Diversity last one Case Study
Read the case study below and Give a brief summary of what you would do if you were in that situation.
Case Study:
Society can be very judgmental. Mary is a White social work student who plans to
go on for a MS degree and work in a clinical setting. She attends an urban university
and enjoys the diversity and energy of city life, but in her free time is actively involved
in social activities centered around her Scottish background. She has noticed a lot of
negative responses from all sorts of different people regarding her personal expression
with body modifications (tattoos and piercing). Mary says, “What people don’t realize
is how much they mean to me, how much beauty I see in them. It’s a chapter in my
life that I have opened to the outside world. Each one represents a certain moment in
my life or defines a part of who I am, little pieces of me stained on my skin in beautiful
contrast.” Unfortunately, Mary says she encounters people time and time again who
prejudge her because they don’t understand.
Suspicious looks and comments, or negative “vibes,” are more common in the
summertime, according to Mary. “There’s a seasonal discriminatory policy in effect,”
she says jokingly. Sometimes she gets bombarded with rude questions or smirks.
Occasionally, she does get a compliment because her artwork is done professionally
and she puts a lot of time and money into it.
What really worries her is the impending fear instilled in her by her parents and
some friends. They have told her that she will never find a decent job or gain recognition or respect with “all those tattoos.” Her mother has even gone so far as to beg
her to consider tattoo removal. Despite what they say, Mary believes there is a highpaying and respectable job opportunity in her future in the field of social work. She
argues that her skills and her credentials are what matter, not how many different
colors are on her skin.
