Safe Space Analysis: Cultural Intelligence - Case Study Example

Safe Space Report- Cultural Intelligence Name Institution Table of contents 1. Tittle page ………………………………………………………………1 2. Table of contents………………………………………………………..2 3. Introduction……………………………………………………………3 1.1 Background……………………………………………………3 1.2 Scope……………………………………………………………..3 1.3 Aim……………………………………………………….............3 1. Summary………………………………………………………………3 2. Review of Literature……………………………………………………….4 3. Observations/Analysis of video………………………………………..5 4. Discussion………………………………………………………………….5 5. Recommendations…………………………………………………………..6 6. Conclusions………………………………………………………………….7 7. References …………………………………………………………………8 1. Introduction 1.1. Back ground The world has been a theatre where people are assigned or assign to themselves attributes which form a basis for marginalization. A lot of places have been marked by stigmatization of people who have peculiar or unwanted features or characteristics that the rest are not accustomed to. This has been at the work place, social and even learning institutions. 1.2. Scope It is on the basis of this that groups have been advocating for the creation of a safe space for people of all manner of attributes without exposing them to violence or sensitivities. This paper discusses the extent to which safe space has been or not been realized in different settings. By using episodes in a film called “Standing on Ceremony” that explains the safety of gays in America, it will explore how the society is still a distance in achieving a safer space. 1.3. Aim The aim of this is to paint a clear picture of how equity needs to be advocated for by assessing the current situation of equity and equality of different sections of society. 2. Summary of Scene in the Film “Standing on Ceremony” Standing on Ceremony is a film that focuses on gays in an illusionary way. It stands to appraise same-sex marriages as a way of demonstrating defiance to anti-gay laws. However, its plot and monologues demonstrate the violence that gays undergo especially when they contemplate marriage. The scene where a man (Joe) is eulogizing his dead partner is done in a comic style but shows how laws did not allow them to marry even when they were in a relationship for long. The man gives reasons why they did not marry which reveals that those who were gays could not at first freely tie the knot. He throws himself into nostalgia in a way to suggest that the gay rights have come too late for many would-have-been same sex marriages. They had met in college and chosen to double-date ladies and dumped them. They had feelings for each and when they had been in a relationship for six years, Joe proposed for marriage and his fiancée replied, “If we married now, we’d be having our one-year anniversary next year. What would that say about the last 45 years? That we were just messing around?” He mentions that if they had been married they would have celebrated their one-year anniversary the following year. It is now legal for same sex partners to marry though, bringing in some idea of the gains realized by activists who advocated for the rights of gays. Nevertheless, gays continue to encounter stigma. 3. Summary of Literature Safe space has been a subject of cultural and political debate in the past couple of decades. Safe space is a term that describes people who do not manifest stigma or marginalization for people of certain tribes, sex, religion or ethnic group. In America, it describes a person who or educator who is intolerant of the stigma and marginalization showed to lesbians, gays, bisexuals, or trans-sexual (LGBT). Such a person treats all people equally and accepts them as human beings in their own right (Sloan 1998). Cultural intelligence is a key way for helping in the creation of safe space. This entails the ability of individuals to articulate their values and what they stand for especially in a setting where cultural differences influence how one is treated or addressed (Earley & Ang 2003). This needs a group that feels is suffering from cultural sidelining to engage in collaborative action to break free from marginalization ( Livermore 2009). This also goes hand in hand with cultural self awareness. This aims at ensuring that a certain culture fights its way to recognition. This has been witnessed through organized protests against the stigma extended towards certain ethnic groups like Africans and black Americans. The gays and lesbians in America are responsible for the rise of safe space. They had suffered a lot of violation and dissenting treatment (Sloan 1998). They were perceived as being perverted. This phobia for homosexuals was manifested at the work place, recreational places and in the trains. This made them to believe that there only places were in the clubs and bars where they met some welcome. This was the genesis of the safe space idea which has swept across the world. All ethnicities need to be allowed to exercise their uniqueness. No people or groups of people should encounter victimization for being who they are. 4. Analysis of video This film is an expression of the efforts realized so far in the direction of fighting homophobia. The very act of it being written, practiced, rehearsed and taken to the stage demonstrates that no culture or group of people suffering victimization should yield. Standing on Ceremony is a film with a motive of celebrating gay marriage. It paints gay marriage just as normal a marriage as that between heterosexuals. The acting of the movie in this manner, energy and boldness is a manifestation of cultural self awareness. This is because gays demonstrate that they are part of this world and hence are here to be counted. This movie came in the wake of the passing of same-sex marriage rights in 2011 and hence its production was timely. Watching this film gives the feeling that being gay is only different but not bad. The way in which the lesbians in the movie develop cold feet to make up their minds to marry due to societal stigmatization reflects a society that excludes some as being devils. They fear that getting married will deny them freedom and ensnare them to other sensitivities by non-gays. They also fear that their way of relating with non-gays will change if it gets public. 