Evaluate your class experience in Diverse Population. Evaluate your professor

As a future educator, I found that Diverse Population course has prepared me well with what I will face in the classroom. This course has left no room to think about how to adapt to classroom cultural, but to take action on how to deal with the diversity in the classroom. I have learned about diversity in ways I have never thought about. For example, I have learned the understanding root of transsexuality; I had always categorized them to be homosexuals, I also learned how to deal with insensitivity to physical, racial, or ethnic differences. I found myself transforming to this new knowledge, becoming more multicultural aware.

The subject materials was very informational, I can see that whatever information was taught would be very useful in my field of study. Professor Mcnair is very knowledgeable on the topics covered in the class. He has opened my eyes to many of the topics covered. The reflection was a great tool to understand the subject matters more clearly. Class participation was beneficial; having us to read aloud the reading assignment was only preparing us on how to speak in front of a classroom of students. Professor Mcnair uses of examples of personal experience in Nigeria help to get the points across, especially on the topic of intercultural competence.

I did find that we had a lot of work to cover in only just six week. But everything was adequately covered. The use of technology (Live text) enhanced learning in the classroom, which only prepares me for what to come later on as an instructor. I did also find the course assignment interesting and stimulating. Professor Mcnair treats me with respect and made me feel comfortable about asking question on subject matter.

Before taking this class I had asks numerous students about this class as well as about Professor Mcnair and pretty much they would discourage me not to take him. But what I realize was these were students who were not up for challenging work. I have no regret taking this class with Professor Mcnair and I found that I will be well prepared on what to expect to be a great educator.

What do you understand intersexuality and transexuality to be.

Intersexuality is how a person is from birth, meaning that they can be born with a male and female sex organ at the same time given them the term of a true hermaphrodites. Unlike transsexuals an individual is born with the gender identity disorder, believing that they are disconnect with the biological sex organ and therefore is in the wrong body. This means that their brain function as one gender and their body trapped in the opposite sex. I was unaware that the term for gender and sex was not interchangeable. The term for gender is more an identity and sex is a physical form.

Transsexual is sometimes confused with homosexuality. Transsexual cross-dress, which develops the term transvestite. A homosexual person does not need to cross-dress and is very much comfortable with their appearance and the love and affection for the same sex. Sometimes, both groups do alter their features by taken hormonal drugs to fully transform their physical characteristics. But a transsexual has a brain that operates opposite to their physical sex. It is believe that a transsexual is born with hormones that got affected when the mother is stress and researches are still trying to prove this. How true this is I don’t know.

Intersexuality is described as a person who was born with genitalia that is neither male nor female. Activist groups and task force groups are trying to not let the government do genital surgery without the approval consent of the adults. I can understand that when a mother has her child at the hospital, right there and then she would like to identify the sex of the child. This cause parents who have encounter a child with intersex to be confused and uncomfortable. Parents have to be very careful in the decision they make to “quick fix” their child, which may lead to scaring the child mentally. Medical intervention should be prevented at this time, and more focus on the parents’ emotions on how to get through the early stages of their child lives.

Overall parents need to know that their child does not have some genitalia disease, they just need to calm down and get to know their new born. Explore options to conquer feelings of shame, confusion, fear, and grief. Look to support groups with similar problems and express these emotions.

What do you think to be the cause of homosexuality?

My understanding is that homosexuals are consenting adults that have a right to do whatever they want in the privacy of their own home. All homosexuals wish is to be integrated into society and treated simply as “person” as equals- not as odd, but as different , not in a “sympathetic” manner, but in a fair and civil manner.

I guess the cause of homosexuality is whatever that individual tag themselves as and also who they are sexually attracted to. My only thing is with being heterosexual; a person is able to reproduce unlike a homosexual. All I am saying is; we need to stop judging someone base their sexual orientation. We need to not just ignore the biological importance of a heterosexual, but that homosexuals play a very important part in our society. Think about all the children who need to be adopted, and be a home where someone can give them love. So what, if they have a same sex mom or dad, is it not the welfare of the child the most important thing.

