If a member of a racial minority joined your workplace,

[DirkGently]

11. Those aren't quite the choices, really.

If you are in the majority or empowered group, be it white, male, Christian, whatever, I think you have to be aware of perceived differences just enough not to ignorantly offend or unconsciously mistreat.

Equality isn't sameness, exactly. You can accord people "equal" respect and consideration without ignoring cultural difference, or falling all over yourself being over-aware of it either.

There was an unfortunate situation at a workplace I'm familiar with where an older, Southern-culture, strongly Protestant attorney met with two attorneys from another town, both of whom happened to be Jewish. There was already a healthy, longstanding working relationship between the respective firms, but some reason, as the meeting concluded, the Southern attorney felt a need to exclaim, apropos of nothing, his appreciation for Einstein Bagels.

Didn't convey the sort of aware-but-neutral balance one would hope for.