Identity Inventory & Intersectionality

In order to empathise with the lived experiences of others we need to improve our understanding of intersectionality. In 2017, YW Boston released an article entitled, ‘What is intersectionality, and what does it have to do with me?’ describing intersectionality as “a framework for conceptualizing a person, group of people, or social problem as affected by a number of discriminations and disadvantages. It takes into account people’s overlapping identities and experiences in order to understand the complexity of the prejudices they face.” Race, class, gender identity, sexual orientation and religion are key factors when discussing intersectionality, as they contribute to lack of identity and miss-representation.

What the Research Says

Law professor and social theorist, Kimberlé Crenshaw, first coined the term in the late ’80s, following a rise in black feminists speaking out about how the majority of black women weren’t able to identify with the issues raised by white feminist during that time. For example –  white women speaking out about the pressures they felt having to stay home and play house. Most black women didn’t have a choice and financially had to continue going to work so they could support their families. Being unable to identify with these types of issues highlighted a divide within society and shown a light on the lack of representation towards black women and their struggles.

Fuelled by the injustice of how women of colour were treated during the Civil Rights movement, and the lack of correct representation with society, the term, intersectionality, began to gravitate into mainstream terminology. 

Awareness of race and gender bias fuel intersectionality, and social equality. A good activity when discussing intersectionality is to ask yourself the following questions: Do you recognise privilege? Do you tarnish all women with the same brush? Do you use phrases such as “all women think…” or “all black women believe?” 

It is important to recognise that many people have experienced the world differently, due to their overlapping identity markers. By being more exposed to other points of view, and being more aware of the space you occupy, a greater understanding of society is gained.

Team Activities

  • In your next team meeting or all hands. Ask folks to reflect on what nuances lie in similar identities, e.g. how do folks of the same race and gender still experience different types of prejudice based on other aspects of their life like their socioeconomic class?
  • Re-framing constructive feedback through the lens of bias. Was there a time you created a policy that applied to “all women” or “all men” or “all parents” that didn’t account for the differences within these identity groups? How could you re-examine those decisions through the lens of intersectionality?
  • In your next candidate evaluation written response. Are you still rejecting candidates on the basis of ‘culture fit’? Dive deeper into intersectionality and challenge yourself to consider how this hinders your goals of creating a more equitable company.

New Habits to Make a Difference

  • Start a new past time in your team where you share stories from your lived experiences, stories which may challenge what folks think about your background and upbringing.
  • Expand the definition of terms like “women” within your community to be expansive to cover the range of identities and nuance within this group: dive into race, age, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background and more.
  • Challenge yourself to understand the concept of intersectionality so well you could explain it to a four year old, then once you can, discuss it in your inner circles with family and friends. Encourage them to understand it better and apply it as a lens in their life.

 

Got a Question?

F.A.Qs

You start with the foundation training which consists of one 30 minute video, followed by 6 bite size videos. You can then do the intermediate training which is made up of 18 bite size videos. Finally, you can do the advanced training which is made up of 8 longer videos.

You can access each module from the homepage via the buttons that say foundation, intermediate and advanced.

No. All our modules are self paced so you can take as long as you like. 

You need to complete each training module and submit your google worksheet which can be found on the individual module page. Once submitted, our team will review your worksheet and issue out a certificate if you have passed. If you have passed, you will receive a graduation pack which contains a certificate, social imagery so you can show off to your colleagues and connections on LinkedIn plus some other goodies.

.

You can submit your Google form worksheet via the module page.

No. Only the worksheet is reviewed and marked. 

You can use the cheat sheet to get a better understanding of the different types of biases people face in the workplace, but also IRL.

We will share an overview of how many people have enrolled and completed the course, but we will never share private information such as names, titles or email addresses.

Yes! Each module has its own worksheet which is a Google form. 

We will send you detailed instructions along with suggested social copy and imagery which can be used on LinkedIn and Instagram. This will be sent to you in an email from our team once you have passed the foundation module.

If you fail, you will have the option of submitting your worksheet again until all the answers are correct. Don’t worry, you can take the course again for free and resubmit your worksheets.

 

Please email hello@hustlecrew.co and a member of the team will get back to you within 72 hours.