5. Discussion The cited seen demonstrates cultural intelligence by the man who stands firm to tell the world that he is gay and has no regrets whatsoever. The world has been undergoing change from the ancient times when people lived isolated from each other on the basis of differences in language or culture. Those were the days when people viewed in light of the slightest differences that could isolate them from the rest (Lum 2011). This is not supposed to be the case in this day and age when globalization is taking root. The end of totalitarianism to give way for an era for human rights has come with a change of the attitudes people hold about others. This has meant that recognition of all human beings as legitimate citizens of the world are taking has to take position. Safe space an effort to ensure that all humans are treated with the respect they deserve. The essence of his is to ensure that all of the various people who practice different cultures have the freedom to do so without meeting injunctions. Besides, no people should be exposed to exclusion as a result of practicing unaccustomed behaviors. The dynamics of society excuses them from the harsh judgment of those who perceive others as being deviant. Safe space also advances the notion that there is no standard culture that can be used as a scale against which other cultures are rated for their goodness. The film defiantly demonstrates homophobia is just a way of regulating the nature of others for no better reasons other than mere blackmail. With safe space, an environment that ensures every one’s freedom to express their beliefs is guaranteed. Further laws that are developed and legislation should target protecting the welfare of every person irrespective of their faith, religion, age or other attributes. The way to achieve this space is through collective efforts by marginalized groups (Earley & Ang 2003). Additionally, it is the responsibility of every individual to ensure that they participate in the creation of a safer space for the comfort of others. They should therefore shun from any defamatory talk or oppressive actions against others. 6. Recommendations In the case of gays who agitating for space and tolerance from their heterosexual counterparts, they should involve in actions that boldly compel the existence of homosexuals. This is by ensuring that they continuously keep their advocacy for recognition live as a way of keeping the cultural self awareness blazing (Tully 200). In the universities, advocacy organizations should be formed that focus more on making homosexuals acceptable members of the society. By homosexuals finding a comfortable place in the community, they will practice their nature in a more inclusive way without invoking tension due to critical eyes. Homosexuals are also supposed to come out of the closet and admit to their nature. Those who are in this group and keep hiding it or shy from articulating it are the ones who promote unsafe space. This is by engaging in self isolation by keeping off from the rest. The homosexuals should admit to heterosexuals that they are who they are and appeal for acceptance (Tully 2000). This is because they work with heterosexuals in the same place and hence being secretive does not help them in achieving freedom of exercising their peculiarity. Work place welfare organizations or groups should include homosexuals, and lesbians without showing them that they are not normal. They should also be delegated responsibilities just as the others. The film presents an example of how people should come out with all potential to let people see that they are different. Blacks should not appeal for acceptance by bleaching their skin complexion but instead should ensure they speak until they are admitted as humans as others. Safe space is a responsibility of the student, employee, teacher or policeman as all humans have an attribute than can ensnare them to repudiation or rejection. There is also a need to adhere to the basic principles of democracy and human rights. This is by according others the right to believe, to choose a religion or to exercise a faith (Lum 2011). Such a fact should be enshrined in the laws and statutes of countries. This will ensure that all human beings play by the same rules. A section of the public should not be left to public onslaught of their nature and at the mercy of others. This inhibits the very reason for the existence of democratic institutions such as parliament by not safeguarding citizens from uninformed attitudes. The efforts have to be multilateral from all sectors. This is from schools, industries, banks, churches, universities and governmental departments. The world is not a reserve for a certain material of people and not others. 7. Conclusion Safe space is still a long way from realizing its objectives. Standing on Ceremony showed how the gays have been experiencing stigmatization for being peculiar. It also showed that by expressing cultural intelligence, people can claim dignity from their oppressors. Gains are already being realized with the passing of same-sex marriage rights which still meet many challenges in finding implementation. Safe space can be realized by means of engaging in collaborative actions that bring all interest agencies and groups together to press for respect for diversity. The unsafe groups have the greatest responsibility in this cause. 8. Reference Earley, P. C., & Ang, S. (2003). Cultural intelligence: Individual interactions across cultures. Stanford, Calif: Stanford Business Books. Livermore, D. A. (2009). Cultural intelligence: Improving your CQ to engage our multicultural world. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Academic. Sloan, L. M. (1998). Violence and social injustice against lesbian, gay and bisexual people. New York [u.a.: Haworth Press. Tully, C. T. (2000). Lesbians, gays, & the empowerment perspective. New York: Columbia University Press. Lum, D. (2011). Culturally competent practice: A framework for understanding diverse groups and justice issues. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. Read More