Introduction to GBA Plus
Individual assumptions affect public policy
Here is a short exercise to help you reflect on some of your own intersecting factors and assumptions.
Note: Intersecting factors include ethnicity, race, religion, age, disability, gender, geography, culture, income, sexual orientation, education, sex and language.
- My family is ____ to me
- extremely similar
- very similar
- moderately similar
- slightly similar
- not at all similar
- My close friends are ____ to me
- extremely similar
- very similar
- moderately similar
- slightly similar
- not at all similar
- My colleagues are ____ to me
- extremely similar
- very similar
- moderately similar
- slightly similar
- not at all similar
- My supervisor is ____ to me
- extremely similar
- very similar
- moderately similar
- slightly similar
- not at all similar
- My neighbours are ____ to me
- extremely similar
- very similar
- moderately similar
- slightly similar
- not at all similar
Consider: How might the intersecting aspects of my own identity and experience of diversity influence my assumptions?
How might the intersecting aspects of my own identity and experience of diversity influence my assumptions?
When I look at this exercise, I realize that I’m almost always surrounded by people like me. I may forget about different types of experiences as a result.
- I notice that I’m accustomed to being a minority in some way or another. I may assume that everyone knows what it is like to be a minority.
- There are certain types of diversity in my department, but not others. I may therefore consider some aspects of diversity, but make assumptions or be blind to others.