Diversity is being alone

By Tamar Shirinian

 

Diversity is being alone.
Because it’s so great that you are so passionate about it
and it’s so important, said she
and it’s so important, said he
and it’s so important, said they.
We are so glad you are doing diversity.
It must be true because it can be heard
in every meeting
and every discussion.

 

Diversity is being alone
because
it’s so important
that
we should widen its parameters
to ensure that
the diverse differences fit in even better with our diverse samenesses.
Our samenesses shouldn’t make you feel alone;
everyone is welcome and safe.

 

Diversity is being alone because if you are to be diverse you should ensure that there is at least
one person in your department next door to you who has at least once bombed a village
with impunity
Our next hire should be a billionaire.
We can always be more diverse.
And everyone matters.
We are all diversity.

 

Diversity is being alone
Because you are scared to speak.
But we don’t understand why.

 

(Last time we told you we were very disappointed in you the time before that you were interfering and the time before that it did not fit the by-laws and the time before that you lied and the time before that you misunderstood and the time before that you were unfair and the time before that you bullied a white male student.)

 

Diversity is being alone
because
there is now a purple and a pink and a striped
But none have ever wielded assault rifles.
We are not diverse enough.
To be diverse means to represent
the uniforms and the boots,
to hear the lovely rhythm of their march up and down the hallways
of the University.

 

These days, we have a real crisis on our hands.
Stop wasting our time talking about
changing the names of buildings
(we have no control over that; it’s what the donors want)
white supremacy
(does it really exist, anyway? aren’t things getting better all the time?)
apologizing for our grave robbers
(what they did was legal then)
making this a safer place
(those people did not think about our feelings, our careers, how dare they say this is not a safe place?)

 

We don’t have time for all of that right now
because
right now, we have to focus on diversity;
we have a real crisis on our hands.

 

Diversity is being alone because you feel alone in imagining diversity to be something else.

 

Diversity is being alone
sitting in your office
at the University.
Door closed.
…sometimes weeping.