Reflective Journal on Diversity, Assimilation, and Social Dynamics

This reflective journal delves into the complexities of diversity, assimilation, and the experiences of marginalized groups, particularly the LGBT community. It examines how societal norms and dominant cultures influence the 'in' and 'out' group dynamics, leading to assimilation as a means of gaining acceptance. The journal discusses the impacts of cultural assimilation, the suppression of identity, and the vulnerabilities of the LGBT community. It highlights the need for understanding gender identities, sexual orientation, and the psychological disruptions faced by marginalized individuals. The author emphasizes the importance of empathy, deconstructing dominant beliefs, and ethical considerations when engaging with personal narratives and research within the LGBT community. The reflective journal references several academic sources that explore these themes, including the impact of gender fluidity, intragroup marginalization, and the importance of knowledge for practice with LGBT people.

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Reflective Journal
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The article provide a keen understanding on diversity and the subtle power equation
involved in the ‘in’ and ‘out’ group’. Disenfranchised and marginalized group who are both
in an explicit and implicit manner placed as this criteria of “out groups”. In this context, the
paper makes concise theories related to diversification, acculturation and assimilation that
aliens and separates an individual based on their cultural traits and symbols from the
dominant or prevalent society. Society develops a stereotyped frame of mind towards group
of individual and creates an image or concept about the person either consciously or
unconsciously in his mind. According to me this is the most subtle form of subjugation of the
minor community or “other” is by denying their existence by unacknowledging their beliefs
and practices that has taken roots in many communities across different countries (Ferenczi
and Marshall 2016). This denial ultimately leads to the minorities in accommodating
themselves within the dominant culture, in order to gain acceptance and approval. In this
respect it is fundamental to take into consideration the African-American culture where the
enslaved Africans ultimately assimilated themselves in to the dominant culture to give birth
to a new identity of themselves which accepted the taste and fashion of dominant culture of
the land they were an essential part of. It is in this way that the paper proves how every minor
culture needs acceptance from the dominating one and therefore need to comply with and
infuse it with the ways and beliefs in order to achieve a sense of attainment and fulfillment
(Ungar 2015). The paper argues for the compulsory assimilation of individuals with the larger
section of the society, which oftentimes acts as a precondition to gain access to jobs and
education as well as incorporation into main stream society. The paper in this way draws
quite an interesting syllogism between assimilation and in groups where gaining importance
becomes a priority for gaining mass acceptance and avoiding marginalization. Cultural
assimilation which is none other than an aspect of discrimination and diversity which requires
the individual to letting go of his/her native culture and incorporating dominant tropes of the

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other culture (Ungar 2015). According to me, in a diversified world this phenomenon results
in a changed way of perceiving one’s own identity, participation in the civic institutions,
observing dominant religious practices. Therefore the dynamic model of assimilation paves
the way for broadening perspectives and habits but however such an activity can hardly
eradicate the age-old practice of stereotyping, attaching racist notions and identities and
discrimination. For instance the strong presence of discrimination is strongly felt in
workplace, encounter with laws and regulations, racist projection of images at media and
corporate world. Presence of a coherent structure of the paper helps in the development of the
conclusion that assimilation is better than acculturation which makes alienates them , lowers
self-esteem, limits social interaction, period of uncertainties and identity crisis amongst the
individuals. From the paper, one can easily agree to the bottom line that the core foundation
of diversified community is based on amalgamation of dominant cultural practices rather than
slashing away one’s core cultural components and beliefs in order to make room for a
“melting pot” of cultures.
The paper explores the suppressed identity, notions and vulnerability of the
homosexual people excavating their narrative of torture and violence in a largely homocentric
society as well as prioritizes on the importance of interaction between social worker and
LGBT. In my opinion, the paper proves a valid point in reinforcing that a personal narrative
will be an effective in eradicating the myths associated with homosexual relationships.
However in the paper, there is a sheer lack of concepts and theories that are intricate to
understanding the entire social construct of gender identities and sexual orientation has been
omitted, which is essential in deconstructing the entire theory of LGBT. Therefore it can be
asserted that the paper in itself somewhat gives a very prejudiced reading by making the
readers passively accept the dominant ideologies that marginalizes one section of the
community from the other.

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Behavioral aspects of the LGBT community has been also enumerated in the paper
however, very little has been detailed in the section of psychological disruptions that may
occur as a result of life-long marginalization and unresponsiveness from society, friends and
family that a number of homosexual people have to go through. Understanding their conflict
that they confront, burden of taboo that society imposes on them is necessary while
attempting an understanding of their lacks and needs from the society.
The paper (Mallo 2017) argues about knowledge for Practice with LGBT People is
inadequate reading on what quintessentially differentiates sexual orientation of a homosexual
person from heterosexual. Understanding the circumstances that have compelled them into
making decisions is an essential part of seeking understanding of LGBT. Some of the
essential theories that form a core foundation towards understanding homosexuality and
gender like gender fluidity, non-conformation. Some of the dominant post-modernist
discourses like drag queens and their persistent presence against the backdrop of a
heteronormative society where sexual orientation is purely based on clothing and preferences
of the individuals (Ewing and Taylor 2018). In practical life, any individual who has no prior
knowledge of the kaleidoscopic view of gender, their conception in society and the enormity
of role that it has in assessing an individual, will never to be able to successfully accomplish a
better understanding of LGBT community than his/her counterparts. The paper is relevant in
stating that identity formation within the client belonging from LGBT community is pre-
requisite for empathizing with the person and develop a mind-frame going beyond the
stereotypical images and conceptions that usually surrounds the LGBT community (Forester
2015). Explicit suggestions have not been made yet regarding the consciousness that every
individual must building in establishing an understanding. An ideological approach is
necessary in deconstructing the dominant beliefs as well as works of some of the stalwarts
like Kate Millet and Peter Ackroyd. However, attention should be spared that people are

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conducting the interviews based on ethical means and information should never be misused
for perpetuating their vulnerability or commercial purposes.

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Reference List:
Ewing, K.P. and Taylor, B.B., 2018. The Ungendered Self: Sex Reassignment, the Third
Gender, and Gender Fluidity in India. In Political Sentiments and Social Movements (pp.
175-204). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Ferenczi, N. and Marshall, T.C., 2016. Meeting the expectations of your heritage culture:
Links between attachment orientations, intragroup marginalization and psychological
adjustment. Journal of social and personal relationships, 33(1), pp.101-121.
Forester, J., 2015. “You Better Werk, Hunty”: Transformations in drag queen culture in
central Kansas.
Kane, M.D. and Ayers, M., 2016. LGBT Activism in North America. The Wiley Blackwell
Encyclopedia of Gender and Sexuality Studies.
Mallon, G.P., 2017. Knowledge for practice with LGBT people. In Social Work Practice with
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People (pp. 1-18). Routledge.
Parker, S., 2016. Gender Fluidity. In Ethical Ripples of Creativity and Innovation (pp. 165-
173). Palgrave Macmillan, London.
Ungar, M., 2015. Resilience and culture: The diversity of protective processes and positive
adaptation. In Youth resilience and culture (pp. 37-48). Springer, Dordrecht.
Williams, W.W., 2018. The equality crisis: Some reflections on culture, courts, and feminism
[1982]. In Feminist legal theory(pp. 13-34). Routledge.