Author: Jacquelyn Tolksdorf

The Two Keys to Understanding Intersectionality

Today, nothing can split a conversation in half like the term intersectionality. But why? What is it about the term itself that causes this rift? What is it about intersectionality or discussing where identities intersect that is so contentious? The way some people react, you may believe that intersectionality was another form of oppression, and unfortunately, many people do. And on the flip side of that coin, some people view it as a tool in dismantling systems of oppression.   So, who’s right?   What is intersectionality?   Kimberlé Crenshaw created the concept of Intersectionality. It explored the unique experience of discrimination that exists at the intersection of race and gender. She presented her theory in a paper in the University of Chicago Legal Forum titled “Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex.” published in 1989. The paper centers on three legal cases that dealt with both racial and sexual discrimination matters. She argues that there are “conceptual limitations of … single-issue analyses”, which means that the law doesn’t take into adequate consideration how racial and sex discrimination can exist simultaneously and we fail to properly litigate discrimination cases, or understand discrimination fully, by focusing on one identity at a time.   In summation, intersectionality originally detailed the “intersection” of race and gender discrimination and used legal cases as proof. Kimberlé intended Intersectionality to be a tool to dismantle systems of inequality.   Today the term is used in a more grand, inclusive way to describe the different experiences and treatments that occur at the intersection of multiple identifies. Or there are many various identities that intersect, which give us all unique experiences—so, transcending the original Black woman, race x gender, to encompass the multitude of identities, e.g., race, gender, sexual identity, religion, ability, age, etc.   How has intersectionality been interpreted? Those who identify as intersectional have been met with a lot of anger. They’ve been met with dismissal, reduction, and, most of all, fear. This concept has experienced the same fate as many other anti-discrimination concepts. Those who identify as intersectional are erroneously morphed into a symbol of hate or restriction or, as ironic as it may sound, oppression.    Many conservative detractors view the idea of understanding privilege, systems of oppression, and examining oppression at the intersection of different identities as an affront to their rights and way of life – as a sort of “taking away,” but it isn’t. The only thing intersectionality aims to take away is inequality, discrimination, and systems of injustice.   It’s understandable. These conversations are complex. They force us to look at ourselves and the world around us in an uncomfortable way. Still, we don’t progress without disruption, discomfort, and honest discussion. So, if you see this term or hear it in a tense conversation, step back and remember the true meaning. Not how they’ve been interpreted (or misinterpreted). By doing that, we can keep the conversations focused, constructive, and in the direction of progress and understanding.

Unpacking the Myths and Realities of Microaggressions

Unknowingly, we perpetuate much of the same bigotry, bias, and prejudice we are against when we misunderstand microaggressions. It’s been a hot-button topic for the last few years. Microaggressions have also grown into a topic of contention, contributing to future discord. Many looked at the prefix micro and reduced it to “small, unimportant, and of no significant impact,” further dismissing those who experience it as “sensitive” or “PC.” This is an unfortunate and erroneous conclusion constructed by a misunderstanding of the term. How it manifests itself in the world, and how it impacts the communities who experience them. We need to take a moment and step back from the arguments about microaggressions. To really unpack the concept, we’ll better understand its meaning, context, and how a further misunderstanding only contributes to more prejudice and bias.  What are microaggressions? Kevin Nada, professor of psychology and author of books about microaggressions, describes the terms as such: “Microaggressions are the everyday, subtle, intentional — and oftentimes unintentional — interactions or behaviors that communicate some sort of bias toward historically marginalized groups. The difference between microaggressions and overt discrimination or macroaggressions, is that people who commit microaggressions might not even be aware of them.” Some examples of microaggressions (from real-life examples): Assuming an immigrant wouldn’t speak proper English – the assertion of “otherness” or that they are not “really” American. Assuming a minority student attends a university through some form of affirmative action – reflects an assumption of intellectual inferiority. Wanting to touch a Black woman’s hair – imposes inhumanity on the person; to touch them in some awe-struck way makes many people feel like an animal, a pet. A defining factor is that microaggressions commonly are assumptions based on stereotypes, good or bad, and it’s an issue because it reduces someone’s humanity to that of a limited collection of traits or stereotypes that come from popular media (a biased media) in many cases. The three main actions to avoid when discussing microaggressions. After defining what microaggressions are, we need to consider how to properly handle the topic. As discussed previously, some people dismiss the concept entirely. Through either the lack of knowledge, a misunderstanding, or firmly rooted prejudice. When this situation occurs, these are the three actions to avoid: Gaslighting: Gaslighting refers to acts of manipulation meant to make victims doubt their reality for the benefit of their perpetrators. It attempts to reduce someone’s experience to that of a figment of their imagination. Tone policing: When people with greater power chastise and condemn how a victim of oppression expresses themselves. It attempts to control or limit how someone voices their opinion; it’s asking an abused person to be calm and nicer when describing their abuse. Victim blaming. It commonly occurs with instances of sexism or sexual assault/abuse/harassment. For example, if someone voices that they were sexually harassed. And another person responds that it occurred because of their makeup or outfit. A great article to read about it is Why Do People Blame the Victim? by Very Well Mind. Once we can take a moment to consider someone else’s perspective we open ourselves up to learning more. Even when it’s uncomfortable. We begin unpacking these heavy concepts like microaggressions. We’ll be able to improve our conversations, how we view one another, and how we treat one another.

