Can We Really Be “Happy Together”?
OHF Newsletter, Vol 1 No 16
There are 7.5 billion people on the planet and no two are exactly alike, but despite our differences in appearance, we are remarkably similar. According to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, all human DNA is 99.9% alike.
There’s a group of people who can’t quite wrap their brains around the notion that not everyone has to, is going to, or even want to look or live as they do. Thankfully, there’s an available salve for their wounds: inclusion.
Inclusion is not stooping beneath one’s imagined level of self-importance to bestow some poor schlub the honor of existing. That’s not inclusion. That, my friend, is condescension masquerading as tolerance.
There are a hundred ways to Sunday that we deny one another inclusion; be it in professional or social interactions. And there are at least two hundred ways, we thinly veil our discomfort with people who are not a member of our tribe and signal in no uncertain terms they are not welcome.
You, with the phone in your hand. Was that a “No me,” I heard? Don’t even try it. We’ve all done it. We all do it. We’ve all had it done to us. And no doubt, we recognize it when we see it perpetrated against others.
Practicing inclusion is not rocket science.
It begins with accepting the fact that you and yours aren’t the winners of the gene pool lottery, nor are you living the gold standard of the human experience. Inclusion is the simple decision to bring someone into your group who otherwise might not live the same experience as you and grant them access.
Better yet, an inclusive worldview is consciously choosing to dial down your own bias about people you don’t know and going out on that proverbial limb and making yourself available to learn about an “other” as an individual and their customs as opposed viewing them as a representative of some well-worn stereotype.
In essence, inclusiveness recognizes the inherent humanity in others and extends the same care and respect you would want if you were the only minority in a room full of people who were different from you.
I’m a firm believer that we all have the same basic longings: to be accepted, understood, and loved. One effective means of learning that while not everyone experiences the world in the same way, we are more alike than we are unalike is sharing our stories. Since hosting several of you for an evening of sparkling conversation over good food and drink isn’t an option, I have to resort to Plan B: publishing stories that readers would otherwise miss. In doing so, I hope to facilitate greater understanding that while not everyone experiences the world the same way, we are more alike than we are unalike.
August Writing Prompt
For August, Our Human Family turns its editorial spotlight to the subject of inclusion. Over the past three months, we’ve published stories about different types of relationships people have with their mothers; featured articles about aspects of life as an LGBT person, parent, ally, and advocacy; shared essays about fatherhood as looked at through the lens of equality; and showcased articles about how facets of freedom are manifested in 21st century America.
Now we’d like to hear from you. What memories do you have of being included? When have you been the one to roll out the red carpet for someone?
We solicit you for your stories not to exploit your pain or the pain of others, but so that others might gain a better understanding of how all this affects people. Sharing personal stories can be hard work, but that’s how we change the world.
We’re looking for nonfiction essays relating to the concept of inclusion as viewed through the lens of equality in the following areas:
- Culture — stories of inclusion as related to literary, performing, and visual arts (a Misty Copeland or similar story would be amazing)
- Dialogue — any theories on how people make the jump from exclusion to inclusion? I’ve got some ideas of my own, but I’d like to read your theories on the subject. Is it even possible? What have been the inhibitors and catalysts for you in moving beyond stereotypic impressions to getting to know someone of a different ethnicity?
- Faith — the pews in American church reflect racial exclusivity, given the political climate today, many congregations are becoming more and more racially monochromatic. The way I understand things (according to my Christian worldview), in the afterlife people of all nations will live together, not all of one particular ethnicity. If that’s the case, it’s a good idea to practice now; eternity is a long time. Ever taken the time to get to know someone of a different religion (not a denomination)? What was that like? What were the circumstances that put you and someone else in the position where you had to get to know one another?
- Family — anyone ever had to include someone of another ethnicity into their family due to an interracial marriage? Any stories out of there of marrying into the family of another ethnicity? Adoptions?
- History — recount documented, historic instances of the struggle for racial inclusion, and shed a new light on the matter.
- LGBT — yes, we published several stories on LGBT Pride as well as stories about the experience of coming out, but now we’d like to hear stories about LGBT people inclusion post-coming out within a family setting or a larger community. Have LGBT People reached full inclusion in society?
- Law & Policy — the practices (not personalities) that impact achieving equality
- Personalities — are there people in your life who exemplify inclusion; are there people you know who’ve modeled that principle in your life?
- Science/Medicine — this one’s wide open; but surely there are factors in science and medicine that impact equality
- Sports — in a very public way sports made the jump to racial inclusion decades ago; if there are people involved in the sports industry who have firsthand stories to share about inclusion, let’s hear them.
- and if you have another aspect you’d like to add to the mix, let us know.
We want to hear from you. Our mission is to help people move away from a racist world view and closer to one that’s more inclusive. And one way we can do that is by exposing our readers to the different ways people view and experience the world.
Submission Process
If you’re already a writer for OHF, you know the drill. First-time OHF writers, everything you need to know can be found in our Submission Guidelines.
How We Talk
Remember, OHF isn’t ranty, whiny, or accusatory in addressing issues. This publication strives to offer thoughtful reviews and well-measured options for handling situations. We always strive to tuck positive messages into our essays, and in doing so offer readers hope.
If it’s been a while since you read our articles, check Our Human Family, bat some ideas around, and drop us a line at info@ourhumanfamily.org. We’d love to hear from you. And while you’re at it make sure to hit that follow button on our landing page!
Talk to Us
OHF writers write for you, our readers, and we welcome the opportunity to dialogue with you. Medium provides three means of interacting with writers on the platform: highlights, claps, and comments. Take a moment to share your thoughts via one or several of these options.
OHF Elsewhere
Don’t have a Medium membership? Running low on your allotted stories for the month? We’ve got you covered. All OHF stories are accessible on Medium, Twitter, and Facebook via friend links. And of course, you can always reach us via those accounts.
Clay Rivers
Our Human Family, Founder and Editorial Director
