>> ... yeah, something quite similar to Zipper's experience recently happened to two of my coworkers. <<
That sucks. >_<
>> Gotta think about how to push back and boost up my folks... <<
Effective responses depend on the context. Some possibilities:
* When you hear things like that, speak up and say explicitly that discrimination is not okay.
* This one takes a little detective work but really helps. Listen carefully for whatever tidbits of cultural or personal information they share, and then 'pitch back' those things in conversation. If they've mentioned their religion, ask what they're doing for holiday-coming-up. If they wear cultural clothing, say it looks nice. And do that exactly the same way you'd say "Merry Christmas" or "nice dress."
* Multicultural office decorations go a long way toward inclusion. Cycle decorations for the holidays. If you have a public-facing establishment, it's not just good for coworkers, it'll make customers smile to see whatever holiday you're currently coloring in. Keep the decorations relatively simple, then it's not obtrusive and not hard to switch them out. It'll cycle faster than if you only did one religion.
* If they are in fact Muslim, does your workplace have a prayer room? Where/how are they doing wudu? Because if there's more than one or two Muslims, a personal challenge quickly becomes a company problem, which is best handled by having a quiet room and either a Wudumate or a handheld shower nozzle.
>> Huh. Maybe I should make fudge? <<
Fudge is often a good choice. :D So are personal favorites if you know things that they like. If you're not sure, consider bringing an assortment to maximize the chance of *something* for everyone. Do they keep halal, kosher, or some other food system? That would be a good thing to know.
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dancing_serpent
Thoughts
Date: 2019-08-27 09:30 am (UTC)That sucks. >_<
>> Gotta think about how to push back and boost up my folks... <<
Effective responses depend on the context. Some possibilities:
* When you hear things like that, speak up and say explicitly that discrimination is not okay.
* This one takes a little detective work but really helps. Listen carefully for whatever tidbits of cultural or personal information they share, and then 'pitch back' those things in conversation. If they've mentioned their religion, ask what they're doing for holiday-coming-up. If they wear cultural clothing, say it looks nice. And do that exactly the same way you'd say "Merry Christmas" or "nice dress."
* Multicultural office decorations go a long way toward inclusion. Cycle decorations for the holidays. If you have a public-facing establishment, it's not just good for coworkers, it'll make customers smile to see whatever holiday you're currently coloring in. Keep the decorations relatively simple, then it's not obtrusive and not hard to switch them out. It'll cycle faster than if you only did one religion.
* If they are in fact Muslim, does your workplace have a prayer room? Where/how are they doing wudu? Because if there's more than one or two Muslims, a personal challenge quickly becomes a company problem, which is best handled by having a quiet room and either a Wudumate or a handheld shower nozzle.
>> Huh. Maybe I should make fudge? <<
Fudge is often a good choice. :D So are personal favorites if you know things that they like. If you're not sure, consider bringing an assortment to maximize the chance of *something* for everyone. Do they keep halal, kosher, or some other food system? That would be a good thing to know.