- Published: November 14, 2021
- Updated: November 14, 2021
- University / College: Queen Mary University of London
- Language: English
- Downloads: 29
We live in the society where diversity constitutes one of the fundamental structural principles. The problem is that something exceeding the limits of conventional rules and seeming to break stereotypical vision of reality is oftentimes rejected and even frowned upon. Therefore, the growing concern of education nowadays is to help children understand that being different from others does not imply being worse or better. Personal dignity, equality and the right for self-expression are the values that should be respected by everyone regardless of their age, gender, race, family background or sexual orientation.
The video clip “ That’s A Family” addresses the issue of family diversity and tolerance to it as one of the most important preconditions of creating a friendly and comfortable environment at schools. It is aimed to highlight that families may differ in many ways but there is one universal thing that unites them and makes them equal structural units of the diverse community. It does not matter who are the members of the family but more important is that they love and support each other. Therefore, the true value of the family is not in being traditional but in being built on sincere and caring interpersonal bounds.
The immense advantage of this video clip is its special format. We do not see an impartial observer in a scientist’s costume or actors reading out a shooting script. The speakers are children, who themselves grow up in families that are sometimes considered by the society to be “ different”. They share their stories without any pretense or exaggerated dramatic effect. They understand that their mixed-race, single parent, adopted, divorced or gay families are different in a way but this fact does not change their attitude or make them feel disadvantaged. This video may serve as a powerful educational tool because it does not forcefully impose the idea of tolerance but explains us that the nature of discrimination on family background basis is in fact illusory. These are the same children and they love the members of their families the same as others do. This exemplary based approach to disseminating certain values should be implemented in educational institutions and only that way we can build society would be tolerant and understanding towards diversity in all of its aspects.