of their gender identity, expect nicknames to be respected, and some cis-gender people (someone whose gender identity correlates to their birth sex) can be offended when they are misgendered (for example if a woman is called “ he “). The same principles apply to people who are gender diverse. While it is okay to make a mistake when someone has recently shared their new name and/or pronoun, it is important to practice and work towards getting it right all the time.

  • Gender diversity is about acknowledging and respecting that there are many ways to identify outside of the binary of male and female.
  • Presenting as gender diverse is not about attention seeking or receiving special treatment, it is about being one’s authentic self.
  • There is not a need for people to to know about every gender identity out there. What is more important is that people respect those who are gender diverse and the choices they make about their life.
  • Using the correct names and pronouns for gender diverse people, as well as gender neutral language are reasonable expectations that is inclusive to gender diverse people.
  • Inclusivity not only benefits gender diverse people – it benefits everyone!

Human Rights Careers

5 Essays About Diversity

Many see “diversity” as an empty buzzword. It’s only empty when it isn’t truly engaged with. In basic terms, diversity encompasses traits that make people unique from one another. This includes race, ethnicity, language, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, and more. A “diverse” environment is one where differences are welcomed, respected, and appreciated. Here are five essays that expand on the concept of diversity:

“How Diversity Makes Us Smarter” (2017) – Dr. Katherine W. Phillips

Diversity is a hot topic these days. What are the benefits? In this article, Katherine Phillips explores how diversity fuels innovation, creativity, better problem-solving, and more. Decades of research support this. That doesn’t mean diversity is easy. Research also shows that social diversity within a group can cause discomfort. Communication and trust can be more challenging. It’s still worth it. Phillips compares the painful parts of diversity with the pain of exercise. After a good workout, you may be sore, but continuing to exercise is the only way to strengthen and grow your muscles. Diversity works the same way.

Scientific American originally published this article in 2014. The version on Greater Good Magazine was revised and updated. Dr. Phillips was the Paul Calello Professor of Leadership and Ethics Management at Columbia Business School. She passed away in January 2020.

“Why Diversity Matters” -Ruchika Tulshyan

Many companies are embracing diversity and inclusion. At the same time, this shift makes a lot of people uncomfortable. Some even argue against diversity. In this essay, Ruchika Tulshyan breaks down why diversity is so valuable to the business world. Prioritizing diversity and inclusion is necessary to draw in – and keep – the best talent. It also results in better products and better customer service. When it’s actively embraced and engaged with, diversity is hard. It’s also important if companies want to evolve and thrive.

Ruchika Tulshyan is the founder of Candour, an inclusion communications and strategy firm. She’s also the author of “The Diversity Advantage: Fixing Gender Inequality in the Workplace.” She’s covered leadership and diversity for Forbes and written pieces for The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Time, and more.

“Diversity in publishing – still hideously middle-class and white?” (2017) – Arifa Akbar

This essay opens on an incident in 2015. The British publishing world was accused of lack of diversity based on literary festivals and prize nominations. Book list after book list came out, all with only white authors. Did they correct the course? Arifa Akbar describes some initiatives that the publishing industry tried. The only way to achieve systemic change, however, is for inclusivity to reach the top. This isn’t for the benefit of authors. Those excluded find smaller presses or even start their own. Traditional publishing needs diversity if it hopes to appeal to the next generation.

Arifa Akbar is the Guardian’s chief theatre critic. She also worked at the Independent for 15 years as a news reporter and then as an arts correspondent and literary editor.

“Diversity in STEM: What It Is and Why It Matters” (2014) – Dr. Kenneth Gibbs Jr.

An older piece from 2014, this article brings up points that are still important today. STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) is a highly-innovative field. It produces research and inventions that touch every part of society. However, when it comes to diversity in this field, there’s disagreement. Kenneth Gibbs Jr. explores what “diversity” means and why it matters in science. Benefits include excellence within research teams and better talent.

Kenneth Gibbs Jr. is a Cancer Prevention Fellow at the National Cancer Institute. He works on policy-relevant research that strengthens the research enterprise. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the National Postdoctoral Association.

“Does Teacher Diversity Matter in Student Learning?” (2018) – Claire Cain Miller

Diversity within the workplace is much-discussed, but what about the classroom? In this article from the New York Times, Claire Cain Miller takes a closer look at the effects of diversity. Research shows that male students in particular benefit when teachers share their gender or race. Digging deeper into that, black boys are also more affected by poverty and racism. On the other side of things, role models and high-quality schooling have a significant, positive impact. Most teachers today are white women. Research implies that more diverse teachers would benefit a classroom. In the meantime, schools can train their teachers about bias and stereotypes.

Claire Cain Miller joined The Times in 2008. With a team, she won the Pulitzer Prize in 2018 for public service by reporting on workplace sexual harassment. She writes about families, gender, and the future of work for The Upshot.

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About the author, emmaline soken-huberty.

Emmaline Soken-Huberty is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon. She started to become interested in human rights while attending college, eventually getting a concentration in human rights and humanitarianism. LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, and climate change are of special concern to her. In her spare time, she can be found reading or enjoying Oregon’s natural beauty with her husband and dog.

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6 Diversity College Essay Examples

What’s covered:, how to write the diversity essay after the end of affirmative action, essay #1: jewish identity, essay #2: being bangladeshi-american, essay #3: marvel vs dc, essay #4: leadership as a first-gen american, essay #5: protecting the earth, essay #6: music and accents, where to get your diversity essays edited, what is the diversity essay.

While working on your college applications, you may come across essays that focus on diversity , culture, or values. The purpose of these essays is to highlight any diverse views or opinions that you may bring to campus. Colleges want a diverse student body that’s made up of different backgrounds, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and interests. These essay prompts are a way for them to see what students can bring to their school.

In this post, we will share six essays written by real students that cover the topic of culture and diversity. We’ll also include what each essay did well and where there is room for improvement. Hopefully, this will be a useful resource to inspire your own diversity essay.

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. That said, you should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and they will not have a favorable view of students who have plagiarized.

In June 2023, the Supreme Court ruled that the use of race in college admissions was unconstitutional. In other words, they struck down the use of affirmative action in college admissions . This will affect college-bound students of color in a number of ways, including lowering their chances of acceptance and reducing the amount of direct outreach they’ll receive from colleges. Another change to consider is the ways in which students should tackle their diversity essays.

Although colleges can no longer directly factor race into admissions, students aren’t prohibited from discussing their racial backgrounds in supplemental application essays. If your racial background is important to you, seriously consider writing about it in your diversity essays. If you don’t, admissions officers are extremely limited in their ability to consider your race when making an admission decision.

As in the essays listed below, discussing your race is an excellent tool for showing admissions officers the person behind the grades and test scores. Beyond that, it provides admissions officers with an opportunity to put themselves in your shoes—showing them how your background has presented challenges to overcome, helped build important life skills, and taught you valuable lessons.

Diversity Essay Examples

I was thirsty. In my wallet was a lone $10 bill, ultimately useless at my school’s vending machine. Tasked with scrounging together the $1 cost of a water bottle, I fished out and arranged the spare change that normally hid in the bottom of my backpack in neat piles of nickels and dimes on my desk. I swept them into a spare Ziploc and began to leave when a classmate snatched the bag and held it above my head.

“Want your money back, Jew?” she chanted, waving the coins around. I had forgotten the Star-of-David around my neck, but quickly realized she must have seen it and connected it to the stacks of coins. I am no stranger to experiencing and confronting antisemitism, but I had never been targeted in my school before. I grabbed my bag and sternly told her to leave. Although she sauntered away, the impact remained.

This incident serves as an example of the adversity I have and will continue to face from those who only see me as a stereotype. Ironically, however, these experiences of discrimination have only increased my pride as a member of the Jewish Community. Continuing to wear the Star-of-David connects me to my history and my family. I find meaning and direction in my community’s values, such as pride, education, and giving—and I am eager to transfer these values to my new community: the Duke community.

What the Essay Did Well

Writing about discrimination can be difficult, but if you are comfortable doing it, it can make for a powerful story. Although this essay is short and focused on one small interaction, it represents a much larger struggle for this student, and for that reason it makes the essay very impactful.

The author takes her time at the beginning of the essay to build the scene for the audience, which allows us to feel like we are there with her, making the hateful comments even more jarring later on. If she had just told us her classmate teased her with harmful stereotypes, we wouldn’t feel the same sense of anger as we do knowing that she was just trying to get a drink and ended up being harassed.

