Intersectionality: The Key To True Equality
“There’s no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.” — Audre Lorde
We’ve discussed before the importance of inclusion in diversity practice. But in such an interconnected world, it’s not enough to just tick off the boxes. We are all multi-faceted human beings: gender, race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, religion, age, and disability all play important roles in our identities and create different marginalisations. Intersectionality is not only the recognition of this fact but the active effort to look at issues of equality through a new and truly inclusive lens.
What is intersectionality?
In 1989, Kimberlé Crenshaw, an American law professor and civil rights advocate, coined the term in particular relation to the feminist movement of the time and critiqued its erasure of Black voices. Thirty years later, she re-clarified the term in an interview with TIME magazine: “It’s basically a lens, a prism, for seeing the way in which various forms of inequality often operate together and exacerbate each other.” It’s important to clarify that a lens of intersectionality does not view these issues as separate from one another, but rather as they exist together, stacked in layers. Separating these issues and attempting to tackle them individually can erase the perspectives of those who are subject to multiple or many things. Putting people into boxes can make things even more complicated. It’s not enough to look through one issue through a magnifying glass — we have to look at the whole picture to understand people’s needs.
Let’s look at gender inequality as an example. By addressing this issue through a singular lens, a young white able-bodied woman may experience improvements in their workplace or social life. However, for an older disabled Black woman, although the issue of gender may be improved, she will continue to be weight down by issues of ageism, racism, and ableism. In Crenshaw’s initial exploration of intersectionality, she felt as though the feminist movement and the anti-racist movement were both overlooking the unique experiences of Black women: the feminist movement was not including viewpoints of Black women, and the anti-racist movement was prioritising the viewpoint of the Black man. Since her initial definition, this framework has expanded to include several more issues and social divisions and can be more complicated than it seems. For example, one may look at the power dynamics of white men in the workplace and assume their privilege based on their race and gender status. However, there could be a dynamic range of other issues that can marginalise a white man in other ways — for example, one can have a lower level of education, and another can live his life in a wheelchair. Though these men are not plagued by race and gender inequality, other elements can still make their life more difficult than their privileged counterparts. At the same time, their race and gender can afford them a privilege that women of colour of their same stature do not have.
Intersectionality in the workplace
Building an inclusive workplace through intersectionality is no easy task — and it’s not temporary either. Taking steps to actively observe employees and how they interact with their work (and each other) is important. Here are some ways to do so:
1. Utilise employee data
It’s important to have data that is an accurate representation of employees at the workplace, as well as statistics on who makes up the leadership team. Surveys and other methods of self-identification ensure that voices are being heard, and not just subjected to external assumptions. This is a great way to know what’s working and what’s not when it comes to inclusivity and diversity hiring practices, as well as attempts at breaking down barriers. It also allows for the inclusion of voices that may not be as represented when it comes to large-scale decision-making at the leadership level. Conducting these surveys and tools for feedback is important in identifying imbalances and broadening the lens through which one views them. It is also important to provide transparency and allow anonymity so that employees feel comfortable expressing themselves. For example, you may not think that there are any disabled persons in your workplace. Still, a survey may reveal that some have invisible disabilities that may not be otherwise visible. Employee data allows employers and leaders to see whose voices are missing and starts the process of including them in a way that sees them as the whole, complex human being they are. Everyone experiences the world differently, and this can vary at different times in an employee’s time at the workplace, so these should be continually monitored.
2. Break down barriers
Did you know only 30% of professionals in the sciences worldwide are women? This number has indeed increased over the years, but there are still disparities in the field that are biased towards White women or women with higher levels of education or more financial security. Research shows that the reason women with STEM degrees take jobs outside of their field varies greatly by race: the biggest reason for Black women is that there seems to be no job available, while Hispanic women attribute the reason to unfair working conditions. It’s clear that there are gender disparities in the STEM industry, but even with the existing attempts at inclusivity, other aspects of female identity (in this case, race) make themselves apparent. How can we create space for these women to make their voices heard in the fields of innovation and science, as they are completely?
It starts from within. Existing organisations can work to break down the walls that separate these identities and work to promote inclusivity. Employees need to have a safe outlet to communicate their needs and can feel comfortable and confident that they are being represented, in every way, at higher levels of the organisation. This can be done with careful internal policy change, like changing terminology to be inclusive of the full LGBTQ+ spectrum, or being open to flexible schedules for those who observe religious holidays that may not be traditionally recognised. As the world becomes more diverse and interconnected, workplaces do as well. Once an employee makes it through previously closed doors, it’s important to ensure every door is open for them in the next room.
3. Invest time and resources
Especially for smaller businesses and organisations, it can be helpful to seek external help regarding issues that people in leadership positions aren’t trained or experienced in. Bringing diversity and training workshops tailored to industry leadership can be a great way to start this process. It is essential to not only recognise the vastness of diversity and identity at an organisation but also express humility when assessing where there are shortfalls in leadership positions. For example, if a business has recently established a diversity and inclusion team, but this team is full of white, cis-gendered, able-bodied women, it will lack the perspectives of those who are gender-fluid, people of colour, or disabled. There can be ways to diversify this perspective without putting pressure on employees of these identities to join the initiative if they may not feel comfortable: it can be beneficial to seek external resources and welcome feedback.
The Harvard Business Review lists some other initiatives that are proven effective in increasing diversity and intersectionality:
Targeted university recruitment (for underrepresented groups)
Self-managed teams
Mentoring initiatives
Diversity managers
Voluntary training
Moving forward
Over the past decade or so, extensive research has shown that prioritising intersectionality in the workplace does lead to higher performance levels and productivity. We know what does work — now we have to do more of it, and find ways in which practices and initiatives can include more of the intersecting identities of individuals. Advocating for workplace equality and inclusion requires active listening, compassion, and continuous introspection. But this requires empathy and expanding the framework in which we view potential solutions to inequality. After all, a fruitful place of work is only made possible by the multitudes of different backgrounds, personalities, and experiences of those who work there.