Religion is should not be sexually specific. I strongly believe, let God be the judge for our decision. I was raise to believe that a man and a woman suppose to be together. How did homosexuality came about? Maybe it is for reducing the overpopulation, or everyone is possessed with the devil. There is one thing we all are born with, and that is “free will”. Christianity is supposed to be about love and acceptance, but yet some Christians are the biggest hypocrite. What about the homosexuals who believe in God? Are they also sinful and is going to hell? Once again, let God be the judge. There are some churches that believe that homosexuality is not inherently sinful practice, while others are debating this issue.

In conclusion, my view on homosexuality has not change, I still believe that a man and a woman should be together, but then again that is my preference. I have nothing against homosexuality; they are here on Earth for a purpose. Regardless of what self definition a person structure their beliefs, it is for us human to treat everyone fairly, with respect and understanding. We need not to fear, because sometimes those fears we have can lead to hatred and discrimination. A homosexual person just wants to be treated equally and fairly, and not be judge for their sexual preference.

"Tale of Two Islands"

The Tale of Two Islands, what a double standard? Here we have two countries that are trying to flee their country for political and economic reason, and the United States is trying to justify a reason as to who have the right to enter this country. If you ask me I think both countries should get the right to stay here.

There were a time Cuba and Haiti both had the same policy to enter the United States under President Carter’s Administration during the Boat lift, but so much revision has been made since then. OK, so they say that the only way the Cubans has entry into the United States is if it is political. Well, it is said that when the Soviet Union, who subsidized Cuba fell apart, Cuba’s economy worsened and poverty quickly spread. The point I am trying to make is, in Haiti they too have poverty and is trying to flee to the U.S for a better life. Why then is it that the Haitians do not get the same treatment. Cuban immigrant makes it to the U.S and they receive asylum, unlike the Haitians who does not.

I think for many the main motivation for leaving Cuba is economic and not political. I don’t dispute that it is a despotic regime that does not have the interests of the people at heart but I think more people are motivated by economics rather than politics. The United States only takes political refugees from enemy states, but it will not take economic refugee. But economic reason is why many people leave their country. The people who flee Cuba do so, because they too want a better life, better housing. Political refugees are people who are usually well educated.

The wet foot/dry foot policy was created to allow Cubans who touch American soil, dry foot to have right to an Asylum, but found at sea you are wet foot and are sent back to Cuba. Bottom line I really think that any Haitians that fleeing their country should have the right to Asylum also. I know that there are many other countries in the Caribbean that goes through poverty, but they have rich soil to cultivate a farm for survival, unlike Haiti they are losing homes to recent floods, and have to cut down trees and other resources to build back their homes which are not sturdy, but just hoping that another hurricane does not cross their path.

Race and Racism

What I have learned about race and racism is that prejudice is mare ignorance and fear to another race, but when the government gets involved to mediate between two cultures of different race then it becomes racism. One thing I believe is that there is only one race, and that race is the human race. So I can’t understand what is all this about different races. So what if we are all different shades, different hair types, different eyes color, short, tall, and husky. The cool thing is that under one race, which of course is the human race comes diversity. I guess these indifferences make us unique and interesting.

Race was more or less created to separate the uniqueness among us. How else would we be able to understand the history and culture on each of the continents? The way we were divided in the Land before Time is a form of identity. Just imagine if we didn’t categorize what we are, are where we are from. For example, The United States is on one of the continent that is very much diverse. For every other person we come across, they are not from North America and this is where this individual can educate us from where they are from and teach us about there culture and customs.

Racism is when we are uninformed about the different culture that surrounds us. Hate and ignorance is built around the fact that this individual does not share the same values and customs. Maybe their practice of religion is not like ours, but so what? It is amazing that we are all alike to some extent. We all might not share the same values and practice the same religion, but isn’t the similarity that we all believe in something. Who are any of us to judge another person and tell them that their belief is not correct or right? There are so many people in history who have paved the way for us to stop racism. They have given up their lives; stand for what they believe is right, just so we all can come together peacefully.