This essay does another important thing—it includes self-reflection on the experience and on the student’s identity. Without elaborating on the emotional impact of a situation, an essay about discrimination would make admission officers feel bad for the student, but they wouldn’t be compelled to admit the student. By describing how experiences like these drive her and make her more determined to embody positive values, this student reveals her character to the readers.

What Could Be Improved

While including emotional reflection in the latter half of the essay is important, the actual sentences could be tightened up a bit to leave a stronger impression. The student does a nice job of showing us her experience with antisemitism, but she just tells us about the impact it has on her. If she instead showed us what the impact looked like, the essay would be even better.

For example, rather than telling us “Continuing to wear the Star-of-David connects me to my history and my family,” she could have shown that connection: “My Star-of-David necklace thumps against my heart with every step I take, reminding me of my great-grandparents who had to hide their stars, my grandma’s spindly fingers lighting the menorah each Hanukkah, and my uncle’s homemade challah bread.” This new sentence reveals so much more than the existing sentence about the student and the deep connection she feels with her family and religion.

Life before was good: verdant forests, sumptuous curries, and a devoted family.

Then, my family abandoned our comfortable life in Bangladesh for a chance at the American dream in Los Angeles. Within our first year, my father was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. He lost his battle three weeks before my sixth birthday. Facing a new country without the steady presence of my father, we were vulnerable—prisoners of hardship in the land of the free.

We resettled in the Bronx, in my uncle’s renovated basement. It was meant to be our refuge, but I felt more displaced than ever. Gone were the high-rise condos of West L.A.; instead, government projects towered over the neighborhood. Pedestrians no longer smiled and greeted me; the atmosphere was hostile, even toxic. Schoolkids were quick to pick on those they saw as weak or foreign, hurling harsh words I’d never heard before.

Meanwhile, my family began integrating into the local Bangladeshi community. I struggled to understand those who shared my heritage. Bangladeshi mothers stayed home while fathers drove cabs and sold fruit by the roadside—painful societal positions. Riding on crosstown buses or walking home from school, I began to internalize these disparities.

During my fleeting encounters with affluent Upper East Siders, I saw kids my age with nannies, parents who wore suits to work, and luxurious apartments with spectacular views. Most took cabs to their destinations: cabs that Bangladeshis drove. I watched the mundane moments of their lives with longing, aching to plant myself in their shoes. Shame prickled down my spine. I distanced myself from my heritage, rejecting the traditional panjabis worn on Eid and refusing the torkari we ate for dinner every day.

As I grappled with my relationship with the Bangladeshi community, I turned my attention to helping my Bronx community by pursuing an internship with Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda. I handled desk work and took calls, spending the bulk of my time actively listening to the hardships constituents faced—everything from a veteran stripped of his benefits to a grandmother unable to support her bedridden grandchild.

I’d never exposed myself to stories like these, and now I was the first to hear them. As an intern, I could only assist in what felt like the small ways—pointing out local job offerings, printing information on free ESL classes, reaching out to non-profits. But to a community facing an onslaught of intense struggles, I realized that something as small as these actions could have vast impacts.

Seeing the immediate consequences of my actions inspired me. Throughout that summer, I internalized my community’s daily challenges in a new light. I began to see the prevalent underemployment and cramped living quarters less as sources of shame. Instead, I saw them as realities that had to be acknowledged, but that could ultimately be remedied.

I also realized the benefits of the Bangladeshi culture I had been so ashamed of. My Bangla language skills were an asset to the office, and my understanding of Bangladeshi etiquette allowed for smooth communication between office staff and the office’s constituents. As I helped my neighbors navigate city services, I saw my heritage with pride—a perspective I never expected to have.

I can now appreciate the value of my unique culture and background, and the value of living with less. This perspective offers room for progress, community integration, and a future worth fighting for. My time with Assemblyman Sepulveda’s office taught me that I can be an agent of change who can enable this progression. Far from being ashamed of my community, I want to someday return to local politics in the Bronx to continue helping others access the American Dream. I hope to help my community appreciate the opportunity to make progress together. By embracing reality, I learned to live it. Along the way, I discovered one thing: life is good, but we can make it better.

This student’s passion for social justice and civic duty shines through in this essay because of how honest it is. Sharing their personal experience with immigrating, moving around, being an outsider, and finding a community allows us to see the hardships this student has faced and builds empathy towards their situation.

However, what really makes it strong is that the student goes beyond describing the difficulties they faced and explains the mental impact it had on them as a child: “Shame prickled down my spine. I distanced myself from my heritage, rejecting the traditional panjabis worn on Eid and refusing the torkari we ate for dinner every day.” The rejection of their culture presented at the beginning of the essay creates a nice juxtaposition with the student’s view in the latter half of the essay, and helps demonstrate how they have matured.

They then use their experience interning as a way to delve into a change in their thought process about their culture. This experience also serves as a way to show how their passion for social justice began. Using this experience as a mechanism to explore their thoughts and feelings is an excellent example of how items that are included elsewhere on your application should be incorporated into your essay.

This essay prioritizes emotions and personal views over specific anecdotes. Although there are details and certain moments incorporated throughout to emphasize the author’s points, the main focus remains on the student and how they grapple with their culture and identity.

One area for improvement is the conclusion. Although the forward-looking approach is a nice way to end an essay focused on social justice, it would be nice to include more details and imagery in the conclusion. How does the student want to help their community? What government position do they see themselves holding one day?

A more impactful ending might describe the student walking into their office at the New York City Housing Authority in 15 years. This future student might be looking at the plans to build a new development in the Bronx just blocks away from where they grew up that would provide quality housing to people in their Bangladeshi community. They would smile while thinking about how far they have come from that young kid who used to be ashamed of their culture.

Superhero cinema is an oligopoly consisting of two prominent, towering brands: Marvel and DC. I’m a religious supporter of Marvel, but last year, I discovered that my friend, Tom, was a DC fan. After a vociferous 20-minute quarrel about which was better, we decided to allocate one day to have a professional debate, using carefully assembled and coherent arguments.

One week later, we both brought pages of notes and evidence cards (I also had my Iron-Man bobblehead for moral support). Our impartial moderator—a Disney fan—sat in the middle with a stopwatch, open-policy style. I began the debate by discussing how Marvel accentuated the humanity of the storyline—such as in Tony Stark’s transformation from an egotistical billionaire to a compassionate father—which drew in a broader audience, because more people resonated with certain aspects of the characters. Tom rebutted this by capitalizing on how Deadpool was a duplicate of Deathstroke, how Vision copied Red Tornado, and how DC sold more comics than Marvel.

40 minutes later, we reached an impasse. We were out of cards, and we both made excellent points, so our moderator was unable to declare a winner. Difficult conversations aren’t necessarily always the ones that make political headlines. Instead, a difficult discussion involves any topic with which people share an emotional connection.

Over the years, I became so emotionally invested in Marvel that my mind erected an impenetrable shield, blocking out all other possibilities. Even today, we haven’t decided which franchise was better, but I realized that I was undermining DC for no reason other than my own ignorance.

The inevitability of diversity suggests that it is our responsibility to understand the other person and what they believe in. We may not always experience a change in opinion, but we can grant ourselves the opportunity to expand our global perspective. I strive to continue this adventure to increase my awareness as a superhero aficionado, activist, and student, by engaging in conversations that require me to think beyond what I believe and to view the world from others’ perspectives.

And yes, Tom is still my friend.

Diversity doesn’t always have to be about culture or heritage; diversity exists all around us, even in our comic book preferences. The cleverness of this essay lies in the way the student flipped the traditional diversity prompt on its head and instead discussed his diverse perspective on a topic he is passionate about. If you don’t have a cultural connection you are compelled to write about, this is a nifty approach to a diversity prompt—if it’s handled appropriately.

While this student has a non-traditional topic, he still presents it in a way that pays respect to the key aspects of a diversity essay: depicting his perspective and recognizing the importance of diverse views. Just as someone who is writing about a culture that is possibly unfamiliar to the reader, the student describes what makes Marvel and DC unique and important to him and his friend, respectively. He also expands on how a lack of diversity in superhero consumption led to his feeling of ignorance, and how it now makes him appreciate the need for diversity in all aspects of his life.