How to Remain Inclusive While Supporting Employee Mental Health During the Holidays

Companies will need to support their staff’s mental health during this holiday season more than ever. The last couple of years has been stressful, to say the least. In 2020-2021 we had more racial and social unrest. Throw in Covid-19 to metamorphose these years into a monster of death, destruction, and despair. Let’s not forget unemployment, staff shortages, and intense illness. – physical and mental. This period of trauma and disruption that we’ve experienced together has been heavy. But below, we’ve listed three keys to being intentional and inclusive in supporting employees during the holidays. Be Proactive and Think Ahead You know what your employees are struggling with because you’ve probably been struggling too, to some degree. So think ahead and anticipate the employee’s needs. Additionally, with the more serious issues, there are also multiple cultural holidays and observances (or non-observers). Ones like Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Catholic observances through January. As well as Jehovah’s Witness religious non-observance, or those who don’t observe any holidays for personal reasons. Offer your available employee resources, i.e., EAP, PTO, schedule flexibility, etc. Your staff will need time off, and flexibility. As well as a little extra consideration. Listen to Your Staff.  Keep an open ear to the staff. Whether through talking directly or remaining aware of any ongoing issues within the office. Employees are dealing with a lot and have been for almost two years now. But your minority employees may have experienced compounding trauma. Reports like the ones from Washington Post show that depression and anxiety have tripled in the Black and Latinx communities. Those communities were three times more likely to be infected by Covid and die at twice the rate. There’s a strong possibility that Covid has directly impacted your minority employees in one way or another. As well as by the racial, social, and political unrest that’s run rampant in recent years. In addition, a report from Limeade detailed staggering results on the deteriorating employee wellness. They found: 49% report having less energy for nonwork activities. 42% said they were less interested in socializing with friends. 42% were having trouble sleeping. 33% reported using more alcohol or other substances than usual. Empower Your Managers Management is your front-line defense to the well-being of the office. Supervisors, managers, and team leaders are in a great position to be privy to any issues or concerns. If you empower them, they’ll be able to offer support. Furthermore, they can offer solutions and put out any fires before they grow out of control. Management is the only way to properly implement the first two steps of Being Proactive and Listening to Your Staff – they will be the crucial factor in being consciously inclusive while maintaining and supporting the staff during the holidays. Just like this festive season is a time for family, it’s also the time to come together as a team. Contrary to popular belief, the holiday season doesn’t literally “pop up” on us. We know the holidays are coming. But because generally during this quarter, companies are trying to meet year-end goals. They forget that their staff will also have a collection of needs, deadlines, budgeting, and other personal stresses and struggles. A proactive plan including these three key factors will help keep all the moving parts organized.

Ways to Move From DEI Awareness to Action

After a couple of years of incredible DEI work, many organizations have found themselves at a standstill. They’ve spent time and resources on training and awareness campaigns. Nevertheless, they have found difficulty taking their efforts to the next level to find sustainable, substantial, and impactful success. All the intent and aspirations are there. However, they may be caught in the quicksand of “awareness,” and when that occurs, it can create even more issues. Employees may develop “diversity fatigue,” and others may disconnect entirely from all the hard work and efforts. To keep your team engaged and take your DEI efforts from awareness to action, follow the four P’s: Practice, Policy and Procedure, and Pipeline. Practice To turn intention and vision into something concrete and effective, the goals have to be practical. The ideas for DEI work are grand and have considerable implications like bias, racism and sexism, and systems. Although the training is lovely and informative, the long-term goals may seem out of reach. To bring things back to Earth, create goals that you can achieve with tangible actions you can follow. In addition, keep learning. Training that generates awareness and education can’t be a one-time occurrence; training must be ongoing, with new education occurring periodically to ensure everyone is updated and allows new development opportunities. Policy and Procedure Just like bias and bigotry make up the systems of discrimination, organizations need to create systems of justice and equity. Carefully crafted, thoroughly planned policies and procedures will make this system. For that reason, there need to be clear rules. Clear rules and policies that are unambiguous to ensure fairness and transparency. Also, there should be an evaluation of all the areas of interest and improvement as a procedure. Evaluate diversity and equity in pay, participation, and opportunities. Observe any issues, and create goals with metrics and milestones for review. Consistent evaluation will ensure progress. Pipeline  The way to combat systems of inequality is by creating pipelines to opportunity and success. Much of DEI work becomes too heavily centered on the D – diversity. Organizations focus on the appearance of diversity, but not the equity and equality of opportunities and access. The primary complaint cited by racial minorities and women in the workplace is the lack of opportunities for advancement. It’s obvious when we look at the demographics of the upper levels of management. Diversity work is superficial when your diverse employees don’t have equal access to things like mentorship, networking, and advancement opportunities. Consequently, by following this strategy and remembering the four P’s of practice, policy and procedure, and pipelines, you’ll find great success in effecting substantial change and transforming vision and DEI aspirations into action.