{"id":12861,"date":"2022-03-01T04:20:13","date_gmt":"2022-03-01T04:20:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/devblog.foresters.com\/?p=12861"},"modified":"2022-02-28T14:28:31","modified_gmt":"2022-02-28T14:28:31","slug":"open-your-mind-by-opening-a-book","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/devblog.foresters.com\/en-gb\/community-en-gb\/open-your-mind-by-opening-a-book\/","title":{"rendered":"Open your mind by opening a book"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every one of us is unique. We live in bodies that look and sound different than anyone else\u2019s. Therefore, the way we interact with the world around us is different than someone who is a different size, colour, or gender or who has a visible or invisible disability that we may not have.<\/p>\n

Because we see the world based on our own experiences, we can sometimes forget that what happens when we head out to the supermarket, go for a walk in the evening, or visit the doctor may not be the same for people who don\u2019t look or sound the way we do.<\/p>\n

Learning more about the unique experiences of people who are different than we are is important. Why? Because sometimes we fear what we don\u2019t know. For example, learning about what it means to be transgender through the eyes of a woman who has transitioned can help us better understand the challenges she has faced throughout her life, and make us feel more at ease allowing her to live her authentic life.<\/p>\n

Likewise, finding out more about the way someone living with a disability like autism processes the world around them can help us interact with them in a way that makes connection not just possible, but enjoyable for them.<\/p>\n

Seeking to understand how our differences change our experiences also means we\u2019re able to empathise with people who are struggling in situations that might be simple for us. More importantly, having that depth of understanding means we can effect change when discriminatory policies or opinions are making other people\u2019s lives harder\u2014and potentially even dangerous.<\/p>\n

Talking to people with different lived experiences is a wonderful way to educate yourself, but so is reading. As Oprah Winfrey once said, \u201cReading is a way for me to expand my mind, open my eyes, and fill up my heart.\u201d<\/p>\n

Where should I begin?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Think about what prejudices or biases you may have\u2014because we all do, it\u2019s human nature\u2014or what ways of life are very different than yours that you\u2019d like to know more about. Maybe you have questions you\u2019ve always wanted to ask about \u2013 what it\u2019s like being a refugee, or how being Black changes the way you navigate the outside world, or what\u2019s involved in a faith that\u2019s different than yours.<\/p>\n

Choosing titles<\/strong><\/p>\n

Select books written by authors from the group you\u2019re interested in. Try not to choose books written about<\/em> them, because the goal is to learn directly from a refugee, a Black person or a Muslim, for example. You want to know what they think, feel, see and experience rather than reading about their lives filtered through someone else\u2019s lens.<\/p>\n

Inspiration to get you started<\/strong><\/p>\n

Residential schools<\/strong><\/p>\n