This student is unapologetically himself in this essay, which is ultimately why this unorthodox topic is able to work. He committed to his passion for Marvel by sharing analytical takes on characters and demonstrating how the franchise was so important to his identity that it momentarily threatened a friendship. The inclusion of humor through his personal voice—e.g., referring to the argument as a professional debate and telling us that the friendship lived on—contributes to the essay feeling deeply personal.

Choosing an unconventional topic for a diversity essay requires extra care and attention to ensure that you are still addressing the core of the prompt. That being said, if you accomplish it successfully, it makes for an incredibly memorable essay that could easily set you apart!

While this is a great essay as is, the idea of diversity could have been addressed a little bit earlier in the piece to make it absolutely clear the student is writing about his diverse perspective. He positions Marvel and DC as two behemoths in the superhero movie industry, but in the event that his reader is unfamiliar with these two brands, there is little context about the cultural impact each has on its fans.

To this student, Marvel is more than just a movie franchise; it’s a crucial part of his identity, just as someone’s race or religion might be. In order for the reader to fully understand the weight of his perspective, there should be further elaboration—towards the beginning—on how important Marvel is to this student.

Leadership was thrust upon me at a young age. When I was six years old, my abusive father abandoned my family, leaving me to step up as the “man” of the house. From having to watch over my little sister to cooking dinner three nights a week, I never lived an ideal suburban life. I didn’t enjoy the luxuries of joining after-school activities, getting driven to school or friends’ houses, or taking weekend trips to the movies or bowling alley. Instead, I spent my childhood navigating legal hurdles, shouldering family responsibilities, and begrudgingly attending court-mandated therapy sessions.

At the same time, I tried to get decent grades and maintain my Colombian roots and Spanish fluency enough to at least partially communicate with my grandparents, both of whom speak little English. Although my childhood had its bright and joyful moments, much of it was weighty and would have been exhausting for any child to bear. In short, I grew up fast. However, the responsibilities I took on at home prepared me to be a leader and to work diligently, setting me up to use these skills later in life.

I didn’t have much time to explore my interests until high school, where I developed my knack for government and for serving others. Being cast in a lead role in my school’s fall production as a freshman was the first thing to give me the confidence I needed to pursue other activities: namely, student government. Shortly after being cast, I was elected Freshman Vice-President, a role that put me in charge of promoting events, delegating daily office tasks, collaborating with the administration on new school initiatives, and planning trips and fundraisers.

While my new position demanded a significant amount of responsibility, my childhood of helping my mom manage our household prepared me to be successful in the role. When I saw the happy faces of my classmates after a big event, I felt proud to know that I had made even a small difference to them. Seeing projects through to a successful outcome was thrilling. I enjoyed my time and responsibilities so much that I served all four years of high school, going on to become Executive Vice-President.

As I found success in high school, my mother and grandparents began speaking more about the life they faced prior to emigrating from Colombia. To better connect with them, I took a series of Spanish language classes to regain my fluency. After a practice run through my presentation on Bendíceme, Ultima ( Bless me, Ultima ) by Rudolofo Anaya, with my grandmother, she squeezed my hand and told me the story of how my family was forced from their home in order to live free of religious persecution. Though my grandparents have often expressed how much better their lives and their children’s lives have been in America, I have often struggled with my identity. I felt that much of it was erased with my loss of our native language.

In elementary school, I learned English best because in class I was surrounded by it. Spanish was more difficult to grasp without a formal education, and my family urged me to become fluent in English so I could be of better help to them in places as disparate as government agencies and grocery stores. When I was old enough to recognize the large part of my identity still rooted in being Colombian, it was challenging to connect these two sides of who I was.

Over time I have been able to reconcile the two in the context of my aspirations. I found purpose and fulfillment through student council, and I knew that I could help other families like my own if I worked in local government. By working through city offices that address housing, education, and support for survivors of childhood abuse, I could give others the same liberties and opportunities my family has enjoyed in this country. Doing so would also help me honor my roots as a first-generation American.

I have been a leader my entire life. Both at Harvard and after graduation, I want to continue that trend. I hope to volunteer with organizations that share my goals. I want to advise policy-making politicians on ways to make children and new immigrants safer and more secure. When my family was at their worst, my community gave back. I hope to give that gift to future generations. A career in local, city-based public service is not a rashly made decision; it is a reflection of where I’ve already been in life, and where I want to be in the future.

Although this essay begins on a somber note, it goes on to show this student’s determination and the joy he found. Importantly, it also ends with a positive, forward-looking perspective. This is a great example of how including your hardship can bolster an essay as long as it is not the essay’s main focus.

Explaining the challenges this student faced from a young age—becoming the man of the house, dealing with legal matters, maintaining good grades, etc.—builds sympathy for his situation. However, the first paragraph is even more impactful because he explains the emotional toll these actions had on him. We understand how he lost the innocence of his childhood and how he struggled to remain connected to his Colombian heritage with all his other responsibilities. Including these details truly allows the reader to see this student’s struggle, making us all the more joyful when he comes out stronger in the end.

Pivoting to discuss positive experiences with student government and Spanish classes for the rest of the essay demonstrates that this student has a positive approach to life and is willing to push through challenges. The tone of the essay shifts from heavy to uplifting. He explains the joy he got out of helping his classmates and connecting with his grandparents, once again providing emotional reflection to make the reader care more.

Overall, this essay does a nice job of demonstrating how this student approaches challenges and negative experiences. Admitting that the responsibilities of his childhood had a silver lining shows his maturity and how he will be able to succeed in government one day. The essay strikes a healthy balance between challenge and hope, leaving us with a positive view of a student with such emotional maturity.

Although the content of this essay is very strong, it struggles with redundancy and disorganized information. He mentions his passion for government at the beginning of the student government paragraph, then again addresses government in the paragraph focused on his Colombian heritage, and concludes by talking about how he wants to get into government once more. Similarly, in the first paragraph, he discusses the struggle of maintaining his Colombian identity and then fully delves into that topic in the third paragraph.

The repetition of ideas and lack of a streamlined organization of this student’s thoughts diminishes some of the emotional impact of the story. The reader is left trying to piece together a swirling mass of information on their own, rather than having a focused, sequential order to follow.

This could be fixed if the student rearranged details to make each paragraph focused on a singular idea. For example, the first paragraph could be about his childhood. The second could be about how student government sparked his interest in government and what he hopes to do one day. The third could be about how he reconnected with his Colombian roots through his Spanish classes, after years of struggling with his identity. And the final paragraph could tie everything together by explaining how everything led to him wanting to pursue a future serving others, particularly immigrants like his family.

Alternatively, the essay could follow a sequential order that would start with his childhood, then explain his struggle with his identity, then show how student government and Spanish classes helped him find himself, and finally, conclude with what he hopes to accomplish by pursuing government.

I never understood the power of community until I left home to join seven strangers in the Ecuadorian rainforest. Although we flew in from distant corners of the U.S., we shared a common purpose: immersing ourselves in our passion for protecting the natural world.

Back home in my predominantly conservative suburb, my neighbors had brushed off environmental concerns. My classmates debated the feasibility of Trump’s wall, not the deteriorating state of our planet. Contrastingly, these seven strangers delighted in bird-watching, brightened at the mention of medicinal tree sap, and understood why I once ran across a four-lane highway to retrieve discarded beer cans.

Their histories barely resembled mine, yet our values aligned intimately. We did not hesitate to joke about bullet ants, gush about the versatility of tree bark, or discuss the destructive consequences of materialism. Together, we let our inner tree-huggers run free.

In the short life of our little community, we did what we thought was impossible. By feeding on each other’s infectious tenacity, we cultivated an atmosphere that deepened our commitment to our values and empowered us to speak out on behalf of the environment. After a week of stimulating conversations and introspective revelations about engaging people from our hometowns in environmental advocacy, we developed a shared determination to devote our lives to this cause.

As we shared a goodbye hug, my new friend whispered, “The world needs saving. Someone’s gotta do it.” For the first time, I believed that that someone could be me.

This student is expressing their diversity through their involvement in a particular community—another nice approach if you don’t want to write about culture or ethnicity. We all have unique things that we geek out over. This student expresses the joy that they derived from finding a community where they could express their love for the environment. Passion is fundamental to university life and generally finds its way into any successful application.

