Diversity at Marian
By Jen NishUpon entering the hallways of Marian, visitors encounter a sea of navy blue, hunter green and white that at first glance blends together to form a crowd of indistinct bodies, moving from one place to the next. Once amidst the crowd of girls, however, it becomes easier to distinguish the various traits that set us apart. Despite outward appearances, Marian contains a uniquely diverse group of girls, and the student body is becoming more and more diverse as the world around us grows and changes.
The United States has always encompassed a wide variety of people from many ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds and throughout our history many groups of people have struggled to survive against prejudice and discrimination. Although hate groups and prejudice still exist today among many Americans, the numbers that accept and welcome diversity are increasing.
Many federal and state laws directly affect the way people handle diversity and might also gradually shape opinions of many Americans. From early discrimination of African Americans, Native Americans and Japanese Americans, the US has developed many civil rights laws protecting people against racial discrimination. Women have also sparked legislation giving them the same voting rights as men.
Perhaps the most recent discrimination issue to be brought up for legislation is the issue of same-sex marriages. Right now, Vermont is the only US state that will legally recognize a civil union between two people of the same gender. However, several other states have brought the issue before their state government. Still, many states refuse to recognize such marriages, and have actually passed legislation discriminating against homosexuals. Affirmative action programs have been used in preventing job discrimination against people of other races, genders, and sexual orientations. Some colleges have also developed affirmative action programs, in order to gain a more diverse student body. Perhaps someday there will be laws against education and job discrimination because of piercings, tattoos, or unusual hair color as well.
Neither the United States or Marian High School are perfect examples of equally proportioned groups of people, but diversity is beginning to find its place, both in society and in our everyday lives. Students at Marian especially have found ways to express their uniqueness, from distinctive clothing and hairstyles, to piercings and tattoos, to personality traits that are definitely one of a kind. As our nation continues to grow and change, we will most likely see a number of changes in the types of people that are accepted by our society and government.
