Respecting Cultural Differences
Sara Ani
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
From: LEAVEN, Vol. 33 No. 4, August-September 1997, pp. 79
One exciting aspect of La
Leche League is its international scope. Leaders, Groups and members
are found in countries all over the globe. Mothering through breastfeeding
transcends cultural and language differences.
Mothers who attend Series
Meetings represent a wide range of ethnic, racial and religious groups.
All are eager to share their experiences and this is best accomplished
in an atmosphere of respect for individuality. Although the world has
"grown smaller" through the use of technology, we need to
continue to be aware of the barriers that differences can create.
A Leader uses several ways
to demonstrate her awareness of a mother's culture and how it impacts
on her interactions with others. She is alert to the nuances of body
language and speech as well as her own personal bias. She is mindful
that she sets the tone for the entire Group. The other mothers will
notice her sensitivity, appreciate it and perhaps increase their own
sensitivity.
It is estimated that as much
as 70% of communication is nonverbal. Add to this the fact that different
cultures have different meanings for the same body language. This was
made clear to me during an exercise at the International Management
Symposium held after the 1995 LLLI Conference. After we were paired
up and each given different cultural scripts, we tried to communicate,
ignorant of our partner's nonverbal messages. We realized that in order
to communicate we needed to know more about each other.
Body language involves all
the nonverbal behaviors that another exhibits including the posture,
eye contact and even the "space" an individual requires.
For example, some cultures
are more formal and look aghast at casual postures. A friend of mine,
while traveling in the Middle East, sat in a synagogue with his legs
crossed. A Sephardic man rebuked him for having what he considered casual
attitude in a holy place.
Americans tend to look people
in the eye. They are uncomfortable without continuous eye contact and
assume that the other is hiding something or being less than honest
if they look away. However, in some cultures, especially in Asia, it
is a sign of respect to look down when spoken to and disrespectful to
have continuous eye contact.
Similarly, cultures have
specific expectations about the proximity of others. Latin Americans
and southern Europeans stand closer to each other and touch more than
Americans. Yet several British Leaders confided in me that they are
sometimes uncomfortable with the level of hugging and kissing that American
women display.
Verbal language can also
be a barrier, even when everyone thinks they are speaking the same language.
British Leaders point out that British English and American English
have different words for the same object such as nappies and diapers.
French Leaders relate that the same French word can have a totally different
meaning in Quebec. Couple this with the use of abbreviations, acronyms,
slang and "LLL lingo" and you can how see confusing communication
can be.
In addition to body language
and verbal expression there are issues of food, religious beliefs and
parenting practices to consider. All combine to create a network of
values and opinions that must be respected.
Within my own Group, a very
diverse one, monthly meetings find me cautioning members about frequent
use of Yiddish and Hebrew words that others may not understand as well
as talk about religious holiday preparations. Further, I must think
about our meeting place. Some women may feel uncomfortable meeting in
a location that is a house of worship. They may wonder if it implies
that La Leche League is affiliated with a certain religious group.
Cultural and religious beliefs
also often include ideas about modesty and nursing in front of others
or how long a child should nurse. There also may be reluctance about
stepping out of one's local neighborhood to attend meetings.
Balancing the needs of a
diverse Group can be both challenging and rewarding.
When a Leader is aware of
the social and religious complexities of the Group she can help mothers
breastfeed within the context of their own cultural and religious doctrine.
She can meet mothers' needs by being sensitive to differences, accepting
these differences and looking for commonalities. She can be aware of
how these things affect communication and can set the tone for meetings.
These six simple ideas have
worked for me as I have tried to build a Group bonded by a focus on
commonalities rather than differences:
- Listen to others with
an open mind.
- Talk less.
- Learn by asking questions.
- Use a sense of humor to
smooth over uncomfortable moments.
- Realize that you have
limitations and can't possibly know all there is to know about other
cultures.
- Share information about
your own culture.
When Leaders develop respect
for mothers who attend Series Meetings and demonstrate acceptance, other
attendees will follow. Our goal as Leaders is to create an atmosphere
that allows every mother to feel respected and supported. This enables
her to feel comfortable as she exchanges ideas and becomes more receptive
to LLL ideas.
The LEADER'S HANDBOOK sums
it up well:
"The primary goal is
to provide each mother with good, sound knowledge and allow her to proceed
with the rearing of her child according to her own beliefs, values and
personality." A Leader can do this if she respects and works with
cultural differences.
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:32:18 UTC 2007.