The essay finds strength in the fact that readers feel for the student. We get a little bit of backstory about where they come from and how they felt silenced— “Back home in my predominantly conservative suburb, my neighbors had brushed off environmental concerns” —so it’s easy to feel joy for them when they get set free and finally find their community.

This student displays clear values: community, ecoconsciousness, dedication, and compassion. An admissions officer who reads a diversity essay is looking for students with strong values who will enrich the university community with their unique perspective—that sounds just like this student!

One area of weakness in this essay is the introduction. The opening line— “I never understood the power of community until I left home to join seven strangers in the Ecuadorian rainforest” —is a bit clichéd. Introductions should be captivating and build excitement and suspense for what is to come. Simply telling the reader about how your experience made you understand the power of community reveals the main takeaway of your essay without the reader needing to go any further.

Instead of starting this essay with a summary of what the essay is about, the student should have made their hook part of the story. Whether that looks like them being exasperated with comments their classmates made about politics, or them looking around apprehensively at the seven strangers in their program as they all boarded their flight, the student should start off in the action.

India holds a permanent place in my heart and ears. Whenever I returned on a trip or vacation, I would show my grandmother how to play Monopoly and she would let me tie her sari. I would teach my grandfather English idioms—which he would repeat to random people and fishmongers on the streets—and he would teach me Telugu phrases.

It was a curious exchange of worlds that I am reminded of every time I listen to Indian music. It was these tunes that helped me reconnect with my heritage and ground my meandering identity. Indian music, unlike the stereotype I’d long been imbued with, was not just a one-and-done Bollywood dance number! Each region and language was like an island with its own unique sonic identity. I’m grateful for my discovery of Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, and Tamil tunes, for these discoveries have opened me up to the incredible smorgasbord of diversity, depth, and complexity within the subcontinent I was born in.

Here’s an entirely-different sonic identity for you: Texan slang. “Couldya pass the Mango seltzer, please, hon?” asked my Houstonian neighbor, Rae Ann—her syllables melding together like the sticky cake batter we were making.

Rae Ann and her twang were real curiosities to me. Once, she invited my family to a traditional Texan barbecue with the rest of our neighbors. As Hindus, we didn’t eat beef, so we showed up with chicken kebabs, instead. Rather than looking at us bizarrely, she gladly accepted the dish, lining it up beside grilled loins and hamburger patties.

Her gesture was a small but very well-accepted one and I quickly became convinced she was the human manifestation of “Southern hospitality”—something reflected in each of her viscous, honey-dripping phrases. “Watch out for the skeeters!” was an excellent example. It was always funny at first, but conveyed a simple message: We’ve got each other’s backs and together, we can overcome the blood-sucking mosquitoes of the Houstonian summer! I began to see how her words built bridges, not boundaries.

I believe that sounds—whether it’s music or accents—can make a difference in the ways we perceive and accept individuals from other backgrounds. But sound is about listening too. In Rice’s residential college, I would be the type of person to strike up a conversation with an international student and ask for one of their Airpods (you’d be surprised how many different genres and languages of music I’ve picked up in this way!).

As both an international student and Houstonian at heart, I hope to bridge the gap between Rice’s domestic and international populations. Whether it’s organizing cultural events or simply taking the time to get to know a student whose first language isn’t English, I look forward to listening to the stories that only a fellow wanderer can tell.

This essay does an excellent job of addressing two aspects of this student’s identity. Looking at diversity through sound is a very creative way to descriptively depict their Indian and Texan cultures. Essays are always more successful when they stimulate the senses, so framing the entire response around sound automatically opens the door for vivid imagery.

The quotes from this student’s quirky neighbor bring a sense of realism to the essay. We can feel ourselves at the barbecue and hear her thick Texan accent coming through. The way people communicate is a huge part of their culture and identity, so the way that this student perfectly captures the essence of their Texan identity with accented phrases is skillfully done.

This essay does such a great job of making the sounds of Texas jump off the page, so it is a bit disappointing that it wasn’t able to accomplish the same for India. The student describes the different Indian languages and music styles, but doesn’t bring them to life with quotes or onomatopoeia in the manner that they did for the sounds of Texas.

They could have described the buzz of the sitar or the lyrical pattern of the Telugu phrases their grandfather taught them. Telling us about the diversity of sounds in Indian music is fine, but if the reader can’t appreciate what those sounds resemble, it makes it harder to understand the Indian half of the author’s identity. Especially since this student emulated the sounds and essence of Texas so well, it’s important that India is given the same treatment so we can fully appreciate both sides of this essay.

More Supplemental Essay Tips

How to Write a Stellar “Why This College?” Essay + Examples

How to Write a Stellar Extracurricular Activity College Essay

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Article contents

Gender and cultural diversity in sport, exercise, and performance psychology.

  • Diane L. Gill Diane L. Gill University of North Carolina at Greensboro
  • https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190236557.013.148
  • Published online: 26 April 2017

Gender and cultural diversity are ever-present and powerful in sport, exercise, and performance settings. Our cultural identities affect our behaviors and interactions with others. As professionals, we must recognize and value cultural diversity. Gender and culture are best understood within a multicultural framework that recognizes multiple, intersecting identities; power relations; and the action for social justice. Physical activity participants are culturally diverse in many ways, but in other ways cultural groups are excluded from participation, and especially from power (e.g., leadership roles).

Sport, exercise, and performance psychology have barely begun to address cultural diversity, and the limited scholarship focuses on gender. Although the participation of girls and women has increased dramatically in recent years, stereotypes and media representations still convey the message that sport is a masculine activity. Stereotypes and social constraints are attached to other cultural groups, and those stereotypes affect behavior and opportunities. Race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and physical characteristics all limit opportunities in physical activity settings. People who are overweight or obese are particularly subject to bias and discrimination in sport and physical activity. Cultural competence, which refers to the ability to work effectively with people of a different culture, is essential for professionals in sport, exercise, and performance psychology. Not only is it important for individuals to develop their own cultural awareness, understanding, and skills, but we must advocate for inclusive excellence in our programs and organizations to expand our reach and promote physical activity for the health and well-being of all.

  • cultural competence
  • stereotypes
  • weight bias

Introduction

Cultural diversity is a hallmark of society and a powerful influence in sport, exercise, and performance psychology. Participants are diverse in many ways, and physical activity takes place in a culturally diverse world. People carry their gender and cultural identities everywhere. Importantly, culture affects our behaviors and interactions with others. Thus, it is essential that professionals recognize and value cultural diversity.

This article takes a broad view of culture, including gender and extending beyond race, ethnicity, and social class to include physicality (physical abilities and characteristics). The article begins with a guiding framework, then reviews scholarship on gender and culture, and concludes with guidelines for cultural competence.

Culture: Basics and a Guiding Framework

This first section draws from psychology and cultural studies to provide a guiding framework for understanding culture and moving toward cultural competence in professional practice. Culture , however, is complex and not easily defined. Narrow definitions emphasize ethnicity, but we will adopt the common practice and broaden the definition to shared values, beliefs, and practices of an identifiable group of people . Thus, culture includes gender as well as race and ethnicity, and extends to language, spirituality, sexuality, physicality, and so on. Multicultural psychology further emphasizes intersections of identities and the totality of cultural experiences and contexts, which leads to the guiding framework for this article.

Psychology, cultural studies, and related areas all emphasize multiple, intersecting cultural identities; highlight power relations; and call for social action and advocacy. First, we all have multiple, intersecting cultural identities . The mix of identities is unique to each person. For example, two young women may both identify as black, Christian women athletes. One may very strongly identify as a Christian athlete, whereas the other more strongly identifies as a black woman. Moreover, the salience of those identities may vary across contexts. For example, religious identity may be salient in family gatherings but not in athletics. Also, when you are the only person with your identity (e.g., the only girl on the youth baseball team, the only athlete in class), that aspect of your identity is more salient.

The second theme of our framework involves power relations . Culture is more than categories; culture is relational, and cultural relations involve power and privilege. That is, one group has privilege, and other groups are oppressed. Privilege refers to power or institutionalized advantage gained by virtue of valued social identities. Oppression refers to discrimination or systematic denial of resources to those with inferior or less valued identities. Given that we all have many cultural identities, most people have some identities that confer privilege and other identities that lead to oppression. If you are white, male, heterosexual, educated, or able-bodied, you have privilege in that identity; you are more likely to see people who look like you in positions of power and to see yourself in those roles. At the same time, you likely have other identities that lack privilege. Most of us find it easier to recognize our oppression and more difficult to recognize our own privilege.

