When an employer mentions "Diversity" does that also include one's upbringing? (Upper, Middle, & Lower Class)

Its a "Brave New World" out there. I've recently been applying for lots of jobs, and have noticed alot of the applications having sections on diversity/inclusion. A recent application for Discord even had a "non skipable" open ended question about suggestions on how to improve their diversity & inclusion programs.

I really didn't know what to say for that one. But, I thought about talking about how they could look into one's "class" upbringing as a way to increase diversity.

I actually noticed during my previous jobs in tech that their tends to be a massive disconnect between the employees (especially within the marketing teams) and their consumers.

Mainly because the product is being used by everyone, and the majority of America (maybe even the world) is middle class, and even then, the lower class definitely outnumbers the upper class. Yet, the companies only hire people from the best schools (Berkeley, Stanford, etc) and thus is compromised of mostly upper class "privledged" folk who can't really connect with their audience.

I remember very early on in my career, so like 6 years ago, the marketing team for a gaming app I was interning at were flabbergasted as to why their users were not participating in their promotional contest. Afterall the prize was like 10k in cash, and despite being open for two weeks there was only a dozen or so entries. I told them it was because the contest required the users to take a screenshot of the game on their phone...and they probably don't know how to do that.

I was laughed at. To the point where I initially felt ashamed for even suggesting it. But eventually I was able to convince the team to participate in an experiment with me. We walked across the street to the Walgreens and asked people coming out of it, if they knew how to take a screenshot on their phones. We asked about 30 people... nobody knew.

They allowed me to change that part of the entry requirements for the contest...within 24hrs we had over a thousand people enter to win.

To a tech savvy Silicon Valley employee knowing how to take a screenshot on ones phone is common knowledge. But to the blue collared working class that makes up Middle America and the vast majority of our userbase...not so much.

So anyhow, I think having employees from different financial backgrounds definitely helps improve the product. I do think that the financial & social class of one's upbringing definitely affect ones mentality & identity more so than their ethnicity or gender. So that should count towards diversity...

Personality I grew up extremely impoverished. I actually lived in a 1974 Ford Pickup Truck w/ my mother until I was 12. Then at age 18 I found myself homeless just by aging into adulthood, as my mother could/wouldn't support me anymore. I worked super hard to pay my school and eventually make my way into the world of tech.

I think I bring a certain Diversity to any team that I'm apart of...and for the better, because I can see things from a vastly different viewpoint than most of my coworkers. Unfortunately, in the past I have been very afraid to reveal that portion of my history. Traditionally the "work culture" of Silicon Valley is not very inclusive when it comes to accepting a former homeless man into their team. So, it's always been my dirty little secret.

But recently I feel I've been possibly losing out on opertunities, because as a straight white male in San Francisco I'm stereotyped as having come from a privledged background, and therefore do not bring any unique diversity to the team.

Has the world finally changed its tone. Is it truly a "Brave New World" can I finally reveal these things about myself and be highlighted for the unique "diversity" I would bring to the company? Or, should I continue to keep it to myself?

I tell you what, I originally did type it in as my answer to Discord's open ended question...but in the end it just fell victim to the backspace button :-/