6.2 Representation, Belonging, and Equity
Elizabeth B. Pearce
Social institutions serve a critical function for society and contain a structure of rules and roles. Those roles almost always include some form of representation: a way in which decision-making is streamlined and the participants are somehow “seen” and acknowledged even if they do not directly participate in leadership. Representation means that families know that they belong, that they are important, that their needs are known, and that the institution is functional. If the representation does not serve these purposes, it is unlikely that outcomes will be equitable for families.
In this chapter, we will focus on formal and informal methods of representation. As you read, consider applying what you learn here to other institutions that are important to you, your friends, or your family—including K-12 schools, the college and university systems, health care and health insurance, businesses and corporations, prisons and courts, media, and others.
We will study a couple of the formal ways, through participation in the census and elections, that families can expect to be represented in the United States and how that representation plays out when we look at equity. This is important because governing bodies make decisions that affect all families. The definitions, laws, and regulations made by governments influence employers, business practices, schools, and other public facilities such as libraries and parks.
Social Identities and Institutions
Your social identities affect your experience with representation. In other words, it is likely that you, the reader, see representation through the lens of how well you have typically been represented in this country’s institutions. Any individual’s social identities are multifaceted (refer to the social identity wheel in Chapter 1), and each family member adds additional complexities. This is one of the more beautiful and challenging aspects of family life. It is aspirational to think that we live in a country where every family has equitable access to opportunity and representation. An aspect of this belief is that our representatives “see,” “listen to,” and understand the needs of families that they do not know personally.
In Focus: Do They “See” Me?
I am a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and am a White cisgender woman (figure 6.1). In many organizations, I observe that the majority of the leadership is White. I see many women decision-makers, although the percentage decreases as the level of power increases. And I see relatively few members of the LGBTQIA+ community in positions of leadership. Because this part of the population is small (about 10% or less), I do not expect a majority of leaders in any organization to be members of this group.
What I hope for is that, regardless of demographic, these leaders still work to understand me and my family. This is especially true of any aspect of my identity that has been marginalized; in my case,