Recognizing privilege is a key to understanding cultural relations, and that understanding leads to the third theme— action and advocacy . Action and advocacy calls for professionals to develop their own cultural competencies and to work for social justice in our programs and institutions.

Understanding cultural diversity and developing cultural competence is not easy. As well as recognizing multiple, intersecting cultural identities, power relations and action for social justice, sport, exercise, and performance psychologists also must retain concern for the individual. The importance of individualizing professional practice is rightfully emphasized. Cultural competence involves contextualizing professional practice and specifically recognizing cultural context. The ability to simultaneously recognize and consider both the individual and the cultural context is the essence of cultural competence.

Gender and Cultural Diversity in Sport and Physical Activity

Physical activity participants are diverse, but not as diverse as the broader population. Competitive athletics are particularly limited in terms of cultural diversity. School physical education and community sport programs may come closer to reflecting community diversity, but all sport and physical activities reflect cultural restrictions. Gender is a particularly visible cultural influence, often leading to restrictions in sport, exercise and performance settings.

In the United States, the 1972 passage of Title IX prohibiting sex discrimination in educational institutions marked the beginning of a move away from the early women’s physical education model toward the competitive women’s sport programs of today. Participation of girls and women in youth and college sport has exploded in the last generation, particularly in the United States and western European nations. Still, the numbers of female and male participants are not equal. Sabo and Veliz ( 2012 ), in a nationwide study of U.S. high schools, found that overall boys have more sport opportunities than girls, and furthermore, progress toward gender equity, which had advanced prior to 2000 , had reversed since then, resulting in a wider gender gap. Following a 2013 conference in Europe ( http://ec.europa.eu/sport/news/2014/gender_equality_sport_en.htm ), a group of experts developed the report: Gender Equality in Sport: Proposal for Strategic Actions 2014–2020 ( http://ec.europa.eu/sport/events/2013/documents/20131203-gender/final-proposal-1802_en.pdf ).

In considering cultural diversity, it is important to go beyond participation numbers to consider power and privilege. Richard Lapchick’s Racial and Gender Report Card shows racial and gender inequities with little progress. For example, the 2015 report card (Lapchick, 2015 ) indicates that African Americans are slightly overrepresented in U.S. Division I athletics, but other racial and ethnic minorities are very underrepresented (see more statistics and reports at the Institute for Diversity and Ethnics in Sport website: www.tidesport.org ). Reports also show clear power relations. Before Title IX ( 1972 ), more than 90 percent of women’s athletic teams in the United States were coached by women and had a woman athletic director. Today less than half of women’s teams are coached by women (Acosta & Carpenter, 2014 ). White men dominate coaching, even of women’s teams, and administration remains solidly white male. The 2015 racial report card indicated that whites hold 90 percent of the athletic director positions, and less than 10 percent are women.

Although data are limited, the international coaching trends are similar (Norman, 2008 ) and suggest even fewer women coaches at the youth level than at the collegiate and elite levels (Messner, 2009 ). The 2012 London Olympics showcased women athletes and also demonstrated intersecting cultural relations. The United States sent more female than male athletes to London, but women were vastly underrepresented in several delegations; coaching positions are heavily dominated by men, and Olympic officials are not as diverse as the athletes.

Considering exercise, recreation, and the wider range of activities, we see more diversity, but all physical activity is limited by gender, race, socioeconomic status, and especially physical attributes. Lox, Martin Ginis, and Petruzzello ( 2014 ) summarized research and large national surveys on physical activity trends from several countries, predominantly in North America and Europe, noting that evidence continues to show that physical activity decreases across the adult life span, with men more active than women, while racial and ethnic minorities and low-income groups are less active. Physical activity drops dramatically during adolescence, more so for girls than boys, and especially for racial or ethnic minorities and lower income girls (Kimm et al., 2002 ; Pate, Dowda, O’Neill, & Ward, 2007 ).

The World Health Organization (WHO, 2014 ) identifies physical inactivity as a global health problem, noting that about 31 percent of adults are insufficiently active. Inactivity rates are higher in the Americas and Eastern Mediterranean and lowest in Southeast Asia, and men are more active than women in all regions. Abrasi ( 2014 ) reviewed research on barriers to physical activity with women from unrepresented countries, as well as immigrants and underrepresented minorities in North America and Europe. Social responsibilities (e.g., childcare, household work), cultural beliefs, lack of social support, social isolation, lack of culturally appropriate facilities, and unsafe neighborhoods were leading sociocultural barriers to physical activity. Observing others in the family or neighborhood participating had a positive influence.

Despite the clear influence of gender and culture on physical activity behavior, sport, exercise and performance psychology has been slow to recognize cultural diversity. Over 25 years ago, Duda and Allison ( 1990 ) called attention to the lack of research on race and ethnicity, reporting that less than 4 percent of published papers considered race or ethnicity, and most of those were sample descriptions. In an update, Ram, Starek, and Johnson ( 2004 ) reviewed sport and exercise psychology journal articles between 1987 and 2000 for both race and ethnicity and sexual orientation content. They confirmed the persistent void in the scholarly literature, finding only 20 percent of the articles referred to race/ethnicity and 1.2 percent to sexual orientation. Again, most were sample descriptions, and Ram et al. concluded that there is no systematic attempt to include the experiences of marginalized groups.

Considering that conference programs might be more inclusive than publications, Kamphoff, Gill, Araki, and Hammond ( 2010 ) surveyed the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) conference program abstracts from the first conference in 1986 to 2007 . Only about 10 percent addressed cultural diversity, and most of those focused on gender differences. Almost no abstracts addressed race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, social class, physical disabilities, or any other cultural diversity issue.

Just as publications and conference programs reflect little diversity, our journal editorial boards and professional organizations have been dominated by men, with few women leaders until very recently. The International Society of Sport Psychology (ISSP), which was the first organization founded in 1965 , had all men presidents for over 25 years. AASP began in 1985 with John Silva as president, followed by seven male presidents before Jean Williams became president in 1993 . Similarly, APA Division 47 (Exercise & Sport Psychology) had all male presidents from 1986 until Diane Gill became president more than 10 years later. Nearly all of those presidents have been North American or European and white.

An additional consideration is that our major journals have little international reach. Papaioannou, Machaira, and Theano ( 2013 ) found that the vast majority (82 percent) of articles over 5 years in six major journals were from English-speaking countries, and the continents of Asia, Africa, and South America combined had less than 4 percent. Papaionnau et al. noted a high correlation between continents’ representation on editorial boards and publications, suggesting possible systematic errors or bias in the review process.

The International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology (IJSEP) recently (Schinke, Papaioannou, & Schack, 2016 ) addressed this issue with a special issue on sport psychology in emerging countries. Sørensen, Maro, and Roberts ( 2016 ) reported on gender differences in an HIV/AIDS education intervention through soccer in Tanzania. The program is community-based and delivered by young peer coaches. Their findings highlight cultural intersections and the importance of considering gender along with local culture in programs. Other articles in that special issue report on Botswana’s active sport psychology in both educational programs and with national teams (Tshube & Hanrahan, 2016 ), and the established and continuing sport psychology in Brazil, which includes major research programs on physical activity and well-being as well as applied sport psychology (Serra de Queiroz, Fogaça, Hanrahan, & Zizzi, 2016 ).

Gender Scholarship in Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology

In reviewing the scholarship on cultural diversity, we first focus on gender, which is especially prominent in sport and physical activity, and thus, particularly relevant for sport, exercise, and performance psychology. Gender scholarship in psychology has shifted from early research on sex differences to more current social perspectives emphasizing intersecting identities and cultural relations.

Sex Differences

In their classic review of the early psychology research on sex differences, Maccoby and Jacklin ( 1974 ) concluded that few conclusions could be drawn from the literature on sex differences. Ashmore ( 1990 ) later concluded that average differences are elusive, and the evidence does not support biological dichotomous sex-linked connections. More recent reviews confirm those conclusions.

Hyde ( 2005 ) reviewed 46 meta-analyses of the extensive literature on sex differences and concluded that results support the gender similarities hypothesis. That is, males and females are more alike than different on psychological variables, and overstated claims of gender differences cause harm and limit opportunities. Zell, Krizan, and Teeter ( 2015 ) used metasynthesis to evaluate the many meta-analyses on sex differences. They found that the vast majority of differences were small and constant across age, culture, and generations, and concluded that the findings provide compelling support for the gender similarities hypothesis.

