Being culturally sensitive means having the capacity to function effectively in other cultures. It is valuing and respecting
diversity and being sensitive to cultural differences.
It is important to remember that every individual, regardless of appearance, has a rich cultural identity that defines them based on their unique experiences. It is important to recognize that an individual’s cultural identity might contain contradictory, multi-faceted and often-changing elements.
We must accept that as humans we all hold perceptions about different cultures and that these perceptions may be inaccurate due to cultural misinformation. This misinformation generally comes from historical information about a group of people that is applied as a generalization to an individual. It involves stereotyping or associating a set of attributes to a group and then applying them to an individual believed to be part of that group. When we do this we limit what we can see and understand about the individual and it can be often used to justify mistreatment of that individual.
Cultural identities are individual and complex, AND cultural commonalities do exist. BUT they are often over-simplified, and assumed where they may not exist, or overlooked when they may actually be there. The consequences of assumptions can be serious and rooted in unequal power and privilege.
Life Coaching can help us become aware of our biases, prejudices and knowledge about the person with whom we are interacting. It can help us be aware of our assumptions, challenge those assumptions, recognize appropriate language, and become sensitive to the power and privilege our culture affords us so that we can avoid the imposition of those values.
Culture stems from shared experiences or commonalities that have developed and continue to evolve in relation to changing social and political contexts, based on:
It is important to remember that every individual, regardless of appearance, has a rich cultural identity that defines them based on their unique experiences. It is important to recognize that an individual’s cultural identity might contain contradictory, multi-faceted and often-changing elements.
We must accept that as humans we all hold perceptions about different cultures and that these perceptions may be inaccurate due to cultural misinformation. This misinformation generally comes from historical information about a group of people that is applied as a generalization to an individual. It involves stereotyping or associating a set of attributes to a group and then applying them to an individual believed to be part of that group. When we do this we limit what we can see and understand about the individual and it can be often used to justify mistreatment of that individual.
Cultural identities are individual and complex, AND cultural commonalities do exist. BUT they are often over-simplified, and assumed where they may not exist, or overlooked when they may actually be there. The consequences of assumptions can be serious and rooted in unequal power and privilege.
Life Coaching can help us become aware of our biases, prejudices and knowledge about the person with whom we are interacting. It can help us be aware of our assumptions, challenge those assumptions, recognize appropriate language, and become sensitive to the power and privilege our culture affords us so that we can avoid the imposition of those values.
Culture stems from shared experiences or commonalities that have developed and continue to evolve in relation to changing social and political contexts, based on:
Cultural Sensitivity Program
• Age
• Social class
• Disability status
• Immigration status
• Education
• Geographic location
• Social class
• Disability status
• Immigration status
• Education
• Geographic location
• Race
• Ethnicity
• National origin
• Sexuality
• Gender
• Religion
• Ethnicity
• National origin
• Sexuality
• Gender
• Religion
• Rural, urban, suburban
• Time, or
• Other axis of identification within the historical context of oppression
• Time, or
• Other axis of identification within the historical context of oppression