IN SPITE of its allegedly inspirational and hopeful rhetoric, Evan Shields' Sept. 1 column "Hoos Included?" left me feeling uneasy. At a university that claims to champion individuality, it strikes me as strange that an article about so-called "inclusion" would categorize the complex individuals who make up our stellar student body by race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or any such grouping.
While classifications of this variety may look good on political platforms and allow us all to appear to be truly "P.C.," they have a reductive effect on human beings. When we focus on these categories, multifaceted people become only so good as the boxes they can mark in the "diversity" section of standardized tests and job applications.
Furthermore, even in obtaining educational or occupational benefits from their respective categories, the group members in question bear the burdens of their races, ethnicities, sexualities or the like. Rather than expecting unique and valuable voices from these accomplished human beings, the powers that be come to anticipate a "black" voice, or a "queer" voice, or something of this variety.
I consider myself a gay male, but I refuse to watch passively as the occupants of positions of authority reduce me to the status of merely a queer individual. When I apply for clubs, schools and jobs, I expect and hope that I will be considered for my qualifications, my credentials, my style of communication and my individual perspectives. Frankly, if any of the groups or jobs in question were to take me on largely for my sexual orientation, I would be offended and outraged. Sure, it would be done in the name of supposed "inclusion," and the group in question would claim that it had a lot to gain from a "gay perspective," but none of that would reconcile the situation for me. I urge all groups to accept new members not on the basis of broadly categorized "diverse perspectives," but rather on that of powerful individual voices and qualities.
In his piece, Shields claims to look beyond mere diversity and to embrace "inclusion" instead. As far as his advice for recruitment policies goes, I support his view wholeheartedly. Organizations on Grounds have an obligation to spread the word about their efforts and concerns to as many individuals as possible, and I think diversity and inclusion in that regard are a blessing.
When Shields proceeds to suggest, however, that these organizations make sure to bring in diverse or, in his words, "inclusive" perspectives beyond the point of recruitment, I diverge from him slightly.
I sincerely believe that even without quotas or diversity initiatives, virtually every organization on Grounds would include an ethnically, racially and sexually diverse population of students. Hordes of superb students attend the University, and scores of individuals from every background fit into this elite group of academic and extracurricular achievers.
Unfortunately, in pursuing policies even remotely based in categorization or affirmative action, organizations undermine the accomplishments of the many magnificent students who would so readily succeed without any sort of so-called "help." Just as diversity for diversity's sake seems silly in this age of progress, inclusion for inclusion's sake comes across as an unfortunate tool for stripping our students of their individuality and personal power. A world in which we all could be taken and considered on our own terms, rather than on those of our assigned "group," would be ideal indeed.
Conor Sheehey is a second-year College student.
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