Social Perspectives and Stereotypes

Today, most psychologists look beyond the male–female dichotomy to social-cognitive models and cultural relations. As sociologist Bernard ( 1981 ) proposed over 30 years ago, the social worlds for females and males are different even when they appear similar. Today, the social worlds are still not the same for girls and boys in youth sport, male and female elite athletes, or women and men in exercise programs.

Gender stereotypes are particularly pervasive in sport and physical activity. Metheny ( 1965 ) identified gender stereotypes in her classic analysis, concluding that it was not appropriate for women to engage in activities involving bodily contact, force, or endurance. Despite women’s increased participation, those gender stereotypes persist 50 years later. Continuing research (e.g., Hardin & Greer, 2009 ; Riemer & Visio, 2003 ) confirms that expressive activities (e.g., dancing, gymnastics) are seen as feminine; combative, contact sports as masculine; and other activities (e.g., tennis, swimming) as neutral.

Sport studies scholars have continued that research, with emphasis on sport media. Early research (e.g., Messner, Duncan, & Jensen, 1993 ) showed that female athletes receive much less and different coverage, with the emphasis on athletic ability and accomplishments for men and on femininity and physical attractiveness for women. Despite the increased participation of girls and women at all levels, the media coverage has not changed much. In the most recent update of a 25-year longitudinal study, Cooky, Messner, and Musto ( 2015 ) found televised coverage of women’s sport “dismally low” with no progress. Media representations are a major source of stereotypes, and evidence indicates that all forms of the media send the message that sport is for men.

Stereotypes are a concern because we act on them, restricting opportunities for everyone. Fredericks and Eccles ( 2004 , 2005 ) found that parents held gender-stereotyped beliefs and provided more opportunities and encouragement for sons than for daughters. Chalabaev, Sarrazin, and Fontayne ( 2009 ) found that stereotype endorsement (girls perform poorly in soccer) negatively predicted girls’ performance, with perceived ability mediating the relationship.

Chalabaev, Sarrazin, Fontayne, Boiche, and Clément-Guillotin ( 2013 ) reviewed the literature on gender stereotypes and physical activity, confirming the persistent gender stereotypes in sport and the influence of stereotypes on participation and performance. They further suggested that stereotypes may influence participation and behavior even if they are not internalized and believed. We know the stereotypes, and when situations call attention to the stereotype (e.g., there are only three girls on the co-ed team), it is especially likely to affect us. Beilock, Jellison, Rydell, McConnell, and Carr ( 2006 ) showed that telling male golfers the females performance better on a golf-putting task decreased their performance, and a follow-up study (Stone & McWhinnie, 2008 ) found females similarly susceptible to stereotype threat.

Gender and Physical Self-Perceptions . As part of Eccles’s continuing developmental research on gender and achievement, Eccles and Harrold ( 1991 ) confirmed that gender influences children’s sport achievement perceptions and behaviors and that these gender differences reflect gender-role socialization. Gender differences are larger in sport than in other domains, and as Eccles and Harold noted, even in sport the perceived gender differences are much larger than actual gender differences in sport-related skills.

Considerable research also shows that self-perceptions affect sport and physical activity behavior. For example, Jensen and Steele ( 2009 ) found that girls who experienced weight criticism and body dissatisfaction engaged in less vigorous physical activity. No similar results were found for boys, and so the researchers concluded that body dissatisfaction is important in girls’ physical activity. Slater and Tiggemann ( 2011 ) looked at gender differences in teasing, body self-perceptions, and physical activity with a large sample of adolescents and concluded that teasing and body image concerns may contribute to girls’ lower rates of participation in physical activity.

Physical activity also has the potential to enhance girls’ and women’s physical self-perceptions and activity. Several studies (e.g., Craft, Pfeiffer, & Pivarnik, 2003 ) confirm that exercise programs can enhance self-perceptions, and Hausenblas and Fallon’s ( 2006 ) meta-analysis found that physical activity leads to improved body image. Greenleaf, Boyer, and Petrie ( 2009 ) looked at the relationship of high school sport participation to psychological well-being and physical activity in college women. They found that body image, physical competence, and instrumentality mediated the relationship for both activity and well-being, suggesting that benefits accrue as a result of more positive self-perceptions.

Related research suggests that sport and physical activity programs can foster positive youth development, particularly for girls. A report for the Women’s Sports Foundation— Her Life Depends on It III (Staurowsky et al., 2015 )—updated previous reports and confirmed that physical activity helps girls and women lead healthy, strong, and fulfilled lives. That report, which reviewed over 1500 studies, documented the important role of physical activity in reducing the risk of major health issues (e.g., cancer, coronary heart disease, dementias) as well as depression, substance abuse, and sexual victimization. The report further concluded that all girls and women are shortchanged in realizing the benefits of physical activity and that females of color or with disabilities face even greater barriers.

Sexuality and Sexual Prejudice

Sexuality and sexual orientation are often linked with gender, but biological sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation are not necessarily related. Furthermore, male–female biological sex and homosexual–heterosexual orientations are not the clear, dichotomous categories that we often assume them to be. Individuals’ gender identities and sexual orientations are varied and not necessarily linked. Gender identity is one’s internal sense of being male or female. For transgender people, gender identity is not consistent with their biological sex (Krane & Mann, 2014 ).

Sexual orientation refers to one’s sexual or emotional attraction to others and is typically classified as heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual. Herek ( 2000 ) suggests that sexual prejudice is the more appropriate term for discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, but related scholarship typically refers to homophobia . As Krane and Mann ( 2014 ) point out, heterosexism , which refers to privilege of heterosexual people, is common in sport—we assume people are heterosexual, and we discriminate against those who do not fit heterosexist stereotypes. Also, we clearly discriminate on the basis of gender identity against transgender people.

Messner ( 2002 ) argues that homophobia leads boys and men to conform to a narrow definition of masculinity and bonds men together as superior to women. We expect to see men, but not women, take active, dominant roles expected of athletes. Despite the visibility of a few prominent gay and lesbian athletes and the very recent expansion of civil rights, sexual prejudice persists. Anderson ( 2011 ) suggests that men, and particularly gay men, have more latitude in sports today, but sport is still a space of restricted masculinity and sexual prejudice.

The limited data-based research confirms that sport is a hostile climate for lesbian/gay/bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. In one of the few empirical studies, Morrow and Gill ( 2003 ) reported that both physical education teachers and students witnessed high levels of homophobic and heterosexist behaviors in public schools. Gill, Morrow, Collins, Lucey, and Schultz ( 2006 ) subsequently examined attitudes toward racial and ethnic minorities, older adults, people with disabilities, and sexual minorities. Overall, attitudes were markedly more negative for both gay men and lesbians than for other minority groups, with males especially negative toward gay men. Vikki Krane ( 2001 ) (Barber & Krane, 2005 ; Krane & Barber, 2003 ; Krane & Mann, 2014 ; Krane & Symons, 2014 ) have done much of the related work in sport and exercise psychology, and that research indicates that sexual prejudice is common in sport at all levels. Most of that research is from North America and Europe, but hostile climates have been reported around the world. For example, Shang and Gill ( 2012 ) found the climate in Taiwan athletics hostile for those with nonconventional gender identity or sexual orientation, particularly for male athletes.

In a review of research on LGBT issues in sport psychology, Krane, Waldron, Kauer, and Semerjian ( 2010 ) found no articles focused on transgender athletes. Lucas-Carr and Krane ( 2011 ) noted that transgender athletes are largely hidden. Hargie, Mitchell, and Somerville ( 2015 ) interviewed 10 transgender athletes and found common themes of intimidation, alienation, fear of public spaces, and overall effects of being deprived of the social, health, and well-being aspects of sport. As Lucas-Carr and Krane concluded, creation of safe and compassionate sport settings for all athletes, including trans athletes, is an ethical responsibility. On a promising note, Krane and Symons ( 2014 ) described several programs that promote inclusive sport climates, including Fair go, sport! an Australian social inclusion project focusing on gender and sexual diversity.

