For the last three years, I have been immersed in trying to understand, manage and make progress towards building more diverse and inclusive organizations. Depending on the day, I feel tentatively optimistic that we are delivering small positive results, or frustrated and discouraged that nothing is changing and every conversation is like Groundhog Day.
A particular challenge for diversity and inclusion in organizations is an almost exclusive focus on binary gender. Maybe this is understandable given the last few years and the prevalence of media coverage of sexual assaults, something which has only recently gained attention. It is also true that the fight for human rights has never treated all groups of people equally. In Canada, Indigenous people were only given the right to vote in 1960, long after women fought for and achieved their own voting rights.
Perhaps because binary gender seems to be more ‘knowable’ to us, or perhaps because of how society (slowly) changes and evolves, organizations, particularly in Canada, have been largely focused on equity and representation for women and the unspoken but prevalent perspective is white women.
The feminist movement has often been criticized for representing primarily white women, without considering or supporting women of colour, LGBTQ++ and transgendered people, and women who are differently abled. Based on my experience in organizations, this single focus undermines our diversity and inclusion efforts.
I believe a diverse and inclusive organization is one in which the mix of people is deep, rich and complex. Of course a diverse organization includes women, at all levels and in all roles, but what is frustrating is the continued view that binary gender representation is where this effort starts and ends. I understand and realize it is not intentional, but isn’t that the point? Without being very deliberate and intentional, we will not build truly diverse and inclusive organizations.
I applaud organizations, especially tech organizations, that are lauded for progress that has been made to create binary gender equity in their companies. For a long time I have been an advocate of gender equality and a feminist. I support organizations that are making meaningful change to the experience and representation of women in their companies. But to date, that conversation and attention has been far too narrowly focused.
The New York Times recently published an article titled “Study Examines Why Black Americans Remain Scarce in the Executive Suite,” and one of the reasons cited is white women aren’t using using new power to advocate for other underrepresented groups. Black professionals in the study were more likely than white professionals to say that the primary beneficiaries of diversity and inclusion efforts have been white women.
As a white woman, I am keenly aware of how my opportunities and experience in organizations, for many reasons, is much different than other people’s experiences, particularly those from underrepresented groups. I need to actively support other underrepresented people in organizations and still have much work to do in order to figure out the best way to champion others. One thing I am trying to do is broaden the diversity and inclusion conversation to be truly inclusive.