New Criteria for Advancement?
Would a Latina be likely to have a more well-rounded, multicultural perspective than a white man who has lived and worked his entire life in only mainstream environments?
Sotomayor said, “I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experience would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.”
“Better” was an unfortunate word choice, but if she means that individuals who have lived a minority experience, and then come into the mainstream, are more likely to have a multicultural perspective than members of the dominant white male group, then I would agree. People who have experienced what it’s like to be on both sides of the dominant white power structure in the U.S. do indeed have a value-added, more well rounded frame of reference. Some white folks also acquire multicultural perspectives, and that’s value added, too. (Bill Clinton has been called the first Black president by African Americans-but even there he can’t truly experience a Black perspective). Read more »