According to the broad based category of diversity definitions, diversity can either be visible or invisible. Given that invisible diversity is associated with invisible differences why is this a problem?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

This distinction is important and has practical relevance. It is easier to form or harbor prejudices, biases, and stereotypes and to discriminate against people whose diversity characteristics belong to the first category of visible and readily detectable attributes. Invisible differences should not, however, be omitted from discussions of diversity. Individuals who are different from the organizational mainstream on those invisible characteristics can also experience discrimination and, as a result, have their work potential compromised. A case in point is sexual orientation, which can be invisible if a person chooses to keep it confidential but which can trigger prejudice and discrimination if the information gets out. Although the first category refers only to observable characteristics, one of the major reasons why diversity of any type creates difficulty for groups is attributable to complex and often implicit differences in perspective, assumptions, and causal beliefs with which the observable differences are assumed to be correlated (Milliken & Martins, 1996). These categories, therefore, are not necessarily mutually exclusive (Chatman & Flynn, 2001) because often a visible characteristic such as ethnicity may be associated with a less visible one such as socioeconomic status. Diversity, then, often becomes the interaction of visible and invisible dimensions, the former leading to unproven assumptions about internal qualities.