"Diversity movement is powerful", writes Mathew Townsend.
As an advocate for Sustainable Development and Diversity Inclusion I find the more diversity in campaign events is more powerful than single identity in the group's demographics.
People who are identified with different sexuality, gender, disability, cultural backgrounds, and etc being involved in mainstream complex of campaign movement deemed to be more powerful than the single identity movement. Let me say an example of this; identity politics or authoritarian states are 'single-identities' who are stereotyped as 'white', 'Christian' and thereafter. This type of movement is focused on conservative values and single-entity approaches such as people involved in one same thing, same type of activity without needing support.
The diversity movements such as Mardi Gras involves mainstream movement of accepting homosexuality, asexuality, bisexuality, transgender and queer communities. This movement do classe as single identity movement, but the movement has grew in past twenty years inviting other people of different identities to support the cause. This is called solidarity. People with different identities were invited and joined the movement to support on others, as well with other identities such as people with disabilities are also 'come out of the closet'. Acceptance of same-sex marriage equality on the rise due to empowering movement of diversity involves in the campaigns.
This is best example globally what and why the movement is so powerful. It is so convincing. Speaking of women's rights movement is another example of empowering movement. Solidarity is a platform of powerful campaign movements. It reduces stigma, discrimination, naive and bigotry attitudes within the society and their communities. In result it reduces assumption proving that it is not a 'single' identity influence. It is all about togetherness, understanding of their own rights, serve protection of other identities and respect.
Multiculturalism is a global movement of accepting cultures altogether. This is most powerful movement in the world, but it have more challenges compared to same-sex marriage equality and women's rights. The underrepresented and overlooked diversity movement such as disability/mental health rights movement, poverty/homeless people and indigenous rights. These three campaign awareness are the most stigmatised and marginalised of all movements in the world.
It is so interesting from my perspective that communication barriers becomes a major factor on overlooked right movements. Indigenous, homeless and disability requires more communication efforts than other rights, or they deemed to be shadowed by mainstream movements. Communication as being an advocate is so challenging, especially if you are on your own or live in oppressive society. Mainstream campaign movements, from my perspective such as same-sex marriage equality, women's rights and multiculturalism are easy to deal with communication because they already have support and solidarity.
When comes to politics and government/community organisation it is very challenging to be inclusive for underrepresented and overlooked diversity campaigns especially the indigenous and disabilities. This is because it requires more communication. In my experience, in politics it requires more efforts from me to speak about my disability rights because the members of the political party do not have solidarity in same way as they support the other rights, hence the mainstream rights. It is very challenging for me because it is stressful and requires so much time to establish opportunities to get support and understanding.
I highly encourage our campaign movements that I mentioned all should be inclusive and convincing to empower other people with different identities to create opportunities to build solidarity. Diversity movement within mainstream campaigns is a win-win strategy because it have higher attention, reducing stigma and assumptions of the cause. Climate change movement is slowly building diversity but at times accessibility can be a problem for underrepresented identities. Voting will be more powerful if your party involves complex of identities because it raises confidence of people with similar identities from the communities.