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment, which has clear gender and sexuality connotations, has received considerable attention in psychology (e.g., Koss, 1990 ). Kari Fasting and Celia Brackenridge have led much of the related research and programs on sexual harassment in sport. The related scholarship indicates that the sport climate fosters sexual harassment and abuse; that young, elite female athletes are particularly vulnerable; that neither athletes nor coaches have education or training about the issues; and that both research and professional development are needed in sport and exercise psychology to address the issues (Brackenridge, 2001 ; Brackenridge & Fasting, 2002 ; Fasting, Brackenridge, & Sundgot-Borgen, 2004 ; Fasting, Brackenridge, & Walseth, 2007 ). That research comes from several European countries and Australia. Rodriguez and Gill ( 2011 ) subsequently reported similar findings with former Puerto Rican women athletes.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC, 2007 ) recognizes the problem and defines sexual harassment as “behavior towards an individual or group that involves sexualized verbal, non-verbal or physical behavior, whether intended or unintended, legal or illegal, that is based on an abuse of power and trust and that is considered by the victim or a bystander to be unwanted or coerced” (p. 3). Fasting ( 2015 ) recently reviewed the research and suggested building on the recent policies of major organizations such as the IOC to curb harassment, as well as continued research to advance systematic knowledge.

Race, Ethnicity, and Social Class

Race and ethnicity are just as salient as gender in sport and physical activity but have largely been ignored in our literature. As noted in the earlier section on gender and cultural diversity in sport and exercise psychology, there is a striking void in our journals on race and ethnicity, and virtually no research has been published on social class in sport, exercise, and performance psychology.

Although race and ethnicity are often conflated, they are not the same, and race is not a clear, biologically determined category. As Markus ( 2008 ) argued, race and ethnicity are not objective, identifying characteristics, but the meanings that we associate with those characteristics carry power or privilege. The psychology scholarship on race and ethnicity most relevant to sport, exercise, and performance psychology involves health disparities and stereotypes.

Race, Ethnicity, and Health Disparities

Health disparities are well documented, showing that racial and ethnic minorities and low-income people receive suboptimal health care (see 2011 National Health Quality and Disparities Reports; available at www.ahrq.gov ). Health disparities are relevant to sport, exercise, and performance psychology in that physical activity is a key health behavior.

Few studies have looked at race and ethnicity or social class disparities in relation to sport and physical activity. Heesch, Brown, and Blanton ( 2000 ) examined exercise barriers with a large sample of women over age 40, including African American, Hispanic, Native American, and white women. They found several common barriers, but they also reported variations by racial and ethnic group, and cautioned that their results and specific community needs precluded definitive guidelines for interventions. Crespo ( 2005 ) outlined the cultural barriers to physical activity for minority populations, including those with lower socioeconomic status, and called for professionals to consider unique needs and cultural constraints when giving advice on exercise. Ethnicity and social class are particularly relevant when considering migrant and refugee populations in Western countries. For example, Frisby ( 2011 ) interviewed Chinese immigrant women in Canada to better understand barriers and guidance for promising inclusion practices in sport and recreation. Promising practices included promoting citizen engagement, working from a broader social ecological framework, improving access policies, and fostering community partnerships to facilitate cross-cultural connections.

Stereotypes and Stereotype Threat

Steele’s ( 1997 ; Steele, Spencer, & Aronson, 2002 ) extensive research on stereotype threat , which is the fear of confirming negative stereotypes, has been extended to sport. Steele’s research indicates that stereotype threat particularly affects those minority group members who have abilities and are motivated to succeed. Steele also suggests that simple manipulations (e.g., telling students test scores are not related to race) can negate the effects. Beilock and McConnell ( 2004 ) reviewed the stereotype threat in sport literature, concluding that negative stereotypes are common in sport and lead to performance decrements, especially when the performers are capable and motivated.

Racial and ethnic stereotypes are well documented. For example, Devine and Baker ( 1991 ) found that the terms unintelligent and ostentatious were associated with black athlete , and Krueger ( 1996 ) found that both black and white participants perceived black men to be more athletic than white men. Johnson, Hallinan, and Westerfield ( 1999 ) asked participants to rate attributes of success in photos of black, white, Hispanic, and composite male athletes. Success for the black athlete was attributed to innate abilities, but the white athlete’s success was reported to come from hard work and leadership ability. Interestingly, no stereotyping was evident for the Hispanic athlete.

More important, these stereotypes affect behavior. When Stone, Perry, and Darley ( 1997 ) had people listen to a college basketball game and evaluate players, they found that both white and black students rated black players as more athletic and white players as having more basketball intelligence. Stone, Lynch, Sjomeling, and Darley ( 1999 ) found that black participants performed worse on a golf task when told the test was of sport intelligence, whereas white participants performed worse when told the test was of natural ability.

Although much of the work on stereotype threat involves race and ethnicity, gender and athlete stereotype threat effects have also been found. Heidrich and Chiviacowsky ( 2015 ) found that female participants in the stereotype threat condition (they were told women do worse than men) had lower self-efficacy and performed worse on a soccer task than those in the nonstereotype threat condition. Feltz, Schneider, Hwang, and Skogsberg ( 2013 ) found that student-athletes perceive stereotype threat in the classroom, and those with higher athletic identity perceived more threat. They also found that perceived coach’s regard for their academic ability affected athletes’ susceptibility and could serve as a buffer to stereotype threat.

Physicality and Weight Bias

Sport, exercise, and performance are physical activities, and thus physical characteristics are prominent. Moreover, opportunity is limited by physical abilities, skills, size, fitness, and appearance. Exclusion on the basis of physicality is nearly universal in sport and physical activity, and this exclusion is a public health and social justice issue.

Physical Abilities and Disabilities . Rimmer ( 2005 ) notes that people with physical disabilities are one of the most inactive segments of the population, and argues that organizational policies, discrimination, and social attitudes are the real barriers. Gill, Morrow, Collins, Lucey, and Schultz ( 2010 ) examined the climate for minority groups (racial and ethnic minorities, LGB people, older adults, and people with disabilities) in organized sport, exercise, and recreational settings. Notably, the climate was rated as most exclusionary for people with disabilities.

Semerjian ( 2010 ), one of the few scholars who has addressed disability issues in sport and exercise psychology, highlights the larger cultural context as well as the intersections of race, gender, and class with physicality. Physical skill, strength, and fitness, or more correctly, the lack of skill, strength, and fitness, are key sources of restrictions and overt discrimination in sport and exercise. Physical size, particularly obesity, is a prominent source of social stigma, and weight bias is a particular concern.

Obesity and Weight Bias

Considerable research (e.g., Brownell, 2010 ; Puhl & Heuer, 2011 ) has documented clear and consistent stigmatization and discrimination of the obese in employment, education, and health care. Obese individuals are targets for teasing, more likely to engage in unhealthy eating behaviors, and less likely to engage in physical activity (Faith, Leone, Ayers, Heo, & Pietrobelli, 2002 ; Puhl & Wharton, 2007 ; Storch et al., 2007 ). Check the Rudd Center website ( www.uconnruddcenter.org ) for resources and information on weight bias in health and educational settings.

Weight discrimination is associated with stress and negative health outcomes. Sutin, Stephan, and Terracciano ( 2015 ), using data from two large U.S. national studies, found that weight discrimination was associated with increased mortality risk and that the association was stronger than that between mortality and other forms of discrimination. Vartanian and Novak ( 2011 ) found experiences with weight stigma had negative impact on body satisfaction and self-esteem, and importantly, weight stigma was related to avoidance of exercise.

Exercise and sport science students and professionals are just as likely as others to hold negative stereotypes. Chambliss, Finley, and Blair ( 2004 ) found a strong anti-fat bias among exercise science students, and Greenleaf and Weiller ( 2005 ) found that physical education teachers held anti-fat bias and believed obese people were responsible for their obesity. O’Brien, Hunter, and Banks ( 2007 ) found that physical education students had greater anti-fat bias than students in other health areas, and also had higher bias at year 3 than at year 1; this finding suggests that their bias was not countered in their pre-professional programs. Robertson and Vohora ( 2008 ) found a strong anti-fat bias among fitness professionals and regular exercisers in England. Donaghue and Allen ( 2016 ) found that personal trainers recognized that their clients had unrealistic weight goals but still focused on diet and exercise to reach goals.