In conclusion, race overall has nothing to do with culture, because you can be black and is considered a Hispanic such as the Dominicans or Cubans. To my understanding race is just a biological trait, which if one does not understand someone beings, it can create racism.

Holocaust, what do you think about people who say it didn't happen.

The Holocaust, how can some people say that this did not happen over the time of history? If is one thing anyone would need is, proof. Well, there is more than enough proof to this horrific era. Some of the biggest proof of this gruesome era of time are history books that are written , survivor who have lived to tell the story, or the survivor who have been brandied with numbers in their wrist are some of the few proofs.

What really bother me is that how can someone do such crime on another human. How can so many people be so brain washed and not do anything about it? This went on for twelve years, one minute too long, to continue with this crime. These are human being who were burned, suffocated, beheaded, mutilated and put into gas chambers as if they were not put here on earth for a purpose, which is to live a LIFE. The people who don’t want to believe it happen are either Nazi sympathizers, which are nothing but pea brained or the Germans who just won’t believe that their own cultures are capable of such horrific terror on a human. The Germans at that time wanted to wipe the race of all Jews, and anyone who wasn’t full blooded Germans clean off the face of this planet, which is impossible. Did they really think that they could have created a race just all by themselves to rule or take over the Earth, or so they think, what IDIOTS?

I am so mad and sadden at the same time; I know it wasn’t just the Germans in history who were against all Semitic people. The French and English were against them, and also there was the First Crusade of 1096, which inspired the outbreak of ant- Semitism. The other countries that were against the Jews weren’t as harsh and inhumane towards them. What boggles my mind was how can someone deliberately carried out such act of mass killing to oust out a group of people because of there religion, ethnic, and cultural background.

In conclusion, I can’t see how anyone cannot believe that this had ever happen. This was a horrible thing to have happen and I believe that everyone should be educated on the Holocaust, so history doesn’t repeat itself. Even though this happen almost sixty years ago to the Jews, we have to ensure that genocide would never occur again to the Jews or any other ethnic, religious, and cultural group.

Describe the differences between Cultural Chauvinism, Cultural Pride and Cultural degradation?

Before I discuss the differences between cultural chauvinism, cultural pride, and cultural degradation, let’s look at their similarity. They are similar, because all three are a fundamental element of a society which falls under ethnocentrism. These three examples, feel that in their culture they are superior in their own way or making false assumptions about other’s ways based on their own limited experience. The difference with cultural degradation is that an individual feel that their race, sex, religion, and gender makes them inferior due to their unique practice and customs. They attempt to minimize contact with the out-group. They also sometimes become very hostile towards the “in-group” who discriminate against them for their indifferences like defending themselves against cultural chauvinism. Cultural chauvinism one of the extreme of the two; here an individual do not treat other ethnic group who ever they may be as equals. They oppressed them by acts of omission and by their policy and practice. For example, the Europeans brag about superiority of their culture against the mixing culture of the United States, the United States multicultural only makes it more globally and cooperative with other countries around the world. Cultural chauvinism also shows insensitivity towards other cultures by using racist jokes, hate and violence. Cultural pride, individuals from certain group/ culture has solidarity, they are proud of their race, religion, gender, and customs. Self-esteem and group identity are important and bring about positive attitudes on culture that are oppressed. Culture relativity which has cultural pride, believes that all cultures are worthy in their own right and are of equal value. Also in cultural relativity they see nothing wrong with any cultural expression and holds that “good” means what is socially approved by the majority in a given culture. I think some of us possessed a little of the three cultural definition given. Some of us do believe that what ever group we are a part of is superior to any other group. Sometimes we become very hostile towards other group if that group offends our beliefs and values. Finally some of us view that all beliefs, customs, and ethics are relative to our own social context, which means that no one has the right to judge anyone.