Thor is going to be a woman...When we see ourselves reflected in the world around us, it can inspire us to create our own magic.
To me, being inclusive means getting a different perspective. At my job we have a pretty open door for people to come in with different backgrounds and skill sets. It is sales...say what you want about the profession, but if the boss thinks you can get results - you're in. What a new person brings to the table can sometimes rejuvenate the store because that person's background and perspective is so different than what we were used to before. Sometimes that perspective helps and sometimes it doesn't, but the value comes out of trying it out.
We don't get these new experiences by surrounding ourselves with like-minded people or others with the same backgrounds we have. Different experiences teach us different lessons - and not just sales tactics.
One time an older customer wasn't liking what an African American co-worker of mine was explaining to him (though she was being perfectly polite and was quite correct in what she was saying). He came up to me, put his hand on my shoulder, and tried leading me like a father would lead a son and said, "We both know how those people are. Come on, help me out with this." I knew perfectly well what we meant and told him to get his hand off of me and get out. He walked away, picked up his business, and mumbled something about how he thought he and I would be on the same page and some vaguely racist crap and left.
That is why inclusion is important. We don't get to experience what other people go through without it. In my case I was there, live. But that doesn't happen often. If stories can create empathy for people who wouldn't normally experience these things that is all the better.
Being in our own worlds all the time doesn't let us grow as people. That is why the internet can be an especially dangerous place if you find a community to insulate yourself with people who think exactly as you do.
That is why when a different perspective is introduced from outside a person's comfort zone the reaction can be harsh. It is uncomfortable to experience something new. Even worse when something new is, by its own nature, an uncomfortable thing.
That is probably why when I explained to my co-worker what happened she didn't appear phased. I imagine (because I never delved deeper in to it - new things being uncomfortable and all) it was because she had experienced it before. My anger was new, her feelings were probably well worn.
Again - new perspective leads to new ways of thinking and feeling.