Weight Stigma and Health Promotion

Anti-fat bias and weight discrimination among professionals has important implications for physical activity and health promotion programs. Thomas, Lewis, Hyde, Castle, and Komesaroff ( 2010 ) conducted in-depth interviews with 142 obese adults in Australia about interventions for obesity. Participants supported interventions that were nonjudgmental and empowering, whereas interventions that were stigmatizing or blamed and shamed individuals for being overweight were not viewed as effective. They called for interventions that supported and empowered individuals to improve their lifestyle. Hoyt, Burnette, and Auster-Gussman ( 2014 ) reported that the “obesity as disease” message may help people feel more positive about their bodies, but they are less likely to engage in health-promoting behaviors. More positive approaches that take the emphasis off weight and highlight health gains are more promising.

Cultural Competence

Cultural competence, which refers to the ability to work effectively with people who are of a different culture, takes cultural diversity directly into professional practice. Culturally competent professionals act to empower participants, challenge restrictions, and advocate for social justice.

Cultural Sport and Exercise Psychology

A few dedicated scholars have called for a cultural sport psychology in line with our guiding framework (e.g., Fisher, Butryn, & Roper, 2003 ; Ryba & Wright, 2005 ). Schinke and Hanrahan’s ( 2009 ) Cultural Sport Psychology , and Ryba, Schinke, and Tenenbaum’s ( 2010 ) The Cultural Turn in Sport Psychology , brought together much of the initial scholarship. Special issues devoted to cultural sport psychology were published in the International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology (Ryba & Schinke, 2009 ) and the Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology special issue (Schinke & Moore, 2011 ). These works provide a base and call for cultural competence and social justice.

Cultural Competence for Professionals

Cultural competence is a required professional competency in psychology and many health professions, and is essential for anyone working with others, including sport, exercise, and performance psychology professionals. Cultural competence includes understanding and action, at both the individual and organizational level.

Most psychology resources follow Sue’s ( 2006 ) model of cultural competence with three key components: awareness of one’s own cultural values and biases, understanding of other worldviews, and development of culturally appropriate skills . In line with Sue’s model, the American Psychological Association (APA) developed the APA ( 2003 ) multicultural guidelines that call for psychologists to develop awareness of their own cultural attitudes and beliefs, understanding of other cultural perspectives, and culturally relevant skills. Furthermore, the guidelines call for action at the organizational level for social justice.

The ISSP developed a position stand (Ryba, Stambulova, Si, & Schinke, 2013 ) that describes three major areas of cultural competence: cultural awareness and reflexivity , culturally competent communication , and culturally competent interventions . Awareness and reflectivity refers to recognition of between- and within-culture variations as well as reflection on both the client and one’s own cultural background. Culturally competent communication involves meaningful dialogue and shared language. Culturally competent interventions recognize culture while avoiding stereotyping, take an idiosyncratic approach, and stand for social justice.

Cultural Competence and Inclusive Excellence

Cultural competence extends beyond individual competencies to all levels, including instruction, program development, hiring practices, and organizational policies and procedures. The APA multicultural guidelines call for professionals to recognize and value cultural diversity, continually seek to develop their multicultural knowledge and skills, translate those understandings into practice, and extend their efforts to advocacy by promoting organizational change and social justice. Cultural competence at the individual level is a professional responsibility. Inclusive excellence moves cultural competence to the institutional level. That is, we work for changes in organizations and policies that make our programs accessible and welcoming for diverse people. Taking inclusive excellence into sport, exercise, and performance psychology calls for recognizing and valuing diversity and social justice as goals that will enhance our programs and institutions, as well as bring the benefits of physical activity to participants. Therefore, we work not only to develop our individual cultural competencies, but also to effect change at the institutional level to ensure that our programs are inclusive and excellent.

Gender and culture are highly visible and influential in sport, exercise, and performance settings. Gender, race, ethnicity, social class, and physical characteristics often limit opportunities, sometimes through segregation and discrimination, but often through perceptions and stereotype influence. Sport, exercise, and performance psychology research confirms the influence of culture and offers explanations, but sport, exercise and performance psychology has made little progress in promoting cultural competence and social justice.

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  1. Gender Diversity Importance: [Essay Example], 610 words

    Finally, gender diversity is important for the improvement of social and economic outcomes. When individuals of all genders are given equal opportunities to participate in the workforce, pursue education, and engage in leadership roles, the overall productivity and success of society are enhanced.

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    Keep the focus on you. Tell a story about how your background, identity, or experience has impacted you. While you can briefly mention another person's experience to provide context, be sure to keep the essay focused on you. Admissions officers are mostly interested in learning about your lived experience, not anyone else's.

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    supporting diversity - including gender diversity - and foster environments that transcend traditional gender norms that keep both men and women from realising their potential. Creating conditions for fair and equitable workplaces requires committed leadership, but employees, staff associations and unions have a role to play too. At a

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    Gender diversity is also about creating a safe, inclusive culture for all employees—regardless of their gender identity. This includes: ‍. Eliminating gender bias and/or unconscious bias in your organization's systems, processes, practices, and policies (for example, hiring practices and compensation structures) Taking a zero-tolerance ...

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    2014: Promoting gender diversity in the Gulf. 2013: Gender diversity in top management. 2012: Women Matter: Making the breakthrough. 2011: Unlocking the full potential of women at work. 2010: Women at the top of corporations. 2009: Woman leaders in and after the crisis. 2008: Female leadership. 2007: Gender diversity, a corporate performance driver

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    A new global analysis of progress on gender equality and women's rights shows women and girls remain disproportionately affected by the socioeconomic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, struggling with disproportionately high job and livelihood losses, education disruptions and increased burdens of unpaid care work. Women's health services, poorly funded even before the pandemic, faced ...

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    Gender Diversity Case Study. Introduction Diversity can be defined as the differences among the people working in the same workplace. Those differences can be related to gender, race, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, culture or personalities. Managing diversity within organisation is about 'recognising this range of differences ...

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    Gender should be perceived as a social construction that focuses primarily on expression and identity. People who were born with female sex and identify as women are cisgender, while those who have differences on the mentioned points are transgender. At the same time, some people identify as queer, which means that they do not follow only male ...

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    Essay on Gender Diversity in the Workplace. 1456 Words 6 Pages. In a world that has grown increasingly smaller due to mass media, world travel, and readily available information, the workplace has grown increasingly diverse in both gender and cultural aspects. Individuals no longer live and work within the confines of their geographic locations.

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    Considering Gender Diversity in Science. Gender diversity is used to describe gender identities that demonstrate a diversity of expression beyond the binary framework. It calls for the equal acknowledgement of and respect for individuals across a spectrum of gender identities. People who respect gender diversity, respect the choices others make ...

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    Gender diversity is an umbrella term that is used to describe gender identities that demonstrate a diversity of expression beyond the binary framework. For many gender diverse people, the concept of binary gender - having to choose to express yourself as male or female - is constraining. Some people would prefer to have the freedom to ...

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    5 Essays About Diversity. Many see "diversity" as an empty buzzword. It's only empty when it isn't truly engaged with. In basic terms, diversity encompasses traits that make people unique from one another. This includes race, ethnicity, language, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, and more. A "diverse" environment is one ...

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    What's Covered: How to Write the Diversity Essay After the End of Affirmative Action. Essay #1: Jewish Identity. Essay #2: Being Bangladeshi-American. Essay #3: Marvel vs DC. Essay #4: Leadership as a First-Gen American. Essay #5: Protecting the Earth. Essay #6: Music and Accents. Where to Get Your Diversity Essays Edited.

  17. Opinion: Gender diversity leads to better science

    Gender diversity may also spark new discoveries by broadening the viewpoints, questions, and areas addressed by researchers. ... systematic qualitative analysis of hundreds of autobiographical essays written by academic scholars in psychology, psychiatry, the life-sciences, engineering, and physics suggest that in fields where women have ...

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    Recent discoveries in team science also highlight the importance of gender diversity for effectively using the expertise of each team member. Following 60 interdisciplinary teams of more than 500 scientists and engineers across a variety of disciplines, Aparna Joshi shows that women more often than men accurately recognize the expertise of fellow team members.

  19. Gender and Cultural Diversity in Sport, Exercise, and Performance

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    Essay On Gender Diversity. According to en.wikipedia.org, "Gender Diversity is a term referring to how different genders are represented in a relevant setting. Primarily this term is often used to refer to females and males, though in some contexts and research the term may also refer to those who fall into non-binary categories of gender ".